Te rau matatoi 2021 Charles Bailey scholar - Tom Bergen

“My ultimate goal is that I want to see our rangatahi and the world more physically active; I want to change the status quo on how people think about exercise and wellbeing,” he says.

Our Te Rau Matatoi 2021 / Charles Bailey Scholar, Tom is completing his doctorate through Otago University. However, he also gained a PhD scholarship through Sport New Zealand, so is based in Wellington. The subject of his PhD thesis is: “Maximising the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on the wellbeing of rangatahi.”

Through his PhD research, Tom is looking at the sense of mass participation for young people aged 12 to 17, with the aim of getting everyone to have access to physical activity. That could be anything from a hīkoi on a maunga to visiting a park.

“I think the future of wellbeing is focusing on mass participation, rather than just high performance, which New Zealand has traditionally done,” he says.

“It’s also about making sure young people are having fun and want to continue onwards.”

Tom wants to change the idea of using physical activity, like doing laps, as punishment. “It’s really backwards.”

He is also focused on finding solutions for inequities in wellbeing, focusing on vulnerable groups including Māori, Pasifika and people with disabilities.

“The way I look at wellbeing is through a Māori world view; it’s very encompassing. It’s not just a matter of mental and physical health, it’s down to a spiritual level, a connection to the land. Looking at it from a holistic point of view is very important for my PhD.”

He aims to finish his doctorate in February 2024. “I’m quite keen to get it done in three years and I have the financial support, so that’s quite good for me.”

His interest in sport and physical activity comes from being the youngest of three children growing up in Marton, where he attended Rangitīkei College.

“I’ve always played sport one way or another, but I can say I was a pretty uncoordinated kid.”The 23-year-old always gave it a go though, playing Rippa Rugby, enjoying football (soccer) as he got older, badminton, until he eventually found handball. “Like the one in Europe – not four square,” he laughs.

Handball grabbed him when he was living and studying in Dunedin. “It was the people around me and the coach… they were really helpful and made [sic] a sense of community around it.”

He played for the Otago region at the club nationals and has even been on the national executive as the communication officer.

At Otago University, his undergraduate degree was a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sports Science, followed by a Bachelor of Science with Honours (1st Class) in Exercise, Sport and Health.

“I started driving more towards the health side – what physical activity can do for people, rather than the hard science of it.”

Before Tom Bergen began his PhD in February, he had a gap year working in a community centre in Flaxmere, Hawke’s Bay. “It’s a low socio-economic area with a big heart. It was just an amazing learning opportunity to work amongst this community,” he says.

“I met some of the loveliest people ever. It humbled me a lot and showed me there was quite a lot I could do for Aotearoa.”

Through his PhD, he’s trying to push for change in the wellbeing of rangatahi, and he believes his way of making a difference will be by working to change Government policy.

While studying for his doctorate, Tom has been also learning te reo Māori through online courses.

His mum, Shelly Bergen (nee Canton) grew up in Waitara, and has strong connections to her iwi, Ngāti Ruanui, and affiliations to Parininihi ki Waitōtara.

“I’m going through quite a big journey in capturing te reo,” he says.

While following his academic path, Tom has gained financial support by becoming the 2021 Te Rau Matatoi, the Charles Bailey Scholar.

“It’s one of the greatest academic honours I could get. I felt it was a way I could make my iwi proud,” he says.

“I have been blessed because of it. I can happily pay my rent, I can go and get food, I can get supplies for academia as I need. As well as that, it’s also good for my whānau because they don’t need to worry about me.”

The Charles Bailey Scholarship will fund Tom’s PhD studies for three years and is valued at $7,500 per year. It has been awarded since 1980 in recognition of Waitara farmer Charles Bailey, who helped establish the Committee of Management for PKW, and was its first Chair.

Tom was an outstanding scholarship candidate who scored highly in the pre-interview essays and matrix testing, says Puna Wano-Bryant, Te Rautitikura / General Manager Shareholder Engagement.

“When we got the chance to talk to him, he was committed to the betterment of Māori and his contribution to Taranaki iwi whānui. Receiving this scholarship is a further commitment to that journey,” she says. “For me, his area of study around the physical wellbeing of our people is hugely important.”

“We started as humans, who always ran to get our food, always hunted, always explored the natural environment, so I think it’s building up that appreciation again and realising we don’t have to live these sedentary technological-filled lives,” Tom says.

E mihi ana ki ngā rau pukenga ki roto i a koe Tom. Whaia rā e koe i te utanganui o ngā kōrero a ōu tūpuna.