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Education Grant Recipients
Ara-Wai Whakahau Project
PROJECT SUMMARY
The Ara-Wai Whakahau project was established by Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Ltd (NAGHL) and funded by Kānoa to restore the quality of waterways on Tumurau, Ngakauroa, and Ngāti Awa Farms. This was achieved through riparian fencing and planting. By erecting fences along paddock waterbodies, stock is unable to access these areas, reducing the risk of waste seeping into the waterways. The planting of native plants results in an effective filtration system as their roots act as a natural sieve to catch waste. These measures will ensure the drastic reduction in chemical, faecal and sediment pollution to the waterways, leaving fresh water for the flora and fauna livelihood.
TRAINING COMPLETED
Agriculture Level 3 QUALIFICATION
New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture Level 3
Site Safe Site Safe Passport
Construction Pre-Trade
Leadership Part 2 Certificate in Construction Pre-Trade (High Work)
Certification in Leadership Management Part 2 STATUS
Completed by 16 staff Completed by 6 staff Completed by 6 staff Completed by 2 staff COMPLETED WORKS
Over the last year, our team has been successful in eradicating a variety of weed species across 9ha of farm. During the winter months, there has been approximately 35,000 native plants and trees planted with a maintenance process of grubbing and release spraying. This is repeated an additional four rotations to ensure each plant remains in optimal health until it reaches a level of maturity where it can thrive on its own. It has taken a year and we are finally pleased to see our native plants flourishing. Our contractor Morrison Fencing has had the privilege of teaching and mentoring three apprentices from the Ara-Wai over the project. Their hard work is demonstrated through the quality of their mahi and with the erection of 75km of fence lines! The team along with Morrison Fencing have seen a massive transformation of the farms and brought this project through to fruition. EMPLOYMENT
This year has seen several adjustments to the team. In November, the Pou Ara-Wai Whakahau retired and as a result we held an internal recruitment effort.
A new Pou Ara-Wai Whakahau was appointed later that month followed by an alternate Leading Hand. The project was to end 17 December 2021 however due to the frugality of the Project Management Office; the project was well under budget by December. After getting approval from MBIE (Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment) the project was granted its first extension to 31 March 2022. The purpose of this extension was for a smaller team of 11 to continue the remaining works which included more mass eradication and the maintenance of already completed planting.
In March 2022, the project was approved for a further extension to 30 September 2022 with a smaller team of 5. Those who were unsuccessful in securing a position in either extension, were transitioned over to the Workforce Development team under the Te Ara Mahi project, who have been integral to supporting our kaimahi into alternative employment and pathways.
Our current team continues to complete their maintenance rotations and mass cleanup of our farms, along with supporting other areas in the organisation.
Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai
SUMMARY
2022 has not come without its challenges, with the declining of two funding applications to keep the remaining four kaimahi on to proceed with the ongoing maintenance requirements and plant releasing. Overall, the Ara-Wai Whakahau project has been an amazing opportunity for the iwi to undertake and one that will carry on for generations to come, due to the training and matāuranga instilled into the Ihu whenua and their whānau employed on this project.
Building Resilient and Sustainable Communities
This project was created to develop employment and economic resilience, and overall wellbeing of Ngāti Awa whānau by supporting dedicated human resource within Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa to identify, investigate, navigate, and facilitate strategic development opportunities in which whānau and participate and thrive. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa applied for funding for a 15-month term from Te Puna Kōrkiri for the following reasons:
Ngāti Awa and the people of Whakatāne / Eastern Bay of Plenty are recovering from a series of natural and global events that have had a devastating impact on the employment and economic resilience and overall morale and wellbeing of Ngāti Awa whānau. These events include the Whakaari eruption, COVID-19.
• These significant setbacks come in the wake of existing underlying challenges that already face the region. According to the Info metrics
Quarterly Economic Monitor, the average unemployment rate in Whakatāne
District in December 2020 was 6.6%; up from 5.6% 12 months earlier; higher than the BOP average (5.1%); and higher than the NZ average (4.6%).
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa (Rūnanga) inclusive of its subsidiaries has played a vital role both pre- and post-COVID-19 in responding the wellbeing needs of their uri and pursuing and supporting economic development initiatives that generate local employment and enterprise opportunities for their uri.
• The Rūnanga has secured Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) and Jobs for
Nature (J4N) investment across four projects comprising a Waterways project; PGF Marae Renovations; Tourism (Army Hall); and Te Ara Mahi (a Marine Technical Training School). These projects will create 68 jobs and the Marine Training school will see 120 people successfully trained, qualified, and placed in employment by 2023.
While the PGF and J4N investments are positive and will certainly support Ngāti Awa whānau through this period as well as help the local economy to rebuild, the funding and the jobs created are all fixed term, with the longest project being five years. Consequently, the Rūnanga is focussed on ensuring that these projects lead to sustainable economic development for Ngāti Awa, for the rohe, as well as achieve sustainable, meaningful, and permanent long-term employment for whānau. Primary target group are Ngāti Awa whānau living in the Iwi rohe. This focus will benefit the broader Whakatāne district, the Eastern Bay of Plenty rohe and the NZ economy.
Success will be measured by the number of whānau who are undertaking formal training and qualifications; the progression of whānau into higher qualifications and senior roles; employment retention and permanency; employment placement and continuity beyond fixed-term employment.
This project contributes to all three pou of the Te Puni Kōrkiri Māori Economic Resilience Strategy (Skills & Workforce, Community Resilience & Infrastructure, Enterprise)
The current CEO’s predecessor solutions were to confirm the Te Puna Kōrkiri funding will ensure that the Rūnanga has dedicated capacity and capability to:
• Provide necessary pastoral care to employees across the four
PGF and J4N projects (noting that pastoral care is not currently included in the PGF and J4N funding)
• Identify, investigate, navigate, and facilitate strategic development opportunities to benefit whānau wellbeing • Advance job, training, education and business development opportunities and community response initiatives • Increase Ngāti Awa whānau employment and economic resilience
The outcomes chosen for this project are: Building resilient Ngāti Awa whānau better adapted to withstand future disruptions (e.g., lockdowns; financial recessions; natural disasters etc) by delivering initiatives in a collaborative and coordinated way that result in:
• Higher household income and standard of living • Improved training/education/ employment and business outcomes
• Positive health results due to improved standard of living • Better environmental outcomes
• Resilient and prepared Ngāti Awa communities. The focus areas were: • Building capability in management, leadership, resilience planning, implementation, and therefore overall ability to scale.
• Māori organisations to act as
“virtual hubs” for a range of government and community interactions and services. This project has been successful by way of: • Employment of a pastoral care kaimahi for internal and external Ngāti Awa uri to seek advice and help with needs and barriers of each individual that has sought Ngati Awa’s advice. – Total Pastoral care interventions to June 2022 are 323 contacts – Total Expressions of interest into Pastoral care are 17
• Employment of a Team Administrator
• Employment of a Transitional Workforce Navigator
• Employment of a Strategic Business Manager, which is no longer in place due to a resignation and the role to date has still not been filled
• Employment of a communications FTE, this created a much-needed positive effect within the Rūnanga and iwi as it has allowed the following: – An increase in social media traction through regular posting around kaimahi progression – Beginning stages of a centralised comms strategy for TRONA – Engagement with other organisation arms such as NAGHL (Ngāti Awa
Group Holdings Limited) – Creation of Projects website to generate more awareness to wider community and organisations
• A Contract completed for an external HR company.
CONCLUSION
Through this project we have been able to help internal and project Kaimahi through barriers, education (upskilling), and new employment opportunities.
It has been an extremely successful project with a remarkable team that have consistently been facing barriers with external organisations.
It is poignant to see this project end in January 2023.
Matariki Whakapiri
Matariki hunga Matariki ahunga nui
Matariki Whakapiri 2022 was created as a festive day-night event to celebrate Matariki by embracing Te Ao Māori and Ngāti Awatanga in an engaging, collaborative, fun event for all our Ngāti Awa hapori and more.
Over the past years, Matariki has been celebrated within the community and Te Rūnanga oi Ngāti Awa through various initiatives. However, this year with the establishment of PMO and the newly official Matariki public holiday we wanted something different. With this idea in mind and the knowledge of Waitangi’s annual matariki celebration, this is when two kaupapa became one, by collaborating with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi (TWWOA) led by Waitangi Black.
Heading into this project we set clear project aims of success as Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa’s very first Matariki Night Festival. The aims were:
• Education and awareness of Matariki • Celebrating Māoritanga and Ngāti Awatanga • The opportunity of bringing together EBOP Iwi and Hauora services through kapa haka • Exposure and collaboration with Ngāti Awa registered pakihi • Awareness and exposure of TRONA and its projects to the wider community • Whakapiri is about coming together, whanaungatanga and connecting to our people
THE EVENT
There were so many dimensions to this event as we wanted it to be spectacular for all ages, bring all whānau and hapori together and of course meet our projects aims. The event kicked off at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae with a collaboration of Kapa Haka performances by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Awa Taikura, Whakatāne District Council, Tūhoe Hauora, Ngāti Awa Social and Health Services (NASH), and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.
After the Kapa Haka, there were many different facets going on at the same time, In the Wharekai there were local pakihi stalls selling items such as kākahu, rongoā, tāonga and a tamariki area with mahi toi such as poi making, harakeke weaving, stress ball making and Matariki coloring in. The tamariki/rangatahi area was extended outside with face painting and a rock-climbing wall.
Outside on Mātaatua Street was an array of food trucks such as Drip Desserts, Ngaiz Kai, Kraken Crumpets, and so much more along with stalls by TWWOA, NASH and us, all to engage with the people, get recruitments and showcase what we do. Whānau could meander through the various night market stalls at their leisure and sit with their tamariki to enjoy their kai under the twinkling lights while being entertained by our MCs Moerangi Black (TWWOA), Kahi Stevens (TumekeFM), and Timoti Tiakiwai (TumekeFM). As well as enjoying performances by some of our amazing local talents such as Eve Kelly, Jinan Dodd, Steps Dance Crew, Glenys Wana, and Shelley Akuhata.
Then inside the Mātaatua Wharenui we had the award-winning digital experience, Hiko: Legends Carved in Light show play for whānau and hapori to learn history and stories relating to Ngāti Awa as well as Dr Pouroto Ngaropo who shared his mātauranga on Matariki specifically to our area and iwi. SUPPORTERS/FUNDERS
Firstly, huge acknowledgement to our partners TWWOA, specifically Waitangi Black for all the background mahi, support and coming together to achieve this event!
Thank you to our main sponsors • Te Puni Kōkiri
• Trust Horizon • Creative Community
A special acknowledgement for all those the contributed to this kaupapa in other ways. ‘Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini’.
• Gather & Co • NASH • SunFm/ TumekeFm • Huia Publishers • Whakatāne Beacon • Peppers Building Supplies • Bay Of Plenty Regional Council • Whakatāne District Council
• Mātaatua Movement And our performing organisations: • TRONA • Ngāti Awa Taikura • WDC • Tūhoe Hauora • NASH • TWWOA CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
Having Matariki become a recognised public holiday and openly celebrating it as hapori together is a huge cultural shift forward. For many of us here at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and other participating organisations Matariki Whakapiri was a momentous occasion that had inspired many of us to get together, practicing our waiata during our normal morning sessions, lunch times and the weekend, enabling us to brush up on our knowledge of Matariki further and bring along our whānau to celebrate the kaupapa. We look forward to preparing our new bracket for next years performance along with everyone else’s and continuing to celebrate Te Ao Māori!
CONCLUSION
Overall, we had approximately over 1500 people in attendance through out the festival, it was wonderfully attended by our pakeke of Ngāti Awa and Mataata whānui with a special mention to the attendance of our pou Tā Hirini Moko Mead and the presence of leadership both Reuben Araroa and Wiremu Doherty from beginning to the closure of event. We met all our project aims but most importantly we connected with the people, created a special event for the people and worked collaboratively with the people to get this done!
