48 Kaimahi Graduate With Whānau Ora Tohu

Forty eight kaimahi from Whānau Ora organisations throughout the North Island have today graduated with a Whānau Ora Diploma.

Held at the Te Puia Arts and Crafts centre in Rotorua, the 2021 cohort were presented with their diplomas by Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson.

“You are the face of the new Māori workforce and the more knowledge you acquire, the better you can advocate and support our people,” Jackson said.

“I congratulate every one of you for graduating with a Whānau Ora tohu and acknowledge your whānau, who have been supportive of your journey.”

Graduates are from 15 North Island Whānau Ora organisations including Ngāti Hine Health Trust, Te Puna Hauora o Te Rakipaewhenua, Te Whānau o Waipareira, Te Hā Oranga o Ngāti Whātua, Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki, Te Kōhao Health Trust, Ngā Mātāpuna Oranga, Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa, Korowai Aroha, Te Kupenga Hauora Ahuriri, Te Whare Maire o Tapuwae, Tui Ora, Kahungunu Whānau Services Kōkiri Mare Health & Social Services, Te Rūnanganui o Te Ātiawa and come from a variety of backgrounds.

They include Waipareira graduate Aufata Muaulu a Samoan-Māori, JJ Solomon – a 2020 PGF funded ‘Digital Warriors’ initiative - who left his job to create transformative change for rangatahi in Wairoa and Ngati Hine graduate Naini Heremaia, who epitomises Whānau Ora by emphasising that you build your own whānau foundation/strength before helping others.

Waipareira CEO John Tamihere said the Whānau Ora Diploma was designed as a workforce development qualification for workers in Whānau Ora organisations to support their work across multiple disciplines of health, education, welfare, housing and justice sectors.

"This diploma recognises the outstanding mahi these kaimahi do for their communities. This tohu also gives them and their work mana,” Tamihere said.

The part-time study diploma is mixed mode delivery involving noho marae, monthly workshops, individual and group tutoring, work base practicum, self-directed learning, research and online facilitation.

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