Initial engagement with multiple internal Māori communities across Te Tari Taake reinforced the importance of engaging kanohi-ki-te-kanohi in wānanga.
A wānanga in March 2023 brought together Māori from across the organisation to further explore the barriers that have been experienced in terms of career development, and to work together to understand what we need to do to address these barriers.
Referring to internal resources: Tuitui te Hono, Haehae Whakarei, Mauri Ora te Whānau, and kōrero with Te Kāhui Tūhono, facilitators of the wānanga ensured space was made for tikanga, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga.
Over the period of the two-day wānanga participants shared:
- their expectations for the outcomes of the wānanga
- a multitude of barriers to career progression
- a vision of what 2030 might look like with those barriers removed
- priorities to achieve that 2030 vision – broken down by year.
Analysis of the collated information from the wānanga indicated the need to focus on:
- People Leaders - leaders gaining a better understanding of the cultural needs, practices and value of Māori.
- People Capabilities - working in partnership to refresh our capabilities to be inclusive of te ao Māori.
- Recruitment practices – focused on Māori cultural practices and enabling Māori to be unapologetically themselves.
- Individual skills and support – support and empower the individual to realise their potential.
- Promotion and visibility of Whānau Māori networks – increase feelings of inclusion and provide opportunities for capability growth.
- Māori career pathways – supporting the overall increase of Māori representation at senior level and in technical roles.