Tū Māia 2023 Journey
Published: 09/02/26
312 Oranga Tamariki staff completed their Tū Māia journey between June and October 2023.
Te Atarangi Whiu, Director Te Hāpai Ō says it was a pleasure to be part of their journey and witness their growth throughout the duration of the programme.
Kei runga noa atu koutou!
“To join, to connect, to unite” was a whakaaro that stood out to me when listening to the experiences of our Tū Māia 2023 kaimahi, along with kōrero from DCE Phil Grady around "wanting to be better at leading…in terms of enabling Māori to lead and drive and support the changes that need to be made”.
This is just one of many examples of the impact Tū Māia has had on our kaimahi at Oranga Tamariki.
Hear from our 2023 participants below:
Annalise Sharp: What makes Tū Māia such a wonderful course is getting to connect with other people and kind of learn together.
Louise Heke: It ensures that we all have a basic level of understanding when it comes to the histories of our people.
Steve Murray: That's the purpose of this is to try and challenge us in government, to think differently, to do differently, to be better.
Annalise Sharp: And I think you kind of don't know where you're bias sits until you sit back and kind of really learn about other people.
Komene Kururangi (Kaitoro): What we're trying to do is raise awareness and consciousness around āhuatanga Māori. What it's like to be Māori, the issues, the barriers.
Dee Gulliver (Kaitoro): So we've given them the tools to begin with, it's up to them to actually apply it and live it.
Perrin Thomas: And it's making me extremely interested in my own whakapapa, where I've come from, all about my whānau and it's making me ask the questions and going in and finding things out,
Craig Kenah: Yeah, it's been really awesome. There's been some really good opportunities to be challenged.
Lisa Nauer: I think it's fantastic. It's such an awesome programme. It really challenges all your thinking and you feel really safe when you come here.
Maggie Ramalingam: I’ve really enjoyed this journey. Although this is part of my workspace training, but I take it as a personal journey as well.
Kate Harrow: Our kaitoro have been absolutely amazing. They are very passionate. They’re very insightful. They're very supportive.
Phil Grady: Look, I want to be better at the job I do. I want to be better at the way I lead in terms of enabling Māori to lead and sort of drive and support the changes that need to be made.
Rebecca Premadasa: To join, to connect, to unite. And I think that is what I take away from this whole learning experience.
Komene Kururangi (Kaitoro) This mahi is integral, because Oranga Tamariki are working with a whole bunch of our whānau who are either disconnected, disenfranchised. And to us as Māori. Ko te mea tino nui, ko te whānau. The most important thing is whānau
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