Iwi members from Ngāti Toa Rangatira are taking the opportunity to further their skills and career aspirations through an iwi and government-led cadetship program.
Grace Davies wants to help improve the health outcomes of iwi. Photo: Te Puni Kōkiri
The cadetship led by Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Te Puni Kōkiri has helped to bring whānau back to their rohe while supporting their career development as well.
Iwi members who join the program are given financial assistance as well as mentoring and employment opportunities within their chosen field of study to upskill and enhance their learning.
Grace Davies, who has been undertaking the program this year, said she wanted to return home after her studies in Otago and was grateful when the cadetship was offered to her, as she can now pursue a higher education while giving back to her iwi and whānau.
"It's been a great opportunity for me and it's given me the opportunity to move back home and continue towards getting a higher education."
Davies said it was during her upbringing on the pā area of Ngāti Toa that she saw the harsh experiences of health system her whānau were facing.
Because of this, she decided to pursue a career in health and, through the cadetship, has been able to further her studies by working with 'Ora Toa', Ngāti Toa Rangatira's health clinic.
She said she wanted to contribute towards improving the health services and outcomes for her iwi.
"I want to grow old with my whānau and that inspired me and made me want to go into health."
"It was all about setting up a healthcare system where my whānau felt comfortable to go, I wanted them to feel like they had all of their health needs taken care of on their doorstep" she said.
Most recently with Covid-19 vaccinations underway, Davies has been helping to vaccinate kaumātua within the iwi and surrounding community.
She said she has appreciated being able to re-establish connections within her community while encouraging them to get vaccinated.
"Coming back and working for your people for me is the most rewarding thing anyone can do."
"Working for the people that raised you while also getting the opportunity to continue to learn for them... I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity," she said.
Te Puni Kōkiri has been facilitating the cadetship program since 2010 and, in 2020, the program was given an additional $22.7 million over three years.
Each cadetship can be valued up to $10,000 and aims to provide a boost for Māori businesses and employers.
Bianca Elkington, the general manager for education and employment at Ngāti Toa, said maintaining a good relationship with Te Puni Kōkori has meant the iwi could deliver on their shared outcomes and aspirations.
She said the relationship has helped to eliminate barriers faced by some whānau wishing to pursue higher education.
"There is a financial barrier for some of our whānau to go in and participate in higher education but it's not just the financial barrier, it's also a barrier to accessing support once your in those systems."
"The beauty about the cadetship program is that there is that financial support but also pastoral support within our organisation where people are supporting people."
Elkington said the iwi wanted to see their whānau reach their potential through upskilling and development and hopefully return their skills and abilities to the iwi.
"It advances themselves and it advances our people as a whole because they will generally come back and work for us, work for each other, work for the whānau."
"Our vision for the iwi is to have a strong, vibrant and influential iwi that are firmly grounded in our cultural identity and leading change," she said.