Māori student support appointments

Paiheretia te muka tangata

Paihere means to unite, bind or unify. In the context of this kaupapa, this whakataukī recognises the bringing together and binding of many strands of support for ākonga Māori who are new to Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. Through Paihere, our UC Māori mentoring and leadership programme, ākonga Māori have the opportunity to connect with other more experienced ākonga.

Adopting a Kaupapa Māori framework centred on building a strong sense of whānau for ākonga Māori at UC, Paihere recognises the important role, and valued relationship, of tuākana and tāina - older and younger siblings. From a UC context, Tuākana are our Kaitaki, senior ākonga leaders who alongside Kaiāwhina, senior ākonga who have a strong record of academic achievement, both provide support and guidance for Tāina. This integrated approach ensures ākonga Māori who are new to UC are engaged, connected and supported as they navigate their first year of study here with us at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha. Paihere incorporates, explores and recognises the UC7 graduate attributes which align and underpin its foundation.

The Paihere programme is a programme that recognises the value of ako, complementary learning and is a collaboration with Kā Waimaero and Te Akatoki Māori Students' Association.  Within Paihere the three complementary roles involves:

• Tāina: First year and new to UC ākonga Māori, including Takere and Kaitoko Māori Scholarship recipients
• Taurima: Ākonga Māori student leaders who provide live in support and mentoring during the Takere Academy over the summer
• Kaitaki: Ākonga Māori student leaders who provide mentoring and support for Tāina, community and event support on campus, such as Aukaha
• Kaiāwhina: Academic high achieving ākonga who provide tutoring

With a strong focus on peer networking, we encourage UC ākonga Māori to make the most of the learning opportunities available on campus and seek to connect students with peers that might be studying in the same areas as you.

Tōkihi

The key aims of Tokihi are to encourage whakawhanaungatanga (establishing relationships) between Postgraduate ākonga, to enhance their academic skills, and support their personal development needs.

Tōkihi initiatives include:

• Individual appointments with an advisor
• Personal cultural development
• Academic writing support
• Conference grant
• Research/data analysis/statistics workshops
• Connecting with the UC Postgraduate community

Tōkihi Conference and workshops grant

This grant is offered through UC Māori and is open to all Māori PhD candidates who are currently enrolled at the University of Canterbury. The grant provides financial support for travel and/or registrations costs for ākonga who are presenting at a national and/or international conference.

Research/data analysis/statistics workshops

NVivo and ‘R’ are tools that supports qualitative and mixed methods research.  These is just one of many data analysis tools available for ākonga.  The Library provides services and resources to support UC researchers throughout the research process.  The library runs workshops to help you get the most out of the tools available.

You can find the workshops here: http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/ir/research.shtml

For many people the journey to navigate the world begins with the desire to gain a higher qualification in education. It is therefore vital that students are well informed, thoroughly prepared and full of confidence to engage in tertiary level studies. We have very supportive and friendly staff who can support you and your whānau towards taking the first step towards your tertiary experience.

In 2021, UC piloted a new programme for Māori and Pacific ākonga called Takere. Takere is six-week scholarship and live-in academy programme offered over the summer months of January and February. This programme is designed to prepare ākonga Māori and Pacific for tertiary level education. Scholarships are now open and close on 15 August.