Experience Drives Kaiako at TWOA (Te Wānanga o Aotearoa)

Most social workers, nurses, educators and others working in the caring professions received their training through a typical western education system. To succeed in this system, cultural beliefs are often set aside. Now, Te Rangimaria Warbrick wants to bring those cultural beliefs back to the forefront of what they do.

Te Rangimaria is the kaiako for the Kaitiakitanga: Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision programme, offered by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Tauranga for the first time in 2018. The programme teaches students how to make a positive difference as kaitiaki/supervisors by effectively working alongside whānau, hapū, iwi and communities.

The unique programme uses mātauranga Māori as the core of its supervision curriculum in a range of different disciplines. Te Rangimaria – Rangitane, Ngāti Rangitihi - says the concept of kaitiakitanga differs from supervision in that it incorporates a Māori worldview. “Kaitiakitanga transcends supervision,” he says. “We operate from a Māori perspective and Māori working in hauora often have the ability to look at things from a bicultural viewpoint.”

He says students will develop their own kaitiakitanga framework. “That comes from their own cultural knowledge and understanding”. Te Rangimaria has more than 20 years’ experience working in the addiction and health services area, after beginning his own recovery journey through the Taha Māori programme at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer in 1992. “That was a life changing transformation and it got me interested in the use of culture in the healing process from addiction. It also set me on a journey of giving back to the kaupapa.”

He holds a Masters in Philosophy, Bachelor of Education and Diploma in Teaching and says his own journey “has been a good filter to what I was being told. I enjoy putting that knowledge to use in the community.” He says the programme is ideal for people moving into leadership roles who want to create their own conceptual frameworks and apply them in their mahi.

For more information on online courses NZ, distance learning NZ and learning Māori please go to www.twoa.ac.nz .