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The rise of Māori academic achievement in mental health

The rise of Māori academic achievement in mental health

The phenomenal success of a groundbreaking programme to develop Māori Health professionals has been celebrated at a special hui in Auckland today.

Te Rau Puawai was the brainchild of Māori Mental Health pioneer Sir Mason Durie and over the last 15 years the Massey University programme has seen 400 students graduate with a 90 per cent pass rate.

It is a success rate that is the envy of many academic institutions, but of greater significance is Te Rau Puawai’s contribution to Māori mental health with 60 per cent of graduates now working in the sector.

Te Rau Puawai is a collaboration between Massey University and Health Workforce New Zealand, and board chairman Associate Professor Te Kani Kingi told the gathering that Massey University’s willingness to innovate and change the way it did things was a key contributor to the programme getting off the ground.

The programme grew out of concerns by staff from Massey University’s School of Psychology at the high attrition rate of capable Māori students and a desire to recognise that Māori students needed a different approach. The programme provides bursaries and learning support for Māori students wanting to start or complete a Massey University qualification in Māori mental health.

Kirsty Maxwell Crawford, who led the programme at its inception, says a whanau approach to learning was developed alongside the initial students and was grounded in solid relationships with students even those studying at distance. This also included an 0800 hotline for students and a weekly phone team who would phone students to offer them support and keep track of their progress.
Director of Health Workforce New Zealand Dr Graeme Benny paid tribute to the programme, warning that a mental health catastrophe is looming in the community — where the average time a patient spends with their GP is only 15 minutes a year.

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“This is not long enough to get to really discuss underlying mental health issues.” He says New Zealand has to better utilise the existing healthcare workforce.

Hukarere Valentine is a graduate of Te Rau Puawai and is now a clinical psychologist at Massey University in Manawatū. She says she often ended up being the only Māori in the room when studying. “Te Rau Puawai gave that wrap-around support and was the one place I could be Māori and successful.”

For more information on the programme, visit the website: http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/maori/maori_research/te-rau-puawai/te-rau-puawai_home.cfm


ENDS

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