The Next Generation Of Māori Health Professionals

More than 100 young Māori students from all over Aotearoa will come together for a 3-day interactive hui in Wellington being hosted by Kia Ora Hauora, aimed at increasing the number of clinically trained Māori working in our health and disability sector.

“There are too few Māori working across the health and disability sector so increasing the Māori workforce is crucial, it’s the ultimate aim of this hui and the work we do,” says Cazna Luke, National Coordination Centre Programme Manager for Kia Ora Hauora, a national Māori workforce development programme that supports over 4000 registered students and health workers.

“It is widely accepted that Matauranga Māori is best practise when it comes to improving health outcomes for our people and delivering culturally responsive health care; the rangatahi attending our hui are the generation that will help address the inequity that currently exists,” she says.

Te Manu Korokī Hui Rangatahi 2023 gets underway at Takapūwāhia Marae on Tuesday 23 May and runs to 25 May. It was first planned to take place in 2020 but was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions.

“Kia Ora Hauora has the highest number of Māori registrations for any careers programme in New Zealand, it builds on the legacy of those who fought for and held space for the generations of Māori health workers that followed, so it’s very exciting to be in Wellington and investing in the newest generation.

“We have an action-packed programme and a lot of excited rangatahi looking forward to getting hands-on experience and getting up-close and personal with a host of inspirational Māori health professionals that look and sound just like them.”

Te Manu Korokī Hui Rangatahi is free for Māori secondary school students who are registered with Kia Ora Hauora and have a demonstrated desire to pursue a health career pathway.

Te Aka Whai Ora Maiaka Hapori - Deputy Chief Executive, Public and Population Health Selah Hart says prioritising our Māori health workforce is central to achieving genuine change in the wellbeing of whānau Māori.

“Te Aka Whai Ora are developing several workforce initiatives to ensure Māori voices and hauora expertise are reflected at every level of our new health system.We have to increase Māori health workers at a time when there are persistent workforce and skills shortages, and heavy demands for healthcare.

“Kia Ora Hauora is a great example of systemic change that is transforming the health sector from the inside by nurturing a movement of Maori into the sector by changing who delivers services and makes decisions,” says Selah.

The hui gets underway with a powhiri welcome from mana whenua at Takapūwāhia Marae. The programme includes an interactive visit to the simulation suites at Whitireia Polytechnic, speed dating sessions with tertiary providers, presentations from Te Aka Whai Ora, as well as a range of young inspirational speakers who are champions of the Kia Ora Hauora kaupapa.

“Through Kia Ora Hauora we are seeing rangatahi from all different backgrounds, representing the complexity of contemporary Maori communities proudly and deservedly graduating. Ready to take on the next challenge of working within the system they have learnt about, to transform it in from within, says Cazna.

“With a critical mass of our people within the system, the system will look different, it will feel different and as an outcome it will operate differently. I have absolute belief in our people transforming the system from within.”

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