'Whai Ake I te Ara Tika' Māori Mentoring Scholarship ... - Unitec

'Whai Ake I te Ara Tika’
Māori Mentoring Scholarship Porgramme
Unitec Institute of Technology – Te Whare Wananga o Wairaka
“Ma te tuakana e tōtika te teina, ma te teina e tōtika te tuakana ‐ From the older siblings
the younger one learns the right way to do things, and from the younger siblings the older
one learns to be tolerant”
Since 2005, the Whai Ake I te Ara Tika scholarship programme has helped a number of Māori students pursue
their aspirations in every little way possible. The Maia Māori Development centre provides the right services
and advice to carter for the needs of all students under a Kaupapa Māori setting, including those within the
Whai Ake programme. The guiding principles of Tika (right), Pono (honesty) and Aroha (empathy) that the
Maia centre value, Whai Ake encompasses these principles to help first year Māori students complete their
first year of study with excellence.
If you are a Māori student and you are interested in receiving academic and pastoral support, as well as
learning or reconnecting with Te Reo Māori and tikanga Māori, apply now.
About the scholarship
Whai Ake is a Tuakana – Teina (older – younger sibling) model designed programme. The first year scholarship
recipients (mentees) are paired with a mentor of the same programme of study (or with similar personalities),
to help guide the mentees through the pressures of the tertiary environment. The mentors are those who
have completed and are certify trained mentors and have been a mentee on the Whai Ake programme.
What the Whai Ake programme also provides for the student is the opportunity to relax in an environment
that is comfortable (learning inside the Unitec Marae, Te Noho Kotahitanga), meet new friends, do fun group
activities, take part in kapa haka and two different noho marae (Marae live‐ins, one in the Unitec Marae and
one out of Auckland), while given the appropriate academic tools to complete assignments.
The successful applicant will receive:
‐ $2,000 towards their student loan
‐ Academic, cultural and pastoral support (and/or specialist referrals)
Closing date is Friday March 9 th 2012.
Mentor Training (He Ara Tika Māori Mentoring Programme)
Unitec provides training for Māori under the He Ara Tika (HAT) Māori Mentoring Training programme to ten
different Iwi provider sites nationally. The programme is designed to make a positive difference to Māori
students’ personal development and their ability to realise their potential. HAT is underpinned with Kaupapa
Māori principles of Te Reo Māori me nga tikanga, Ako (Tuakana/Teina), and Whanauangatanga. This
programme is the basis of the 'Whai Ake' mentors training at Unitec.
Scholarship Admission requirements and the Te Reo Māori Elective
To be eligible for a Whai Ake Māori Mentoring Scholarship you must be a current Unitec student, enrolled as a
New Zealand Māori in a full‐time, full‐year Unitec programme from Semester 1. We are seeking applicants
between the ages of 18‐25 years.
Consideration will be given to Level 4 Certificates however; priority will be given to those enrolled in a diploma
or degree‐level programme.

Conditions for successful applicants are that they commit to the following:
Full participation in the Whai Ake Māori Mentoring Programme (noho marae and events)
Attendance and completion of the Te Reo Māori Cultural Component (evening classes every Thursday
during the semester from 5‐7pm)
Regular academic workshops (fortnightly basis also during the Thursday evening class) and;
One‐to‐one catch ups with the coordinator (once a term)
Te Reo Māori Cultural component
As a requirement of the scholarship, mentees are enrolled into the ‘Te Reo Tahi me ona tikanga’ Māori elective
that is taught every Thursday evening between 5‐7pm during each semester by the Mātauranga Māori lecturer
at Maia. The Te Reo elective covers a general basic level of tikanga Māori and practices and processes of
powhiri (Māori welcoming) , tangihanga (grievance process), karakia (prayer) , waiata (tradition songs), pepeha
(exclaim your own place of belonging) and whanaungatanga (bonding).
How do I apply?
Please complete an application form and either drop into our centre to hand it in or send it through to our
postal address:
Unitec Institute of Technology
Maia Māori Development centre
139 Carrington Road,
Mt Albert,
Auckland, 1025
Our office is located in:
Building 171 ‐ Puukenga, Gate 3 off Carrington Road, Mt Albert, Auckland
Find out more information:
If you would like to discuss your application in more detail, please contact:
Maia Māori Development Centre –
Tiana Ngawati: Scholarship Programme Coordinator
Phone: 09 815 4321 ext 8823
Email: tngawati@unitec.ac.nz
Tracey Pirini: Administration Manager
Phone: 09 815 4321 ext 8416
Email: tpirini@unitec.ac.nz
Or online at the Unitec Website www.unitec.ac.nz
Selection Criteria and process
Once we receive your application, we will call you to make an interview time. Applicants are selected upon the
following criteria:
‐ Academic history
‐ Positive and committed attitude towards tikanga Māori (little or no experience of tikanga Māori
required)
The interview panel will include the coordinator, Te Reo Māori lecturer and academic staff member.