Wānanga strengthens tie to Police and Māori Wardens

Kaiako Clint Parsons – police preparation course very rewarding.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in Gisborne is strengthening its ties with Police and Māori Wardens as part of its ongoing push to help local communities.

Kaiarataki Ako (lead educational delivery) Kerry Procter says it’s about the education provider doing its bit as part of this community.

“We have always had a relationship with our police in one way or another. It really is about the community working together for better outcomes.”

The new co-operation with Māori Wardens is another aspect of this co-operative approach.

“The more that we can assist communities that need help the better,” says Kerry.

The link with police is also about re-paying the support they give the Gisborne Certificate in Career Preparation – Police course that helps prospective recruits gear up to apply to join the force, she adds.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is making available office space for a community constable who works in the local area. Police iwi liaison officer Jamie Hutana has already been a regular guest speaker at the police preparation course.

Another development is that Māori Wardens - who work with local communities on various security, social services and youth-at-risk issues – have started using Wānanga office space for governance meetings. This relationship is expected to deepen over time. Tauira (students) on the police preparation course are also encouraged to get involved with Māori Wardens.

The course kaiako (teacher) Clint Parsons, a former soldier, says engagement with police and Māori wardens is win-win for him and his students.

“They give us their expertise in their field. It means that the tauira get to understand what it’s like in the police or the wardens. They get scenario work, such as conflict resolution training and radio communications.”

The connections wardens have with Māori communities are very useful, Clint adds.

“That’s a big help, especially in a small place like Gisborne with a high Māori population.”

Tairāwhiti Police Area Commander, Inspector Sam Aberahama,says: “I am extremely proud of the relationship that my team have with our Whirikoka whānau at Te Wananga o Aotearoa in Te Tairāwhiti. We have 15 serving police officers that are now the product of the police preparation programme, all Gisborne born and bred and we are very proud to have them doing the mahi throughout our rohe. We will continue to support Clint and the team to grow our people locally to give back to Te Tairāwhiti.

“Our Maori wardens are an amazing part of our community fabric, I was proud for my team working alongside our wardens during Tuia250, about 60 wardens were involved and they did a fantastic job. We continue to support our wardens and their growth, plus having a shared space at Whirikoka to do our mahi together is yet another way of building trust and confidence together."

Clint’s 36-week course for up to 20 tauira is described as “intense” yet rewarding.

“They’re doing physical training 4-5 times a week, they’re really pushing the limits.”

The course also assists with the likes of study techniques, numeracy, understanding the Treaty of Waitangi, goal setting, law and legislation, and te ao Māori (the Māori world).

Anyone interested in applying for the police preparation course in Gisborne can contact us on 0800 355 553 or visit our web page for more information.