There and back again for hauora kaiako

Lynette Ngaheu gave up a life of leisure in Ireland to return to Kawerau and says it was the best move she ever made.

That decision, more than a dozen years ago, contributed to Lynette this year chalking up 20 years teaching at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in both Kawerau and Whakatāne.

“It’s been a journey,” she says. “For me it’s been the best life, honestly. I love my job so much.”

Lynette – a former BMX world champion – taught sport and exercise classes in Kawerau for 4 years before moving to Ireland, where her husband was playing rugby.

“It was cool. I enjoyed it but I wasn't allowed to work. Then they (Te Wānanga o Aotearoa) gave me a call and said, ‘look, do you want to come back?’ and I ended up coming back home. Plus my dad was sick. It was the best choice I made, because I got to spend a couple more years with him before he passed.”

After 2 more years in Kawerau, Lynette moved to the Whakatāne campus where she’s become a highly respected kaiako, and currently guiding her final cohort of students through Certificate in Tākaro, Sport and Exercise.

“For me, it's my students. Their success is my success. I've had the most amazing students. Like, I'm part of their journey, but they've made my journey even more enjoyable.”

With such a long history in the area, Lynette enjoys seeing her students grow.

“I see my students all over town and there's so many working for the district health board, some own their own gyms. That was my main goal too, I try and get them into employment. Don't just think personal trainer or coach, think beyond that. What can you do in life that's going to make a difference in people's lives, that's going to be of benefit for others.”

Far from just being students, they go on to become whānau and lifelong friends.

“All of these students, they become family. I'm not just their teacher, I'll go to their rugby games, my whole family go to their rugby games, or their netball. I bring my ex-students in to talk with my new ones and they keep that relationship. So many students just come back and walk in the door, give them a hug and it's like they've never left.”

But now it’s time for her to leave, although it’ll be sad, she’s not going far.

“Staying in Whakatāne but moving to High Performance Sport. We don't have that here and we're losing so much amazing young talent. I'm going to be able to enhance what we have in the area for our youth,” she says.

“But I'm going to be a slobbering mess when I leave, I love it so much but I just feel it's time. I'm just so grateful for what I've been given with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. I'm very lucky. We’ve changed so many lives.”

Learn more about our Hauora Health and Fitness programmes.