My Teaching Assistant (TA) role at AUT UniPrep24 officially ended last week, but the memories, experiences, and friendships will live on!
UniPrep24 made many people better, especially my whānau group Māhutonga (which means Southern Cross in Māori) who demonstrated resilience, determination, commitment and aroha for one another. Many came to the summer program uncertain of their purpose and where they were heading but the 4-week course provided opportunities for self-discovery and opened new worldviews that have had a significant and remarkable influence on the lives of the young rangatahi!
The impact of compelling academic content, village meets and hype culture engagement activities were the driving force that helped shape them into more confident rangatahi ''walking in their mana''. Many learnt for the first time that Māori and Pacific people came from the same place and that the Māori movement in Aotearoa was very much their fight too as Tangata Moana (Pacific people) and Tangata Tiriti (other non-Māori).
And winning the top whānau group gave them, even more, self-belief and direction for their future ambitions! It has been a pleasure to teach and get to know them over our short period of time and I wish them and their whānau all the success in the world!
