While I was at university I was preparing to have to compromise some of what I felt I wanted to do with communities, as I hadn't yet seen an example of an organisation or an initiative that gave room for heart-work. When I was introduced to Ako Mātātupu via a careers email my immediate reaction was that it was too good to be true, and that I probably wouldn't make it on the programme. But it was clearly worth a shot, and I'm grateful to still be a part of this whānau.
Once I graduated from Wharekura and began walking in a world outside of te ao Māori I began to feel a discomfort, and see it in young Māori in our education system. I wasn't sure what exactly that discomfort was. Training on the job meant I could find out what that mismatch was about, and be in a position to immediately respond. When I joined the Teach First NZ Programme I found reassurance and support in like-hearted people on the programme, especially those who were Māori.
There was such a diversity of experiences and knowledge in my cohort. It really did feel like the whakataukī: mā pango, mā whero, ka oti te mahi - nāku te rourou, nāu te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi! It was the same with working with our rangatahi. Witnessing our young people seeing something in themselves that might not have been highlighted to them before was always the beginning of a beautiful story, watching them become brave and being comfortable with who they are, as Māori, and as a young person.