Otago Community Trust Awards $700k to Expand Groundbreaking Māori Youth Leadership Programme

Media Release

Otago Community Trust is proud to announce funding of $700,000 over three years to support Te Hā o Maru's expansion of their innovative Te Pōhā programme.

Te Pōhā is a unique leadership programme for rangatahi that connects young people to their environment and cultural identity through mahika kai - traditional food gathering - and a deep connection to whenua. The programme represents the first kaupapa of its kind in the Waitaki district.

The programme's approach centres on mahika kai, revitalising precious cultural knowledge and traditional methods that have sustained communities for generations. Through hands-on learning in natural environments, students develop leadership skills while maintaining practices of Te Ao Māori including Te Reo Māori, mahika kai, karakia, and waiata.

Mani Molloy-Sharplin, Toihau – Chief Executive Officer at Te Hā o Maru Health & Social Services says “Te Pōhā is a unique kaupapa designed by Moeraki's cultural historians and mahika kai practitioners, all who have provided the most precious knowledge for our facilitators to pass down to the rakatahi that attend the program, and we commend Otago Community Trust for seeing the tapu of our program and enabling us to uphold the mana of the mātauraka passed down. Us at Te Hā o Maru cherish the relationship with Otago Community Trust as true partners of our vision."

The success of Te Pōhā's pilot programme has been remarkable, with over 95% attendance rates and 100% of graduates either transitioning back to mainstream education, entering employment, or continuing their studies. This strong foundation has enabled Te Hā o Maru to plan an ambitious expansion that will double capacity per year, while reaching additional rangatahi through community and school-based wānanga.

The three-year funding will support the recruitment of additional kaimahi that include outdoor specialists, education navigators, and pathways coordinators. It will also enable the programme to extend into intermediate and primary schools throughout the Waitaki region, creating a comprehensive pathway for rangatahi to connect with their cultural heritage and develop as future leaders.

"The investment from Otago Community Trust has been pivotal in enabling us to provide such a special kaupapa to our rakatira of tomorrow.” said Mani.

Te Pōhā's vision extends far beyond individual participants. The programme aims to create intergenerational change through three key areas: manahua mai te mana tangata (people flourishing), manahua mai te mana whānau (families flourishing), and manahua mai te mana whenua (environment flourishing).

By combining NCEA-aligned education with traditional practices, the programme has the potential to create impact across entire whānau and communities. Students engage in conservation work including wetland restoration and planting, while developing skills that lead to further education and employment opportunities.

Te Hā o Maru's long-term sustainability plan envisions programme graduates eventually becoming facilitators and directors themselves, ensuring the kaupapa continues to grow from within the community it serves.

The expanded Te Pōhā programme will begin implementation immediately, with recruitment of additional tauira and kaimahi underway.