UPC students are welcomed into the Unitec whānau
The Unitec Pathways College (UPC) team are no strangers to change, and their adaptability to meet young people’s needs during two sudden COVID-19 lockdowns this year exemplifies Te Noho Kotahitanga. With disruption to summer school and the planned 2021 semester start, they were delighted to welcome more than 400 secondary school students in person to Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka.
An orientation programme for the two Kura Kaupapa, one Rūmaki Reo, and 24 other schools was scheduled to begin on February 15, but the three-day lockdown threw a spanner in the works. The start was postponed until February 22 to ensure our youth were welcomed onto our whenua and into Unitec’s whānau properly—through the front doors of Ngākau Māhaki.
Sarah Sommerville, UPC Team Leader Academic Operations, said that because UPC works with young people, building trust is of paramount importance.
“To maintain transparency with the secondary schools, which is key to building and keeping that trust, our team is in constant communication with the schools. After the lockdown was announced, the plan was immediately formed and communicated, offering secondary schools the support and information they needed to give them, and parents, peace of mind,” said Sarah.
Following the second lockdown, the remaining three cohorts had their pōhiri on 7 March.
As part of their pōhiri, the young people are offered the opportunity to either kaikaranga or kaikōrero on behalf of the manuhiri, in any indigenous language other than English, with support of both Maia and the UPC team. They took to this exquisitely and the Unitec team were blown away hearing the young people share their culture.
From here, they are introduced to their teachers and head off on an orientation tour around campus. This includes a stop in the UPC office where the wider team sit, so they know where to come if they need anything – from support to gear – before heading off to class. You might have noticed the young people walking around with black Unitec branded sports bags, including a small notebook and pen and anything else they might need for class.
As they were in the beginning stage of their courses when the lockdown commenced, it was decided to start teaching when we could all return to campus. Because relationship-building happens in the classroom and the students only attend one day a week, a swift jump to virtual teaching would not work for this group.
Sarah said the team welcomes new schools to Unitec every year.
“We continue to see growth and demand within the secondary tertiary space. So far this year, the team have welcomed just over 400 students from across Auckland, including students who are travelled from Waiheke Island. This couldn’t have been done without the Heads of Schools and leadership, so thank you all for your efforts and contribution in welcoming our young people into our whānau.”
Below: Rutherford College Mahi ā Toi Academy Year 11-13 students respond to the kāranga at the pōhiri to welcome them into the Unitec whānau