Whakawhanaungatanga - Getting our community involved.

At Nga Iwi School we initiated a new whānau engagement programme to reengage parents with the school following the COVID pandemic. From 2020 our attendance and enrolments dropped and face to face engagement with whānau became nonexistent due to covid restrictions. Once these were lifted our focus was turned on engagement with both students and whānau.

In 2021 we introduced Tāma Toa and Wāhine Toa breakfasts where whānau shared breakfast with their eldest or only child in the school. We started with our mums/grandmas/aunties (wāhine), followed by our fathers/grandads/uncles (tāma toa). The breakfasts were a hit and we have held these events now in term 2 for the last 3 years.

At each event, we share kai (breakfast) with staff sitting with whanau growing relationships, getting to know each other. In terms of relationship-based learning, this adds to positive outcomes for our children. After we have finished eating, we invite the children to head out to the playground to play, opening our whānau to consultation. 

In our first year, we focused on the foundations for our student graduate profile. We received great feedback and excellent data to inform our profile which is now a living document and revisited and updated as our community grows and changes. 

Last year we sought feedback and input into the new strategic direction for our 2023-2025 strategic cycle. This data was invaluable in establishing the plan. The consultation was received with great appreciation from whānau who genuinely felt that they were contributing to our school's direction and were not shy in letting us know that they were pleased to be involved and felt heard. 

That process led us to this year's focus which was reporting back. Our most recent breakfast event has been an opportunity to give whānau the overview of what our school direction will look like for the next 3 years.  We covered vision, goals, initiatives and outcomes.  We invited a few guest speakers in our community to give information to whānau about programmes and initiatives that available to our school and then we finished with further consultation.  This consultation included our PE/Health biannual survey and feedback relating to our strategic plan for 2023.

The implementation of our whānau breakfasts has been a game changer in terms of establishing a stronger community through whakawhanaungatanga.  We constantly refer to our community as whānau and through a Pacific lens it takes a village to raise a child.  I encourage all who participate to get to know those who are at their table, look around because 'these are whanau of children that your tamariki count as their friends'.

One of the pillars of our strategic plan is 'whānau' and the goal is that Whānau will be connected and actively engaged in the learning of their tamariki.  The outcome will be whānau who have an interdependent learning relationship with tamariki and our kura.

Becoming part of a school community takes time, has to be planned and incorporated into the strategic direction of the school.  It's important to have the school board on board, attending school events, promoting them and connecting with whānau/parents across the school.