"For the first few months of the programme a harakeke teacher runs weaving lessons at the marae. Then there is a three-day sleepover when they make their wahakura. It's a whole whanau event, something that bonds whanau and provides an opportunity for lots of informal learning about well-being."
Tararua REAP chairwoman Claire Chapman says this award epitomises what her organisation is trying to do.
She says REAP runs programmes itself like Waste Minimisation Workshops, Digital Device Training, Defensive Driving, Positive Parenting, Family Violence Interaction, Money Management, Coping With Stress and First Aid but often in conjunction with specialists like Red Cross for First Aid.
She said Tararua REAP is focused also on supporting other groups' programmes like the wahakura programme collaborating in particular with both iwi as well as others seeking to improve the community.
"We like to try to empower groups to achieve their goals," she said.
At the same awards, Gloria Hauiti received the Educator of the Year Tangata Whenua Award.
The citation reads: "Gloria Hauiti (Tuhoe and Ngati Purou) has been the leader in a collaborative partnership with Tararua REAP and Rangitane o Tamaki nui a Rua. This has enabled regular and professional provision of programmes for iwi and the community.
"With her knowledge of traditional Maori values and authenticity Gloria brings a remarkable ability to deliver the right programme in the best way to the totiki/appropriate people.
"She has been able to engage with many who have never participated in any form of adult community education. She observes what is needed and creates solutions through her community programmes.
"Gloria's programmes support a deeper connection to the learner's whakapapa, whenua, whanau and whare. She does this organically – it is who she is and what she believes is the best way to support people. It comes from her own life and social work experiences. Woven into each programme is the knowledge that we are all connected."
Gloria never stops in her creation of programmes. Most recently she completed the second of her kakahu workshops involving over a dozen participants creating beautiful designs and is planning another to involve both previous groups in an advanced course.
In 2020 she ran mask-making workshops providing designs, materials and tuition to help over 30 participants to make their own unique designs.
Rangitane chairwoman Mavis Mullins says this is a fabulous recognition of a talented teacher who finds ways to collaborate with groups so that she can pass on her skills and cultural values resulting from her life lived in a large whanau.
"She fills the gaps not seen by others," she said.
