Marae scheme builds skills for trainees

GRADUATION DAY: A group of trainees graduated from the Nga Kanohi Marae o Wairarapa carpentry and numeracy and literacy course at Te Heru a Rangi Marae in Masterton on Friday. Pictured are the trainees, front, and their instructors and mentors. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

A crew of carpentry trainees are the latest land-based skills graduates at Nga Kanohi Marae o Wairarapa in Masterton.

Co-ordinator Charles Morunga said eight trainees - who had been referred to the program through schools, community agencies and marae in the region - received their certificates of graduation in numeracy and literacy at a ceremony held at the scheme's base at Te Heru a Rangi Marae on Friday.

The six-week scheme had included numeracy and literacy lessons in the morning and carpentry training in the afternoon that had resulted in the building of two large barbecues tables, each valued at about $600.

Mr Morunga said the tables had gone to the Ngai Tumapuhia-a-rangi Marae committee and trainees had also completed other community projects on the scheme.

He said the blend of academic and practical lessons had proven successful and each of the trainees, aged from 16 to 23, had been keen to return for more training.

"We know what works and eight hours doing paperwork, for these kids, just doesn't cut it," he said.

"All of them want to come back and we're putting together another six-week course that could be based around motorcycle and other small motors."

Mr Morunga said the training agency would keep "building on what we know" and was looking to consolidate partnerships with the Maori health providers Whaiora "and its Whanau Ora concept" and Te Hau Ora Runanga o Wairarapa.

"We want to make sure we keep the options open for youth who have may find difficulty fitting with mainstream organisations."

The marae-based scheme aims to train mostly at-risk teens and was launched in 2009 as a New Zealand-first pilot.