Straight into it today. With a short sleep under our belts we headed to the Nursing School at the University of British Colombia where we had arranged to present to health groups, first nations people and the Institute of Aboriginal Health on the Memorandum of understanding between Otago Polytechnic and the local Runaka. This was also our first face to face meeting with Dr Lee Brown (Institute of Aboriginal Health) and Dr Anette Browne (Nursing School), who we had been working with to set up meetings and presentations. Our abstract was as follows.
Presentation Title
Forming a Meaningful Partnership: Explaining the Memorandum of Understanding between The Otago Polytechnic and local Rūnaka
Presentation Abstract
A panel of Maori staff from Otago Polytechnic and the local Runaka (Maori of the area) will present on the history, aims, structure and application of the Memorandum of Understanding that exists between the Runaka and the learning institution. The aim of this understanding is to identify and meet the specific educational needs of Ngāi Tahu (the principle Maori tribe of the South Island of New Zealand/Aotearoa) and other Māori while also reflecting local Ngāi Tahu and Māori community’s needs. This is an active relationship which makes expectations explicit between the two parties, and in turn establishes protocol that gives effect to a Treaty of Waitangi based partnership. The panel will be lead by Dr Khyla Russell the Polytechnics Kaitohutohu who sits on the Polytechnic leadership team and is charged with overseeing the embedding of the Treaty of Waitangi across the organisation and enabling the Memorandum of Understanding. Examples of practical applications of the understanding will be provided from across different departments and schools within the institution, particularly occupational therapy.
The presentation was very successful with a good turn out and some very interesting questions and comments about the building and maintaining of relationships, recruitment of indigenous persons into health and tertiary study, as well as the similarities and differences that exists between Canada and New Zealand. After the talk we split up as a group with Khyla, Elenor, Justine,Takiwai and Kristi heading off with Linc Wesler director of the Long House (First Nations House of Learning) at the University and the Museum of Anthropology . James headed off with Dr Lee to a talk he gave to the Portland foundation on Hastings street in downtown Vancouver. Check out the posts to follow.
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