Koha Kai ran a Festival of Adult Learning Ahurei Ākonga event in 2024.
Based in Murihiku, Koha Kai works with people who live with the challenges of disability. The organisation has been operating since 2014 and its success in that time has been well documented. As Koha Kai has evolved so has its teaching programme, and in 2022 the team launched a refreshed integrated teaching programme that reflects the way Koha Kai learners want the programme to look for them.

Koha Kai takes a garden-to--plate approach to learning with training programmes targeted at people interested in entry-level hospitality and horticulture. The training programme and associated workbook have been designed to be accessible for all learners, with the book using pictures and illustrations to accommodate non-readers.

The Koha Kai Festival event opened the training programme to members of the public to experience the course and pick up new ways of teaching adult learners with learning needs.

Janice Lee, Pouārahi (Founder and CEO) of Koha Kai, says their purpose is to enable good lives with their teaching underpinned by a Te Ao Māori philosophy.

Koha Kai has three programmes of learning:

• Ako te Kaha, which emphasises the strength of learning wherever you are in your learning journey
• Ako te Mahi, which supports learners in their transition to work
• Ako te Rangatira, with a focus on leadership skill, planning and aspirations.

Koha Kai has learners from the age of 14 through to 60 years, with learners able to stay as long as they need to. Their approach has achieved significant success. Janice shared a recent example of a young learner with Aspergers who experienced severe anxiety when he first joined the programme but who now works full time for Koha Kai, has achieved his primary ITO level 1-3 in horticulture and is now on the Ako te Rangatira programme.

“The festival event allowed us to open our doors and our programme to the wider community in Murihiku and to give them an opportunity to experience the garden-toplate philosophy and to get a feel for our leaner-based philosophy,” Janice said.

The festival event was facilitated by Pōu Hōtaka (Training Manager) Sammii Lee and Zara Erskine, Whānau Ora Navigator.

“We had a good turn out to the event and feedback from those that attended was that they learnt some great new techniques to create rapport with adult learners with a disability and some tips for engagement,” said Zara.