Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngā Puhi) is synonymous with the Kohanga Reo (Language Nest) movement, which at its peak had over 300 active centres throughout the country. A champion of te reo Māori, at the tender age of 83 years old, Dame Iritana continues to fight for the language, recently taking the Crown to task, through the Waitangi Tribunal, which in her opinion “has undermined kohanga by trying to marginalise it into Pakeha early childhood education.”
Insignia of a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori education was awarded to Iritana in 2010. She also has an Honorary Doctorate of Literature by Victoria University of Wellington, 2007 and the Te Tohu Tiketike a Te Waka Toi award for Māori artists by Creative New Zealand in 2008.
Hāpori Tū Rangatira: Confident Communities has been Dame Iritana’s life work and we are privileged to have her as our keynote speaker at this year’s Conference.
In her workshop, Nicole will provide a detailed overview of a range of practical activities and tested interventions that enhance academic achievement and increase resilience factors in the students attending Strive Training Academy, and their families. The Strive model provides a refreshing and energizing approach for those working in the youth sector. An ecological model provides the platform for the practice and can extend to all areas of teaching and learning, and will be of benefit to ACE practitioners.
Strive Community Trust is piloting a comprehensive model of systemic practice to support young people who have fallen out of mainstream school due to learning difficulties, family violence, mental and physical health problems, and youth justice involvement.
Born and raised in Auckland, Christine’s background includes completing a MA (Hons) in Education and nearly ten years in policy, educational research and programme development roles in different government departments that serve Pacific communities. She has also written and translated children’s books published by Learning Media.
Christine’s workshop will focus on what active citizenship looks like in the Pacific world.
Robbie has presented at ACE Conferences in 2003 and 2010 and will this year explore what active citizenship looks like in a Global context with Timote Vaioleti.
Tony is from the Kamilaroi (*Gum-ill-roy*) Aboriginal nation of north-west NSW and south-west Queensland. He is active in his local region in northern NSW and currently serves as the President of the Northern Rivers Social Development Council as well as Deputy Chair of the Northern Rivers Board of Regional Development Australia.
Tony’s workshop will explore what active citizenship looks like in the Aboriginal world.