Tonight, the recently-formed Tāngata Moana Komiti and Presbyterian Support Otago will launch a new ‘PowerStation’ as part of the Pāsifika PowerUP Flexplus programme.
“We’re very thankful to be able to use the facilities of Sara Cohen School and the neighbouring Presbyterian Church in Caversham,” said Dr Michelle Schaaf, Chairperson of Tāngata Moana New Zealand, a Dunedin Pasifika Advisory Committee focused on education.
The event will start at 5pm and will involve members of some forty-five Dunedin Pāsifika families. Dr Schaaf said, “As PowerUP is an education model that supports Pāsifika parents and their children - pre-school to secondary school ages - there will be at least one hundred and fifty of us at tonight’s weekly session, the first in a series of fifteen.”
“Although the PowerUP model has been around for about five or six years,” she continued, “tonight’s launch will see a more flexible approach developed by Pāsifika staff of the Ministry of Education in direct response to communities like ours living outside Auckland or Wellington.”
“At the heart of PowerUP Flexiplus, is our desire to ensure fit-for-purpose, culturally- appropriate, inclusive and genuinely effective approaches that best-meet the local needs of our Pāsifika parents, their children and their respective communities,” said Dr Schaaf.
Speaking of the Tāngata Moana New Zealand, she said, “As most of us went to Dunedin schools or did our professional training here, we’re very excited to be serving our city’s Pāsifika communities in this way. We’re either Pāsifika education professionals or parents involved with School Boards of Trustees."
“We’re very grateful to both the Ministry of Education and Presbyterian Support Otago for providing us with funding, guidance and fantastic support. We’re stoked, too, that that there are other Pāsifika PowerStations also launching this week - in Ōamaru and Invercargill.”
“The team agreed that it would cater for as many families as possible,” Dr Schaaf adds. “We extend a warm invitation and welcome to all families interested in participating in this programme. If you can’t come tonight, please get in contact with us and register for next week.”
Ministry of Education information on PowerUp: http://services.education.govt.nz/pacific-powerup/