The Kia Ora Hauora team has had a busy month visiting over 500 Maori secondary students at 14 secondary schools across the Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty and Waikato DHB regions.
Kia Ora Hauora is an innovative national Maori Health workforce development programme which aims to address the significantly high health needs of Maori by recruiting 1000 Maori into the health workforce. The Kia Ora Hauora programme is led by Lakes District Health Board for the Midland region.
One of the aims of the programme is to increase Maori uptake and achievement in secondary schools science. “Science is a gateway subject for health and we need to support Maori students to succeed here,” said Chae Simpson, Midland Kia Ora Hauora Coordinator.
The Kia Ora Hauora team undertook consultation with secondary teaching and careers staff from across the Midland region and the theme that developed was a need to target Maori students in their junior years.
“Schools were saying that our Maori students needed more positive influences when it came to making their early subject choices,” said Chae Simpson.
As a response the Maori health career road show “Kia Ora Hauora – On the road” was launched in September. The school-based visits involve a DVD, youth focused subject activities and speakers from the health workforce. A key element has been to ensure the speakers are from the respective schools’ local community.
“When the students hear positive stories from someone local, someone who may even have gone to that very school, it really opens their eyes to the opportunities in health and they begin to think yeah… I could do that too. It’s very inspiring,” she said.
For more information on Kia Ora Hauora check out the website www.kiaorahauora.co.nz or email antoinette.hill@lakesdhb.govt.nz
This is rad. I can't believe guys are doing this!
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