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Ngā Wāhine Rōia Māori Mentoring Programme

In April 2018, Te Hunga Rōia Māori officially launched the Ngā Wāhine Rōia Māori Mentoring Programme.  This initiative was borne out of many years of hard work to identify and address the challenges that Māori women face within the legal profession, one of which is the lack of role models and role modelling for Māori women (Deputy Chief Judge Caren Fox, Hui-ā-Tau, September 2015).

Based on the tuākana-tēina relationship model, the Ngā Wāhine Rōia Māori Mentoring Programme was created to support the growth and development of wāhine Māori members of Te Hunga Rōia Māori.  It also provides pathways for younger members to connect and seek out guidance from more experienced members of Te Hunga Rōia Māori.

The programme provides one-to-one mentoring sessions between a between a tuakana (mentor) and a teina (mentee). One-to-one mentoring can best be described as a relationship between an individual with potential and an individual with expertise. The teina brings their questions and concerns about their professional and personal development. The tuakana in turn shares their knowledge, skills and experience to assist and guide the teina to progress in their life and career.

In that regard, the application process requires tuakana and teina to detail their expectations of the programme including the reasons for being a part of the programme, what each party hopes to discuss or focus on and what areas of expertise are required.  This helps us to successfully match together tuākana and tēina with shared expectations and goals for the programme.

To ensure the most successful mentoring relationship, we ask that participants are fully committed to the relationship, including:

  • Treating the relationship as a partnership.
  • Being prepared and honouring appointments with your mentor / mentee.
  • Keeping the kōrero confidential.

Applications for the 2019 Programme have now closed.  However, if you have any further questions about the mentoring programme please email Kate Tarawhiti at thrmoamentoring@gmail.com.

Te Hunga Rōia Māori are proud to provide this mentoring service and mihi to all wāhine Māori members who contribute to the continued success of this initiative.

Key Dates

  • January – Applications open
  • February – Applications close
  • March – Programme starts
  • Quarter 3/4 – Mentoring event at Te Hunga Rōia Māori Hui-ā-Tau
  • November – Programme ends

Ngā Hoa Aroha

Purpose

In response to our commitment to assist members in need of support, the Ngā Hoa Aroha panel is a subcommittee established by the Executive to promote fellowship and mutual support amongst our members.

The role of Ngā Hoa Aroha is to proactively provide tautoko and awhi to our members on a completely confidential basis. The Ngā Hoa Aroha panel will be made up of senior Te Hunga Rōia members who are willing to be contacted on a confidential basis by fellow members with questions or concerns relating to practice issues and safe working environment.

Te paku whakamārama mō Ngā Hoa Aroha – A brief explanation about the name of The Panel 

E taku hoa aroha,

He mea whakamahia e Tā Apirana Ngata tēnei rerenga i roto i āna reta ki tōna hoa aroha a Te Rangihīroa.  He whakatimatanga reta tēnei ki tētehi hoa pūmau, kaua ki tētehi tangata noa. I roto i tēnei horopaki (Ngā Hoa Aroha), ko te whainga kia whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro/kōrero te tangata pēnei i a Tā Apirana ki tōna hoa aroha, arā, i roto i te whakaaro o te aroha. Ko te whainga, me whakatinana tātou i ēnei huatau i roto i ā mātou mahi katoa.  Me tuku i te kupu i raro i te whakaaro o te aroha.

My dear friend,

Tā Apirana used this term of endearment when writing to his dear friend, Sir Peter Buck.  It is used in a letter to address a dear friend, rather than just Joe Blogs. Using this phrase in the context of ‘The Panel’, the goal is to interact and share thoughts between one another the way Tā Apirana did with his dear friend; that is with love and respect. Within this simple address lies the principles of aroha, mana and integrity, the way we should treat our dear friends.  The goal is to conduct ourselves with aroha and respect in all our interactions.

The Ngā Hoa Aroha Panel can also be seen as a collective dealing with challenging issues that affect Ngāi Tāua.

Ngā Hoa Aroha Panel

Our panel members have been selected as they portray the following characteristics:

  • Non-judgemental – someone who can be spoken to openly
  • Empathetic
  • A good listener
  • Gives feedback positively being more ordered and reflective rather than rushing to things
  • A sense of perspective
  • An understanding that there may be further underlying problems
  • Ability to set boundaries around type and amount of support/ assistance to be given

More information on Ngā Hoa Aroha will be released shortly.

Panel Members

TBC

We are always on the look out for Ngā Hoa Aroha to join our panel and intend to have a good spread across the country, with a mixture of expertise as well. If you have over 7 years of practice and would like further information, please get in touch with our secretary at secretary@maorilawsociety.co.nz. To get in touch with a Hoa Aroha, please log into the members only section of the website.

Roles and Responsibilities

Panel members will hui-a-kanohi 1 – 2 times per year including an initial meeting with the Te Hunga Rōia Māori Executive.

Panel members agree to have their nominated contact details made available to Te Hunga Rōia members, including being published on the Te Hunga Rōia Māori website (members only section).

When contacted by a member of Hunga Rōia requesting support, the Ngā Hoa Aroha panel member will:

  • Listen and discuss the desired goals and outcomes;
  • Provide relevant information or resources specific to the member’s needs;
  • Assist members to set goals and adopt strategies to address their issues;
  • Refer members to other professionals where appropriate.

Confidentiality

All conversations between Ngā Hoa Aroha panel members and Hunga Rōia members are to be kept confidential.