Legacy Workshop Series Reimagined
He Kete Rauemi
In an ever-changing society, the need for knowledge and understanding across cultural competency, diversity and inclusion has never been greater. This raises the question, when we are working in the community, for the community, how do we ensure our people working at the grassroots have the capacity and capability to meet the community’s needs?
A longstanding workshop series has been reimagined with these essential skills in mind. Formerly named Leading in Communities, the series focused on the nuts and bolts of community development: governance, terms of engagement, and writing funding applications.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, quickly followed by the devastating floods across West Auckland in 2023, the team from Community Waitākere recognised the urgent need to reimagine the series to meet the immediate needs the people of West Auckland are facing. In its wake, He Kete Rauemi was born.
Community Waitākere Pou Whakataki Māori, Aroha Te Namu (Ngāpuhi) continues.
“After hosting three wānanga, we identified the need for indigenous practices to community development and engagement, particularly for Māori and Pasifika. People working at the grassroots want to embed cultural safety in their mahi, to best understand and meet the needs of the people of West Auckland.”
Working together, Aroha and Lynette van Nes (Community Developer - Neighbourhoods) developed a workshop series delving into best practices in cultural competency and safety, harnessing ngā kai pūkenga (local experts) as facilitators. Van Nes continues.
“When developing He Kete Rauemi we quickly understood the importance of tapping into the depth of local expertise already in West Auckland. The local knowledge of West Auckland communities and their unique needs, coupled with a rich knowledge base and cultural competency is second to none.”
Community Waitākere developed a series of 14 workshops, with most workshops at or near capacity. Te Namu explains.
“We originally planned for ten workshops, but with most at capacity or over-subscribed, we made the decision to continue the series as there was a clear appetite for learning and development for people working at the grassroots with community.”
Covering topics such as Māori, Pasifika, and Migrant approaches to community development, creating a culture of care, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and creating a culturally safe practice, He Kete Rauemi is a place for people to learn, share and be curious in a welcoming environment.
Each workshop provided a space for people to be open and honest in a shared and supportive environment and many identified they needed help in this area. Aroha continues.
“When people feel safe and are supported, they feel comfortable to share with one another. There was a sense of relief in the room, that they weren’t the only ones wanting to learn more. People let their walls down and asked uncomfortable questions, deepening their understanding and knowledge and West Auckland will be a better place for it.”
People who took part in He Kete Rauemi were thrilled with the series, suggesting it ‘has made me more focussed on being authentic in my relationship building’, and that their understanding of indigenous practices ‘has considerably improved thanks to the workshop’.
He Kete Rauemi will continue in 2025, with Community Waitākere committed to continuing building the capacity and capability of people working in community development and delivery across West Auckland.
This workshop series is possible thanks to funding from Henderson Massey Local Board, Whau Local Board and Waitākere Ranges Local Board.
This article was included in The Westerly magazine in November 2024.