Ako Aotearoa

Project Background

This project was supported through the Ako Aotearoa National Project Fund. We project managed the entire project on behalf of Te Tapaue o Rehua (a subsidiary of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu) and Hawkins Group. It ran over two and a half years and focused on improving work-based learning and mentoring for construction apprentices. Construction sites are difficult places to bring about formal learning; The pressure to complete tasks to a project plan, the cost of the build, impact on the amount of time we could take to support new learning. The challenge was to create innovative work place learning.

What we did

We worked on the understanding that we would provide ‘opportunities to learn’ in a flexible way and focused on the things that were in our circle of influence, such as: 1. Developing the mentoring practices 2. Improving relationships between apprentices and mentors 3. Supporting organisational culture change 4. Creating a workplace environment that would support learning We developed ways of gaining feedback from each intervention or idea (including surveys, emails and interviews). This data led to the revision of our ideas and development of subsequent opportunities.

Outcome

A full report and a toolkit of resources, which includes a mentor handbook and workbook, toolbox talk cards and posters, can be downloaded here. The report is also available in print here.
Further information: http://www.hawkins.co.nz/community/working-maori-and-pasifika

Find out how we can help you

We’ll work with you to find out what’s working, where investment could be put to best use or how to improve anything not going to plan. We can help you define success and set tangible, measurable goals. And we talk in real language so you can understand and engage with the findings. We engage with the community to conduct community research and consultations for private companies, trusts, government agencies, NGOs and more. But we have a special interest in research that has a purpose - to better society and teach lessons. We aim to help those we work with build capacity to enact positive change.