WaiBOP Football women’s development officer, Nat Broadhead, and board member Cheri-Lee Atkinson spent time in early November in Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington in a leadership programme for aspirational Wāhine Māori. 

The inaugural Whakatipu Wāhine Toa - Māori Women’s Leadership Programme – saw WISPA welcome 18 Wāhine Māori from across the sport/physical activity sector to Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.A Women in Sport Aotearoa (WISPA) initiative, the 5-day course was the first part of a four month programme of learning, designed by Wāhine Māori for Wāhine Māori working in sport, recreation and exercise organisations or related industries.
Whakatipu Wāhine Toa 2024 - Photo: WISPA

The programme has been developed and facilitated by WISPA’s Māori Advisory Rōpū He Wāhine Toa kei te Kokiri. It aims for mana enhancing growth in leadership and capabilities, that are innately within all Wāhine Māori. The programme aims to tautoko / support wāhine to step strongly into their rangatira space and pave the way for others to do the same.

Facilitators Ness Mill, Erin Roxburgh, Chantal (Shorty) BakerSmith as well as Sarah Leberman & Pam Elgar created a meaningful kaupapa / programme over the five days.

The wānanga was a unique experience for the wāhine, and has created strong bonds amongst the rōpū / group. With invaluable support from the Māori Women’s Development Inc (MWDI), the wāhine now have access to mentoring sessions to continue their professional journey and assist them with their aspirations and plans.

The rōpū / group will also check-in with online zui over the next four months to re-connect and encourage continued growth and utilisation of the concepts learned during the wānanga. 

Cheri-Lee Atkinson, deputy chair of the WaiBOP Football Board, said “it's been an amazing experience with all these wāhine rangatira / women leaders and I am coming away inspired and feeling very empowered by this program.
I really think that we together and collectively can make a huge impact in Aotearoa within each of our sports”

Women’s Development Officer Nat Broadhead is looking forward to leaning into the tikanga practices more and trying to introduce them further into the mahi she does at WaiBOP Football. 
She is especially interested in the tuakana-teina concept and bringing that into the programmes she runs, such as Wahine Toa. 

Facilitator Erin Roxburgh said “The wānanga was an incredible experience and I feel privileged to have led the kaupapa alongside our other Facilitators Ness, Shorty, Sarah and Pam. The knowledge, passion and mauri amongst the group of wāhine was exceptional and I took away so much from each and every one of them. We are looking forward to watching this rōpū thrive together into the future.”

tuakana-teina - A more experienced tuakana helps and guides a less experienced teina
tautoko- to support
wāhine rangatira – women leaders
rōpū – group / organisation
Rangatira space – Leadership space
tikanga — custom, habit, lore, protocol - the customary system of values and practices
wānanga — to meet and discuss, deliberate, consider

Article added: Tuesday 26 November 2024