Hauora Wānanga mo ngā Rangatahi o Manawatū was held on June 26th, 2024, at Te Whaioranga UCOL in Palmerston North. This event, hosted by the Ministry of Education, CEDA, Te Whatu Ora, and UCOL, was a powerful demonstration of what we can achieve through strong partnerships.

This wānanga was more than just a career expo - it was a collective effort to inspire and guide our region’s Māori and Pasifika Year 10 students towards careers in healthcare. By working together, we created an immersive, hands-on experience that allowed students to step into the shoes of healthcare professionals and explore the many opportunities within this vital sector.

Chey Ratima, Kaiwhakaako Tapuhi Māori from Te Whatu Ora MidCentral, carefully planned Hauora Wānanga mo ngā Rangatahi o Manawatū to follow the healthcare journey through different life stages. This provided students with a comprehensive view of the healthcare system, from emergency care to post-discharge support, highlighting the wide range of career opportunities available.

Whaea Jamie from Te Kura ā iwi o Ngāti Kauwhata shared, "Kātahi te kaupapa mīharo rawa atu ko tēnei! We deeply appreciate everyone who helped put this kaupapa together for our students. This opens avenues for our ākonga Māori in pathways they hadn't yet considered."

As we look to the future, we are already planning how to enhance this experience for next year’s rangatahi. Our goal is to build on this year’s success by further enriching the program, expanding the range of career pathways showcased, and deepening the involvement of our partners.

If you're passionate about inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals and have ideas, connections, or expertise to share, we’d love to hear from you.