Shannon Mihaere (Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-rua, Ngāti Porou, Ngai Tai ki Tāmaki, Waikato-Tainu) joined Te Kura Tapuhi for a summer studentship, working on a project to explore factors for tamariki Māori and travelling to kura. Shannon’s research has been published in MAI Journal and freely accessible at this link. Findings reveal barriers such as inadequate infrastructure and safety concerns, which are exacerbated for tamariki Māori. Through this research Shannon developed a new model that highlights how interventions should be grounded in whanaungatanga and inclusive of all whānau members to effectively support AST, including three key factors: He Taonga Tuku Iho (whānau aspirations to continue Māoritanga), negatively affected by limited access to te ao Māori schooling (e.g., via increased distance to kura kaupapa Māori); Kotahitanga (feeling a sense of belonging and unity within the community), negatively affected through infrastructure that is not inclusive and through inequitable infrastructure allocation; and Tiakina ō Tātou Tamariki (keeping children safe in the community), diminished through lack of safety (e.g., speeding cars).
Shannon was supervised by Professor Melody Smith and Associate Professor Rhys Jones.
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