A small but beautiful marae on the Mahia Peninsula proved a fitting venue for CPPS staff to discuss ways to help reduce reoffending by Maori.
Tuahuru Marae was chosen as the meeting place because of its central location – midway between Gisborne and Napier. And it happens to be the home marae of Napier Probation Officer Tom Hemopo.
Tom, who’s also marae chairperson, says Tuahuru is the perfect place for such gatherings.
“All the people that attended had a great time mixing and interacting with each other, without the distractions of television and radio. A few hadn’t stayed on a marae before so it was an eye-opening experience for some – an escape from the real world.”
Some 20 staff gave up their own time to attend the two-day noho marae in March. The key organiser and chairperson of the Area’s Maori Staff Network, Probation Officer Shayne Walker, says the hui established some good talking points.
Presentations and korero were on the agenda covering policies such as cultural supervision for staff, the Tikanga Maori Programme Review, the development of the kaumatua/kuia policy and the development of the new Maori Strategic Plan.
“The ultimate aim is to strengthen our relationships within the rohe of our local iwi and to discuss and develop strategies to make ourselves more effective in our aim of reducing Maori reoffending,” says Shayne.
He says the annual hui is in its third year and has been instrumental in developing policies and giving both Maori and non-Maori staff valuable insights into tikanga and Maorirelated aspects of their work.
“A few hadn’t stayed on a marae before so it was an eye-opening experience for some.”