UC alumni provides free access to justice
Keegan Jones is making waves in his community by offering iwi-based free legal clinics to reduce barriers to justice through a te ao M膩ori lens. Jones says his legal clinics make justice more accessible. 鈥淚n Northland, we have the largest proportion of poverty across the country, which increases barriers to justice.鈥 A key focus for Jones is building strong connections. 鈥淲hen you're dealing with these kinds of issues, a lot of them are really raw, and you want to establish a relationship before getting into the nitty-gritty of the issues.鈥 His vision extends beyond his local community, and he aspires to see free legal clinics based on te ao M膩ori and tikanga established throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. "I want to copy this blueprint that we created here in Whang膩rei and make it accessible to every other inspiring lawyer who wants to create their own clinic," he says. To facilitate this, he started another project called 'The Free Legal Clinics Project' and is currently collaborating with two other lawyers based in South Auckland and Waikato.
Double awards win for Pacific education specialist
Dr Tufulasi Taleni was recognised for his research and impact in the field of Pacific education, winning two 2023 National Awards. Dr Taleni received the Pasifika Community Researcher Award and the New and Emerging Researcher Award. The awards follow Dr Taleni鈥檚 doctoral confirmation, making him the first Pacific staff member with a doctorate degree at UC鈥檚 Faculty of Education. 鈥淚t really motivates me to move forward and share this story with our Pacific people, as we need to encourage more Pacific researchers in this area. This recognition also reinforces the importance of issues that contribute to the disengagement and underachievement of Pacific learners. The impact of poor education in childhood is poor health, low paid jobs, unemployment, and poverty.聽I carry out research because I think of the children 鈥 they are at the heart of my research,鈥 says Dr Taleni. Through his research, Dr Taleni has developed the Soalaupulega Samoa framework, which is based on the need for leaders within education, health, and the community to lead action in addressing key issues impacting children, families, and communities.
Food practices adaptation
Dr Joya Kemper from UC鈥檚 Business Faculty collaborated in international research exploring the way family food practices adapted and emerged during the disruption of COVID-19. Conducting a survey of low socio-economic status families with primary school children across the UK and Aotearoa, the research team鈥檚 analysis illuminates that this disruption triggered the emergence of three practices that were necessary to carry on and mitigate the impact of disrupted food practices; 鈥榓sking for help鈥, 鈥榩lanning鈥 and 鈥榬esearch and experimentation鈥. As a way to deal with disruption to their food practices, many participants called on the support of the community, including the use of food banks and the sharing of food. The published findings have practical implications for policy makers and non-government organisations, such as providing formal support that is accessible while reducing any associated stigma.
Global dangers of glacial flooding
A new study identifies regions around the world where people are most at risk from flooding caused by melting glaciers and could help save vulnerable lives. Dr Thomas Robinson聽says glacial lake outburst floods can happen without warning when a natural dam fails. His research team has for the first time identified areas and communities worldwide that are most in danger from this growing natural hazard, with more than half of the world鈥檚 exposed population found in just four countries: India, Pakistan, Peru, and China. 鈥淲hile High Mountains Asia has the highest potential for glacial lake outburst flood impacts in India, Pakistan and China, we highlight the Andes, which affects people living in Peru and Bolivia in particular, as a region of concern with similar potential for impacts but fewer published research studies,鈥 Dr Robinson says. Those living in the Andes region are also very vulnerable to the impact of such a disaster, according to the researchers鈥 measures of poverty, education levels, corruption and other factors. 鈥淲e are keen to work with national and local governments in these high-risk areas to help identify and explore potential mitigation options鈥, says Dr Robinson.
Building a brighter future in Aotearoa
Ezra Hirawani is determined to find solutions for wh膩nau聽without power聽and he has been recognised for his mahi with the 2022 University of mini传媒 Young New Zealander of the Year Award 鈥 Te M膩t膩tahi o te Tau. Ezra co-founded Nau Mai R膩, a purpose-built, kaupapa M膩ori energy retailer, delivering affordable, 鈥渁lways-on鈥 power after discovering how many families lived in power poverty. An estimated 100,000 New Zealanders find it hard to pay for power. The Nau Mai R膩 model asks customers to pay their bills weekly and cultivates mana-enhancing relationships, and it has resulted in one of the industry鈥檚 lowest debt rates. 鈥淣au Mai R膩 is truly building a brighter future in Aotearoa. Ezra鈥檚 initiative in response to a clear need for wh膩nau across Aotearoa without power has had an incredible impact on many lives, and that is something to be proud of,鈥 says UC鈥檚 Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey.
Vision M膩tauranga
In 2022, UC ran its inaugural UC Vision M膩tauranga Development Fund and awarded NZ$100,000 to seven successful projects as a mechanism to support Vision M膩tauranga. Among the successful applicants who are to lead the research projects, 59% identified as M膩ori.
Student Volunteer Army (SVA)
The UC SVA regularly organises food drives and distributes food parcels to local communities. For over 10 years, SVA has grown to a national movement of young people actively involved in their communities and continues to be one of the biggest student groups on campus. UC is proud to support the SVA to make a positive difference, not only within the local community, but across the wider Aotearoa New Zealand.
Centre for Entrepreneurship
UC is home to Te Pokap奴 Rakahinonga the Centre for Entrepreneurship which offers a social enterprise program that aims to address poverty by creating sustainable business models. The Centre connects, challenges and supports students and staff to create impact by building capabilities in entrepreneurship and innovation. Programmes and events are designed to broaden minds, challenge ideas聽and empower students to make a real difference.
Te P膩taka
Te P膩taka, the student hub, houses a number of co-located services to support students with services such as access to Kaitoko (academic advisors) including Kaiurungi M膩ori and Pacific (M膩ori and Pacific student advisors). Having these services in one space also allows other staff to improve their knowledge and expertise in areas like the academic advising skills of Kaiurungi, and the pastoral and cultural capabilities of Kaitoko. Another benefit is it helps align our plans for targeted assistance for priority students.
UC Pasifika graduates celebrate their success
Graduates and their families were invited to formally acknowledge their success and achievements聽at the Pasifika Graduation Celebration in December. This was also an opportunity to come together as a community to thank wh膩nau for supporting students through their time at UC.
Building a better Aotearoa
罢丑别听University of mini传媒鈥檚 Young New Zealander of the Year聽award recognises those that build a better Aotearoa. Semi-finalist, Abbas Nazari, graduated from UC with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours degree. Nazari鈥檚 journey with his family as a child refugee from Afghanistan to New Zealand is harrowing, and the success he鈥檚 achieved since is exceptional.
Scholarships at UC
We offer over NZ$20 million in scholarships and prizes annually聽to help fund our students鈥 study.
UC understands that a university education is a major investment, and a scholarship might just provide the helping hand needed to make university life a little easier. We offer a wide range of scholarships, many recognising factors like academic excellence or sporting achievement. Others have an emphasis on social inclusion and equality and are awarded on the basis of financial need or other hardship.
Society and Policy
翱耻谤听Society and Policy course聽looks at how health and wellbeing services are regulated and managed. The course examines health services and policies in New Zealand and find ways to better access, process, and engage with vulnerable communities. By understanding the impact health policies have on society, students gain the skills needed to work in the public health and social policy sectors and make meaningful changes to the help people need.
Free Tables
翱耻谤听Free Tables聽are a great way of keeping perfectly usable items out of the landfill and helping each other out by giving things away. Typically, Free Tables are placed in areas where there is high foot traffic. Surplus items are placed on the tables for students and staff to repurpose or recycle them. Items are usually sourced from different offices in that building, or staff and students occasionally place their own items on them as well. Items placed on Free Tables are at the discretion of UC staff or students and could include office stationery items that are no longer required by UC staff/students; books and textbooks; small household items, homewares and crockery; non-perishable food items; clothing in good, clean condition. Students usually clear items off Free Tables very quickly.
Financial assistance
We know that being a student can be financially challenging at the best of times, and that rising living costs are only making things more difficult. We don鈥檛 want students to try to 鈥榯ough it out鈥 or assume that someone else needs the support more. If a student is currently experiencing temporary financial difficulty, they could be eligible for support.聽We have a range of possible financial support structures available for students, including separate funding for technology or internet issues.
Humanitarian Engineering Tackling Poverty
UC鈥檚 Global Humanitarian Engineering programme聽combines multiple disciplines, such as history, anthropology, M膩ori studies, and sociology, as well as rigorous engineering basics, to address improving the lives of disadvantaged people and under-served communities. The programme鈥檚 intention is to provide students with the opportunity to develop beyond their core engineering degree, to better understand the communities, cultures and societies in which engineering occurs.
鈥淚f engineers can better understand the appropriate technologies they work on, the social and environmental sustainability of the engineering projects, then ideally that will improve, and sustain, the economic and educational opportunities of people and communities鈥, says Dr Matthew Hughes, Programme Co-Director.
Capstone projects for 2020 involved students focusing on a social vulnerability assessment of communities including a Marae exposed to flood waters in Wellington, and designing a micro hydro-electric generation system for isolated communities in Nepal. More than 30 students have completed the diploma since 2017.
UCSA Support for Students
The University of mini传媒鈥檚 Student Association (UCSA) provides a number welfare options (food, medical, travel, accommodation) to support both domestic and international students in times of financial difficulty. For students experiencing temporary financial hardship for something unforeseen or unexpected there is the Hardship Grant. 罢丑别听聽is for students unable to pursue their studies or seriously constrained in doing so. The Medical Prescription Grant provides financial support for unexpected medical expenses, for short-term emergency support.
Child Well-being Research Institute
Health, well-being, development and education of children and young people are at the core of聽UC鈥檚 Child Well-being Research Institute.聽The Institute advances high quality, multidisciplinary research to enhance the healthy wellbeing and learning success of infants, children and adolescents within the context of their wh膩nau, family and community, particularly the needs of M膩ori and Pasifika communities. Its research supports the Government鈥檚 aspirations, strategy and measuring of success for the children and youth of Aotearoa.
Support for Students Impacted by COVID-19
UC students affected by the pressures of COVID-19 during 2020 were offered an array of support and assistance, from welfare checks, pastoral care, IT support, scholarship/stipend extensions, to a unique fund related to COVID-19 financial hardship. Other assistance included the Foodbank and longer term Food Support Service. Advisors in聽Te Waka P膩k膩kano聽worked with our M膩ori, Pacific and Rainbow students to identify the appropriate support needed. Support Services made phone calls to 4,600 students during lockdown to personally check on their welfare, and about 150 students were offered direct pastoral care. IT provided over 90 students with access to hardware, and about 360 students were given advice/support to improve their internet connectivity.
罢丑别听Postgraduate Research Office聽provided targeted support for postgraduate research students. Over 100 Doctoral Scholarship recipients, who had their research affected by the lockdown, were provided up to two months scholarship extensions (stipends and fees). An additional grant was available to doctoral students experiencing hardship, and bursary funds provided financial support to 54 students experiencing hardship, as a result of COVID-19. A new scholarship policy was introduced for doctoral and research masters students, who received a one month fees free extension to their thesis submission date.
New Fund to Support Students
UC Foundation launched a new fund in 2020 specifically to support students suffering hardship or challenges that made it difficult for them to continue or return to their studies during the COVID-19 environment. The new support fund,聽Kono Iti, could be used by students in different ways, such as with transport, books, additional expenses associated with vulnerable or immune-compromised students or family, extra energy costs or other special needs caused by the extraordinary environment faced. In addition, the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, together with all members of UC Council, volunteered a 20% pay reduction for six months, which went towards funding to support students experiencing hardship.
