He Waka Taukaea: The rope that ties waka
Earlier this week, Year 13 leaders from local Wellington secondary schools were invited to celebrate the launch of He Waka Taukaea—a new initiative building lasting connections between Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and future students.
He Waka Taukaea is the brainchild of Professor Mark Hickford, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Government, Law and Business, in collaboration with Mr Glen Denham, Principal, Wellington College. Pro Vice-Chancellor Hickford spoke to open the event, with Principal Denham providing the closing remarks.
At the event, Her Worship Tory Whanau, Mayor of Wellington City; Professor Stephen Cummings, Associate Dean International and Accreditation and Co-Director of Te Kahu o Te Ao —The Atom and current University students, Wellington College alumnus Aidan Homewood and Aotea College alumna Daniella Gibson led a panel discussion on leadership.
The aim of He Waka Taukaea is to build a lasting connection with the University for Wellington region secondary school students, to encourage them to feel at home within it. By working strategically with secondary schools from the Wellington region, the initiative aims to deepen relationships, instilling a pride and connection through familiarity, whilst enhancing equitable academic achievement throughout the Wellington region.
Professor Hickford, in his welcoming remarks, described the beginnings of this initiative as a bridgehead, with the Wellington School of Business and Government and the Faculty of Law leading the pilot for initial activities, or “the thin end of the wedge”. The intent is to broaden this out to the wider university once trialed and evaluated.
The panel discussion was a chance for the gathered Year 13 Leaders to hear the real-life experience and journeys to leadership from Mayor Whanau, Professor Cummings and current undergraduate students, Aiden, and Daniella. All spoke about both their successes and failures, and how important it had been to fail, and then learn from their mistakes and missteps. When asked about what makes a great leader Mayor Whanau immediately said emotional intelligence.
“The most important skill I see in great leaders is emotional intelligence, being able to respond and communicate at every level in a way the audience will understand.”
For Aidan Homewood the most important leadership quality was service.
“You need to be willing to jump in boots and all and serve. You don’t need a fancy title to be a leader, you can lead from anywhere.”
Principal Denham was the final speaker, sharing some of his personal story around the value of school and university in his life, reinforcing that it can take one person to believe in you, to suggest that university is an option for your world and path to change. Principal Denham asked the leaders to reach out and change the path for others within their own school communities.
The next stages of He Waka Taukaea will see Saturday sessions of up to 60 students from across seven schools engaging in calculus tutorials at Rutherford House. There are plans for more sharing of expertise between staff from the University and Wellington secondary school teachers.