He Tipuana Nga Kakano has a limited budget to offer scholarships to consumers from across the Midland region. The scholarships target ongoing professional development of the consumer workforce and are awarded annually during October and November for the following academic year.
Sucessful Applicants for 2009/10 Scholarships were:
Una Tuhura - Tairawhiti, Ngati Porou Hauora, Takarangi Competnecy Framework 2 day Training
Don Paratene - Taranaki, Takarangi Competency Framework 2 day Training
Simone Mollenaar - WebHealth - Hamilton, Advanced Executive Leadership Management Programme - Travel scholarship
Successful Applicants for 2008/09 Scholarships were:
Jude Rickard - Tairawhiti Te Kupenga Net, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Kathleen Harrison - Tairawhiti Te Kupenga Net, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Richard Foster - Tairawhiti Te Kupenga Net, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Gwen Taueke-Ah Sin - Taupo Progress to Health, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Terry Dalzel - Rotorua Mana Mental Health, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Tarotoa Ratema - Rotorua Te Waiora a Tane Trust, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Deidre White - Taupo New Progress to Health, Anamata Suicide Intervention Prevention Course
Sucessful Applicants for 2007/08 Scholarships were:
Lila Baker - Serious Fun n' Mind - Whakatane, studying Leadership & Maori Business Management at Massey University
Adele Winikerei - Progress to Health - Hamilton, studying Puna Hua Rangatira Programme at Massey University
Noeline Kuru - Tuwharetoa Health Services - Taupo, studying Diploma in Oranga Hinengaro at Te Wananga O Raukawa.
Donna Bright and Linda Penny - Centre 401 - Hamilton, Year 1 Blueprint Executive Leadership & Management Programme
Simone Molenaar - Webhealth, completing the Blueprint Advanced Executive Leadership & Management Programme
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Lila Baker: Leadership & Maori Business Management, Massey University, Palmerston North
Kia Ora koutou,
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua toku Waka,
Ko Karakia Whakapo toku Moana,
Ko Kai o Te Whetu toku Maunga,
Ko Ngapuhi toku Iwi,
Ko Ngati Korokoro toku Hapu,
Ko taku Hoa Rangatira nor Tuhoe ia,
Ko Whakatane taku noho Kaianga,
Ko Lila ahau.
The most amazing aspect of the Leadership and Maori Business Management study was my personal development especially gaining my inner confidence. Sometimes in my life the perception has been that because I have Mental Illness I am dumb hence my confidence in myself was only worth half a quid. Well, that was the past because after completing this course of study I know I can succeed given the right information, a fair amount of time and good supports. Oh and of course I need to mention maintaining my mental wellbeing after all I am a Maori Tangata Whai Ora. The more I learnt the more I wanted to know. The realization that there is so much knowledge in the world was exciting.
There are two streams in this course Hapainga Manukura (those without Mental Illness) and Puna Hua Rangatira (those with Mental Illness; me and my peers). Our topic's included Maori Management I & II, Project Management, Equity and Diversity in the workplace, Inter-personnel Communication, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Service Management and finally Strategy and Governance. That's 8 papers in 18 months through extramural study. Oh, each paper had 3 or 4 components and some components had 2 or 3 sections within one component. For example group work entailed a group report on findings, a group presentation and a group assignment for completion of one component. Well one has resilience when one has Recovered from the Mental Health system.
I learnt to accept with each Assignment, Test, Presentation or Exam that I can only try my best in the timeframes specified. I have learnt to value time, make the most of time and treasure time out!
The first scholarship I gained was from Te Rau Matatini which covered course fees per paper, books and accommodation. The second scholarship was from Midland Regional Consumer Advisory Group which covered travel to Palmerston North (1hour airflight instead of an 8 hour car trip), stationery (ink cartridges become an expense and paper gold) includes stamps to post assignments on time hopefully and food (that's brain food). I deeply appreciated the faith in me through financial backing ensuring the door to study at this level was open.
So many memories of days spent in class; 9 to 5, nights or most times early mornings spent in writing assignments, lots of hot showers to revive oneself, good conversations over a cuppa, laughter shared with friends and the peaceful haven and deep sleep within Te Putahi a Toi (Massey Marae). Just walking the Halls of Massey was tumeke. I wish to acknowledge all the people that supported me in this adventure called study; my whanau, my boss & friend, my tutors, Massey support personnel, my fellow students (my friends), my Kohanga Reo whanau, Te Rau Matatini personnel, taku Kaumatua Ko Maanu and the King of Project Management.
Also the strangers I had to contact for their expertise, wisdom and knowledge in aspects of the requirements for Assignment completion who became caring supporters like Derek Fox. Each of you know the steps we have taken to achieve success. "He mihi mahana ki a koutou mo ou koutou awhi, tautoko mea aroha e pa ana tenei mahi."
My whanau and I all felt privileged to be hosted on a very beautiful Marae and share the fantastic experience of the Ceremony to honour Maori Graduates 2008. In all honesty there is something wrong with the picture painted of my life - being that I was a regular patient at Tokanui hospitial & Kingseat hospitial (those Mental Institutions for the Mentally ill, like me) then spent time in Waikato Psychiatric unit and Whakatane Psychiatric unit you know one of the 3% too hard basket. Yet just yesterday I celebrated successfully gaining my Graduate Diploma at Massey University. Wonder what the psychiatrist and the psychiatric nurses are going to say "Lila you have Recovered?" All those so willing to lock me away, away from Society, away from my life, away from my whanau, label me and give me stigma and discrimination for all the rest of the days of my life. Well this type of experience gives one ‘courage', after all a dream on the horizon can become a reality for today. Kia kaha koutou.
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Adele Winikerei - In 2007 I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship from He Tipuana Nga Kakano to help support me with Puna Hua Rangatira. Due to a nationwide restructure with Richmond New Zealand (my employer at the time), I was not supported financially to fulfil my commitment. I decided to apply for the scholarship to help me with my travel to and from Palmerston North to participate in 4-day hui. As I am unable to drive - I chose to catch the bus from Hamilton to Palmerston North. I am currently still completing studies at Massey with two papers left to complete. Although it has been a long hard ‘slog', I can see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel', and I know it will be all worthwhile!
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Noeline Kuru - In 2007 I was supported with a sponsorship through HTNK and was very privilege to receive one and in 2008 completed a diploma in Maori Mental Health. No one ever thinks that when you grow up that you are going to have a major mental health issue or become a consumer. Once I got into mental health my journey of recovery started to happen and it took 10 years to get to where I have got to now, part of the public healthy policy has allowed the funders to fund groups like HTNK to grow the development of the consumer and I want to acknowledge the real worth that this funding as done for me personally, to be able to do this qualification. If it was not for this funding I would not of been able to do this level of training thank you HTNK but I feel thank you is not enough, I will show my gratitude through the work I intend to do throughout the mental health systems.
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Simone Molenaar - Simone Molenaar, Operations Manager, Linkage Trust Webhealth - Training completed: Health Leaders Advanced Programme (Midland DHB initiative)
The above course complimented previous Leadership training I had completed in the year prior: Executive Leadership & Management Programme (Blueprint/ University of Waikato, specific mental health focus) by providing further specific leadership development focus based on links to DHBNZ competencies. The course was run monthly in Hamilton over a four month period and participants were all from the Midland DHB regions with most participants directly working with the DHB environment. The value I found in this was that I got to develop relationships with Midland DHB staff throughout all DHBs who were focused on Leadership development and that these staff came from all sorts of disciplines that enabled me to gauge an understanding of the wider health sector issues and experiences.
We had to complete a reflection exercise each month for submission to the course facilitators who provided us with feedback about our leadership development. I found this a valuable exercise to complete as writing compared with just thinking aids to a deeper level of focus and insight and am looking at how I can implement thins kind of specific reflective writing with all our staff at Webhealth.
The facilitators were very dynamic: Peter Blyde (Catalyst4) and Maurice Batey (CEO Group) who also set us up with peer learners where we practiced coaching and feedback techniques with each other while they listened and provided us with ideas for fine tuning our practice. There were three particular foci of this course that stood out for me, getting a deeper understanding about the concepts of emotional intelligence, visioning and the importance of walking the talk for ultimate success, and thirdly, learning a fantastic model for having courageous conversations...not being shy to talk about the snake under the rug and a framework for doing this safely and respectfully.
I really believe that there is a leader in each and every one of us in varying ways for varying purposes and just because we live with mental illness does not make us any less important to gain valuable skills that really enable us to make a difference. I stand steadfast in my belief that people with experience of mental illness make superb leaders due the enormous amount of resilience we build up over the years, our desire to ensure systems and processes really work for and with people and our unfaltering vision for knowing what is tika and pono. Cherishing our absolute uniqueness, abilities and experiences, with great education and learning makes for skill-filled leaders to really leverage change for the better good.
Leadership development has grown me considerably both professionally and personally and I encourage others with personal experience jump aboard this waka. Napoleon Bonaparte said, ‘A leader is a dealer in hope' and we know hope is one of the core recovery principles that keep us in wellness... so take heart that you already understand one of the most important aspects of leadership and go forth and lead!
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Linda Penny (Manager) and Donna Bright (Operations Team leader) - Centre 401 Trust gratefully received a grant to attend the Blueprint Executive Leadership and Management Programme 2007 - 2008. The programme included two management papers from the Waikato University and participants were from Mental Health Services from all over NZ.
Our learning path within this programme inspired new ways of working outside of the traditional management paradigm.