Reinforcing their commitment to digital equity, Spark Foundation has recently expanded its partnership with Pūhoro STEMM Academy to support nationwide delivery across Aotearoa. The expansion will focus on removing digital access barriers for rangatahi Māori, uplifting the internal capacity of Pūhoro staff, and improving the digital technology offering at regional wānanga.

Spark Foundation aims to deliver more value to digitally excluded communities across Aotearoa and has been a funding partner of the Pūhoro Hawke’s Bay programme since 2021. The Foundation and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited also collaborated with Pūhoro to co-fund 'Te Au Hangarau –Accelerating Māori Participation in Tech', a research kaupapa that explores the barriers and contributing factors that limit Māori participation and success in New Zealand's tech industry.

"Our nationwide partnership expansion with Spark Foundation will enable Pūhoro to stay on the pulse with digital technology advancements in our service delivery promise to our rangatahi. In addition, we can enlarge the kete mātauranga for our kaimahi in the technology space," said Manahautū Kemp Reweti.

The evolution of the partnership has enabled Pūhoro to appoint Arahi Hippolite in a newly established Kaiarataki Matihiko (Digital Lead) role. The role will be responsible for the discovery, development, and implementation of new digital technology opportunities for Pūhoro rangatahi and kaimahi.

"One of the biggest trends we see with the way rangatahi Māori engage with technology is a lack of confidence. We hope to change this by removing access barriers and providing opportunities learn in a way that resonates,” said Arahi.

Partnership and Community Engagement Lead at Spark Foundation, Aroha Simpson said: “The work Pūhoro does creating pathways for rangatahi Māori into STEMM careers is strategically important for Aotearoa. We’re excited to extend our partnership with Pūhoro to further support its ambitions to dive deeper into digi-tech, starting with the appointment of Arahi to the role of Digital Lead and we look forward to working alongside him to amplify his mahi throughout the community.”

Māori account for less than 5% of the tech workforce and its Pūhoro’s mission to change this.

“Careers in digital technology are hugely impactful and I am passionate about opening more digital pathways for our rangatahi. Māori have an abundance of innate skills that can add real value to the industry,” said Arahi.

At the core of our partnership with Spark Foundation is a tuakana-teina relationship. Upon these principles, Pūhoro and Spark can lead and guide each other to learn, teach and increase our shared capacities. As a result, Pūhoro are in a better position to implement best practice approaches in a way that empowers our rangatahi and kaimahi.

“I'm excited to share the Pūhoro way with Spark and I am grateful to learn from an industry leader,” he said.

Pūhoro will begin rolling out a programme of new digital learning opportunities for rangatahi and kaimahi including in-school sessions, professional development training and regional wānanga workshops.