Launch of Kiwi Can Online proves vital to Covid19 response

In the world of grownups engagement is critical to getting the most out of people. It provides organisations with understanding around what they can do to support workers in their mahi. It ensures consistency of effort and job satisfaction among other outcomes.

As it turns out, reality isn’t too different in the world of our tamariki. When Covid19 sent schools into lockdown, keeping students motivated and their learning morale high much resembled the challenges workplaces faced. Remote learning required whānau, educators, community organisations and businesses to step up.

Enter Kiwi Can Online, which the Graeme Dingle Foundation launched in 2017 with support from Moana New Zealand. Kiwi Can’s preferred delivery method of kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) isn’t always feasible in schools located in more remote areas. The online learning portal was created to meet the needs of these tamariki.

It now helps 961 students across 11 Northland schools and many more around Aotearoa. Kiwi Can promotes life skills, values and learning programmes which are about respect, resilience and fun.

Tracy Walker, Graeme Dingle Foundation Regional Manager – Far North, says during lockdown focus shifted quickly to online delivery.

“We rolled out weekly activity sheets and filmed video lessons around the theme of resilience, then sent these out to schools to include in online classroom platforms. Taipa Area School loved having online Zoom lessons during level two when we were unable to run Kiwi Can in person.”

The success of Kiwi Can Online has led to innovation in how the Foundation’s programmes are delivered not only in schools but also within local communities to a wider range of age groups.

One example is Stars, targeted at students aged between 13-18. Recent reports from the Education Review Office showed that schools with Stars helped students get through 2020. A further innovation in Northland is an adaptation to include career readiness workshops and events.

“Without Kiwi Can Online I’m not sure our organisation would have survived and stayed relevant in lockdown. It has made a huge difference to enabling us to be a viable organisation to deliver trainings in 2020, and led the way for further development for training purposes in our other programmes,” says National Programmes Director for Graeme Dingle Foundation, Simon Martin.

Chief Executive Officer of Moana New Zealand, Steve Tarrant, says support for the programmes is in line with the wholly owned Māori organisation’s commitment to the communities in which it operates. Moana farms Pacific oysters and lands fin fish in harbours across the Far North.

“Both Kiwi Can and Moana New Zealand were deemed essential services during level four lockdowns. We’re rightly proud of our five-year partnership.

“In 2017 we invested 50 percent of support needed to launch Kiwi Can Online through a pilot project at a Waikato School. Giving back to the community reflects our value of manaakitanga – or looking after people our way – and alongside our Iwi shareholders we aim to provide value within local communities beyond a financial return,” says Tarrant.

“We recently asked the Foundation whether our investment is making a difference. We’re particularly pleased to note the high satisfaction ratings from Far North school principals around the programme’s cultural responsiveness. To also see 90 percent agreement ratings that students had improved attitudes, better behaviour and learned new skills, that speaks volumes.”

Far North students now have a platform of resilience, excellence and strong values. Realising their potential is what keeps good sort Walker committed to the cause.

“We are continuing to see improvements in the behaviours of students. I’ve been told that students who aren’t overjoyed at having to come to school love the Kiwi Can day and ensure they are there.

“We now have the Site & Farm Manager from Moana’s Kāeo base on our Board of Trustees which is cementing our relationship even more. We thank Moana for its continued support of our Kiwi Can programme and the annual raft race event. More than 900 students in the Far North so appreciate this.”

Fittingly, Kāeo Primary School in the Far North won the Kiwi Can Outstanding School category late last year at the Graeme Dingle Foundation Excellence Awards for the second time.

About Kiwi Can
Kiwi Can is a life skills and values based programme for Year 1-8 students (five to 12-year olds) which is run in over 100 primary and intermediate schools around New Zealand. The programme promotes values such as integrity and respect, helps build resilience and positive relationships to deliver fun-filled learning to schools all around the country.

About Graeme Dingle Foundation
An established charity, since 1995 Graeme Dingle Foundation has been a leader in positive child and youth development and currently works with 26,000 five to 18-year olds throughout New Zealand.

About Moana New Zealand
Iwi are the true guardians of the world’s most pristine and sustainably managed fisheries. Moana New Zealand is the largest Māori-owned fisheries company in Aotearoa.

It has a deep sense of responsibility to all people, respect for kaimoana and kai ora, and is dedicated to the wellbeing of future generations. It connects the world to the taste and magic of New Zealand’s best kaimoana.