Ngā Mahi Ngātahi IRANZ Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Programme

Hāpaitia te ara tika kia pūmau ai te rangatiratanga mō ngā uri whakatupu, Mā ngā hononga e whakareii te mana o ngā rōpū te hunga Māori me IRANZ - ‘Foster the pathway of knowledge to strength, independence, and growth for future generations through partnerships that enhance the mana of Māori and IRANZ’.

Last year, MBIE issued a request for proposals for its Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Capability Fund. The Fund seeks to support research organisations to identify and break down barriers to attracting, retaining, and growing an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce. The Fund aims to promote best EDI practice across Aotearoa New Zealand to ensure our research sector includes different perspectives reflecting our diverse population.

An IRANZ project to enable Independent Research Organisations to build stronger connections and partnerships with Māori has been accepted. The Project ‘Ngā Mahi Ngātahi’ will be led by Anaru Luke, head of Māori Business Development & Research at Cawthron Institute, supported by Professor Paora Tapsell of Takarangi Research, and will involve all 23 IRANZ members.

Anaru Luke: Tumuaki Te Kāhui Āio. Anaru joined Cawthron in 2019 to lead Cawthron’s Māori Business Strategy, which aims to enhance Cawthron’s Māori capability profile internally and externally. Anaru provides organisational leadership and with the Te Kāhui Āio team provide strategic guidance for mātauranga and Kaupapa Māori for all of the Cawthron Institute.	Professor Paora/Paul Tapsell: Tumuaki/Principal. Paora and his Takarangi Research team are focused on social science research and engagement in tribal marae communities or haukainga. They use tikanga-informed research to assist haukainga meaningfully reconnect to theirancestral resources and improve Māori wellbeing nationwide.

IRANZ members have identified two integrated steps in a programme to significantly increase and embrace Māori participation in our workforces: Ngā Ara Mahi me, Ngā Mahi Ngātahi (Career Paths and Partnerships). This project, led by IRANZ member Cawthron Institute, addresses Ngā Mahi Ngātahi.

The Ngā Mahi Ngātahi project aims to increase engagement with the IRANZ workforce by working with Māori communities’ (whānau, hapū, marae) and Māori organisations (Iwi, Post Settlement Governance Entity). The project will follow kaupapa Māori principles, including manaakitanga and whānaungatangato, to collaboratively develop more inclusive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, (STEM)-based professions in our organisations that enable Mātauranga to be appropriately respected and expressed in our work.

IRANZ members will develop world-leading EDI policies, practices, organisational cultures, and partnerships that engage with Māori, break down barriers, embrace Māori cultures and traditions and build strong reciprocal relationships with Māori communities and organisations. The project will survey IRANZ members’ EDI policies, practices, organisational cultures, and partnerships with Māori to identify the capability and competency levels of working with different levels and configurations of Māori communities and enterprises, including whānau, hapū, marae, iwi organisations, post-settlement entities and urban authorities. The project runs through to the end of 2023.