Te Rea Programme Manager, Ranell Nikora says, “ko te tino whāinga o Te Rea, ko te oranga o te tangata, ko te oranga o te taiao, ko te oranga o te whenua. Mā te mahi o te tangata i runga i te whenua, ka ora ia taua tangata.”
The main objective of Te Rea is to support the wellbeing of people, the wellbeing of the natural environment, the wellbeing of the land. By working on the land, people become well.
The Te Rea programme is a hapū-led environmental conservation programme based on the East Coast. Made up of eight ropu (groups), the mahi is grounded in mātauranga Māori and tikanga, and is restoring the whenua, waterways and biodiversity of the region.
Ministry for the Environment and Department of Conservation have awarded the Te Rea programme $5.3 million from the Jobs for Nature programme to support this mahi.
The Jobs for Nature funding has assisted Te Rea to employ 61 kaimahi and pay them a living wage, directly contributing to the local economy and reducing the rates of unemployment.
Te Rea focusses on building the capability, capacity and confidence of the kaimahi (workers) they have hired to ensure they have the skills to start lifelong careers on the whenua.
Kaimahi gain new practical skills, qualifications and increasing their knowledge of how to care for the whenua, both through theory and hands-on experience. Kaimahi can fulfil their role as kaitiaki as they define it, on their whenua through sustainable employment.
Kaimahi Hunter Hawkins says, “I feel like my wellbeing, my wairua is skyrocketing. When you are up on that maunga planting a native tree, you feel like you’re actually making a difference”
“Our environment is just as important as our rangatahi. They need nurturing and a support system. The same system that we provide our native trees, they need that pou, they need that mulch, they need that stake in the ground so that they can continue to grow,” said Whaia Tītīrangi Operational Lead Jordan Tibble.
This programme is making transformational change not only for the local environment but for the kaimahi involved.
Ranell conclues,“I runga i tēnei tūmomo mahi i taea e mātou te kite i te pakari ake o ngā tāngata, i roto ia rātou anō, o rātou wairua i piki ake, o rātou wairua i roto ia rātou anō.” By doing this work we are able to see their development, how they feel about themselves inside, we have seen their wairua flourish.
The eight teams are: