Learning Support Responsibilities Preparation

Best practice standards

1. Māori disabled learners and their whānau are involved in the ongoing development and implementation of strategies to overcome barriers to participation and achievement, and academic outcomes for Māori disabled learners improve.
2. General and specialist support for Māori disabled learners are developed in partnership with Māori disabled learners, are culturally appropriate and accessible.
3. Ongoing consultation occurs with Māori advocates in relation to this support.
4. Specific strategies are developed to encourage and increase the number of Māori disabled learners studying at tertiary level.
5. Participation, retention and achievement rates of Māori disabled learners are monitored and improve. 

Ideas and resources

• How do we specifically support Māori disabled learners and their whānau?
• Strategies for Māori disabled learners should include:
  
  • Identifying barriers to participation and achievement for Māori disabled learners
  • Identifying barriers to participation and achievement for Māori disabled learners.
  • Having Māori staff within disability services and staff with impairments within Māori services.
  • Involving whānau and Māori networks in service development and support (e.g., having representation on disability advisory committees from local iwi and/or wananga in the area).
  • Targeting specific recruitment programmes to the Māori community.
  • Ensuring all marketing information reflects cultural diversity.
  • Māori staff networking in the local Māori community.
  • Staff being aware of cultural issues influencing how people view impairments.
  • Linking Māori learners into existing cultural support groups and services.
  • Developing relevant staff training.
  • Developing specific services for Māori as part of existing disability support services.

Engaging disabled learners

Involve Māori disabled learners and their whānau in the development and implementation of strategies to improve academic outcomes for Māori disabled learners.

Seek support from the Māori community and family/whānau for solutions.

What you need to know

• It is important to recognise cultural diversity and identity in the disability community.
• It is important to recognise cultural diversity and identity in the disability community.
• Apply a human rights framework to your planning and invite feedback on the framework.
• Include Māori disabled learners in marketing material so they are visible.
• Previous Māori disabled graduates are a resource who could be engaged to support current Māori disabled learners.
• Present stories using the term ‘Māori disabled learners/akonga whaikaha’.
• Understand there are different interpretations of cultural perspectives of disability, and this may influence how learners prefer to talk about their impairments.
• Focus on building confidence and solutions for overcoming the barriers for Māori disabled learners.
• This toolkit must sit alongside other key documents: Te Tiriti, Whāia Te Ao Mārama (the Māori disability action plan), your organisation’s learner success plans.
• When implementing this toolkit it is important that to recognize diversity within the disability community in its widest context – diversity within cultural identity differences.