He Waka Unua | Coaching and mentoring

Tātai Aho Rau kaiārahi are experienced coaches and mentors that will listen and provide support, championing and challenging you to be the best you can be. Using a non-directive approach and a repertoire of skills and frameworks, we enable you to identify goals within your own context and take steps towards fulfilling them. 

He Waka Unua | coaching and mentoring service is of benefit to any individual educator or learning community wishing to develop an improved way forward. Past participants have included tumuaki/principals, senior and middle leaders (across and within school leads), kaiako, team leaders, managers, RLTB, centre managers, head teachers, and learning support coordinators.

"Sarah's mentoring has had a huge impact on my wellbeing. Her ability to draw out areas that need some attention or 'work' and then guide you through analysis and on to action is exceptional. She has had an impact on my team also and enabled us to put into practise some systems that allowed us to bring our best selves for the benefit of our tamariki."   He Waka Unua participant

Professional mentoring and coaching

Tātai Aho Rau offers professional assistance in a variety of development areas such as:

• The process of change
• Organisational culture  
• Team unity
• Leadership development
• Career mapping and transitions
• Skill acquisition 
• Behavioural coaching
• Professional review/appraisal
• Conflict management
• Work-life balance

Kaupapa | Philosophy

Tātai ki runga, tātai ki raro, tātai aho rau,
haumi e, hui e tāiki e.

I draw energy from above, I draw energy from below,
the energies entwine, our presence is acknowledged.

The narrative behind the name 'He Waka Unua'

A waka hourua is a double-hulled canoe. Unua is a term used to describe the lashings that join two or more hulls of a waka or canoe together.

The process of joining one hull to another or, in the case of He Waka Unua, the joining of kaiārahi (mentor/coach) with mentee/coachee, is to give strength and guidance. It is to assist with purpose, bring together, and encourage achievement of common goals.

He Waka Unua supports both kaiārahi and the mentee/coachee to navigate pathways together. The interconnections of the people in the waka are important for successful navigation. Their collaborative effort will result in benefits for everyone involved.

Each waka retains its own integrity and the two hulls supporting them offer space between. Traditionally this space between was for food. In He Waka Unua, the metaphorical space between kaiārahi and mentee/coachee is kept for new learnings. Using these learnings, each can move forward on an active journey with hope and optimism, navigating rough seas together. On this journey, we have opportunities to reframe our own stories.