Ensuring equity for Māori is everyone’s responsibility, but someone who has a particular role in ensuring that Māori are represented in our future health workforce is Eru Findlay.
Eru is the Kia Ora Hauora and Hauora Māori Training Fund Coordinator, and we are lucky to have him on-board our waka. Originally from Tolaga Bay, Eru’s journey is inspirational. It’s something he enjoys sharing with rangatahi (youth) in order to show the endless possibilities when one sets their mind to something.
Eru has quite the CV, from a BA in Māori Studies and Sociology, a post-graduate diploma in Te Reo Māori, a certificate in Moral Reconation Therapy, a Master of Arts in Māori Studies, to a near-completed Doctorate in of Philosophy in Māori Studies. He believes that education is a way to provoke change.
For the last ten years Eru has worked in the youth justice system as a lay advocate. Lay Advocates are people with mana or standing in the young person's community. Eru also has extensive experience in social work with rangatahi in Tairāwhiti, where his journey started after returning from completing high school at Wesley College in Auckland.
“There was a defining moment in my life when I decided I wanted to make a difference for Māori by being a role model, a leader. I believe the more role models our young people have, the stronger the next generation will be.”
Kia Ora Hauora (KOH), ‘Māori Health as a Career Programme’ is a national Māori health workforce development programme that was established in 2009 to increase the overall number of Māori working in the health and disability sector. As the KOH Hauora Tairāwhiti DHB coordinator, Eru aims to engage with Māori students, current health workers, and community members seeking a career in health, to promote health careers, both clinical and non-clinical.
Whakamau, Whakau, Whakaora i te Ao Māori!
Recruit, Retain and Revitalise the Māori health workforce! - Kia Ora Hauora vision.
KOH also has an impressive information hub that provides knowledge, tools and resources to get people started on a health career pathway (see site here).
As well as coordinating Kia Ora Hauora for Hauora Tairāwhiti, Eru also coordinates the Hauora Māori Training Fund (HMTF). HTMF has been developed for the Kaiāwhina/non-regulated Māori health and disability workforce. This means that the funding can be used when attending a training programme to complete a relevant qualification to support delivery of health and disability services to Māori.
We’ve only had Eru in our Waka for six weeks, but he’s already made a significant difference. “I’ve really enjoyed learning about the roles the past few weeks, and I’m looking forward to working more closely with the community in the months ahead.”
Click these links if you are interested in knowing more about Kia Ora Hauora or Hauora Māori Training Fund or contact Eru by email: Eru.Findlay@tdh.org.nz.