For Whānau

Our dream is that Ngāi Tahu Whānui enjoy superb physical, emotional, spiritual and mental wellbeing. Our goal is to successfully distribute resources to meet the needs and aspirations of Ngāi Tahu whānau.

People are our greatest taonga (treasure) – it is through our people that the iwi legacy lives.

Te Rūnanga has a holistic understanding of wellbeing; health, education, cultural pride, spirituality and community, help determine the quality of life of our people. While it is not our role to do the job of government, it is our role to develop strategic initiatives that support the needs of our people. We actively work with government agencies to help them meet the needs of our whānau.

Te Rūnanga pioneered a now renowned tribal savings programme, Whai Rawa.

We have also implemented a cascading suite of leadership development programmes and have been practicing Whānau Ora before it became a government policy.

Our leadership development programmes are designed to grow culturally competent leaders, who are well connected to their Ngāi Tahu community and are outstanding performers in their chosen field. Different programmes support personal development and cultural learning, such as the Aoraki Bound programme, developed in partnership with Outward Bound. Other programmes forge international relationships, such as our exchange programme with Stanford University, and international work experience in the Antarctic programme.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu exists to grow and develop Ngāi Tahu whānau members so they are culturally able, well-connected to their Ngāi Tahu community and are outstanding performers in their chosen field.

We’ve got opportunities (grants, scholarships, internships, pēpē support, entry-level careers and more) for all ages to realise our tribal vision:
Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei – for us and our children after us.

 

Find an Opportunity

Whai Rawa (Savings Programme)

Whai Rawa is the Ngāi Tahu investment scheme that helps create a better future for Ngāi Tahu whānau through greater wealth and wellbeing. Improving participation in tertiary education and levels of home ownership, along with having sufficient funds for retirement, are key goals for the Whai Rawa scheme.

 

Empowering Home Ownership

Nōhaka Rau is a Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu programme aimed at empowering all Ngāi Tahu whānau in their home ownership journey.

In partnership with Mokowhiti Consultancy, whānau will receive tailored support and financial advice. Whānau who meet bank lending criteria and Nōhaka Rau programme criteria may receive additional support for their deposit.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergencies happen. It is important that your whole whānau know and agree on what to do when disasters disrupt essential services, and affect your ability travel or communicate with each other.

 

Te Pou Here

No matter where you are in your career journey, we want to connect with you. ‘Te Pou Here’ refers to the mooring post and comes from “te pou here takata, te pou here tikaka” – the post that ties the people and the customs together. Te Pou Here, a central place where our whānau can connect, engage & give back.