May 25, 2015
Superu guide to What Works for parents
The rejigged Families Commission is encouraging Maori to have the confidence to adopt Maori-centric programmes.
The Social Policy Research Unit of Superu has published What Works: Parenting programmes effective with whanau, which draws out the maori threads of its research on effective parenting programmes.
Chief advisor Maori Donovan Clarke says a lack of external validation can slow down adoption, and the Superu endorsement could held a number of kaupapa Maori and adapted programmes to get more traction in communities, iwi and among whanau.
He says good programmes have a number of characteristics.
"The exclusiveness of the tikanga and te reo, that was really important. Programmes that were developed and implemented on marae, and the use of Maori facilitators, people that were known and respected within their communities meant whanau were able to connect and engage closer with these programmes so there were a number of strategies that seemed to have worked," Mr Clarke says.
What Works is is available from Superu, along with an earlier report on parenting programmes for the broader New Zealand population.
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