Otago University launches Pacific-focused mentorship programme

Otago University is talking to South Auckland communities, in an effort to attract more Pacific students to Dunedin.

The university launched their Pacific Opportunities Programme at Otago (POPO) Village Innovation Programme​ (VIP) in partnership with South Seas Healthcare on June 7.

With community consultation, the programme aims to support Pacific students in their transition into higher education - and the workforce.

Deputy Vice Chancellor Tony Ballantyne says this is an important step for the university.

“We’re really keen and really excited to move forward together. We clearly understand that we as a university can’t do this ourselves.

“It’s one of the signs of the evolution of our thinking, that often the university had ideas in the past and could act by themselves and make change.

“Our role is to collaborate and bring our strengths alongside the strengths of communities, as well as specialist organizations collectively.”

The VIP is an extension of the successful POPO that supports health workforce capacity building, which has been run by the Va’a o Tautai - Centre for Pacific Health for more than a decade.

It intends – in the long run – to increase the entrance, retention and completion rates of students in tertiary studies, regardless of where they choose to enroll.

Otago’s Pacific community engagement officer Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai says this is a milestone moment between Auckland’s Pacific communities and the university.

“The main aim is working together with the whole community to create a village of learners and high achievers.

“Informed by work for 11 years now with community leaders teaching us how to work together with our communities.

“We hope to cover all of Auckland before December.”

The university will hire 20 Pacific tutors who specialize in different fields, who will go into communities around Auckland and provide mentoring services.

Kirifi-Alai says that following Covid, the university knew they needed to move quickly to retain the interest of young Pacific students towards education.

“Covid taught us so many things - that we indeed to grow bigger and better to look after our kids.

“Our aim is to grow a culture of learning. To prepare and grow our academic capacity of students. To improve entrance and retention statistics. Grow a capable health force.

“To develop and build the cultural competency of our staff. We want to come next to you to help build our communities.”