Kaupapa | Initiative
Orawa is a community-based, cultural leadership programme for Māori that helps individuals to unleash the power they hold within, to lead a life with intensity! They have made it their mission to help Māori across Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast to harness their inherent skills, talents, and leadership abilities to live a positive and proactive life in the modern workplace.
Wero | The Challenge
Having spent the majority of her career in the private sector, launching Orawa was the first time Founder and Director, Sarah Reo (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rangi, Kāi Tahu), was undertaking a project entirely dependent on public funding. She quickly learnt the skills, techniques and speed at which she could work previously weren’t strictly applicable when engaging with the public sector.
“It’s a completely different language. I wasn’t aware of how the machinery of government operated and how many layers there were. Awhi gave me that clarity straight away,” shares Sarah.
Te Āhua Mahi | Our Approach
Awhi assisted Orawa to develop a more effective communications strategy and help improve trust and confidence across the spectrum of stakeholders.
“The collective communications Awhi has produced for us has enabled Orawa to tell our story in a simple yet meaningful way. We’ve been able to frame a clear picture of the programme’s impact, which has created a sense of pride within our organisation, our stakeholders, and the wider community. Not only has this helped our funders feel reassured in our mahi but they feel increasingly inspired to accelerate our mission.”
Ngā Hua | The Outcome
“What I learned through my experience with Awhi is that you don’t know what you don’t know until someone shares with you different ways of being and doing. Awhi takes the time to listen and implement a suggestive strategy that suits the client’s way of being while putting your best foot forward.”
Sarah encourages agencies across the motu, particularly Post Settlement Governance Entities (PSGE) and those that provide a community offering supported by the Government, to engage with Awhi.
I would encourage those who think they are already doing all they could be doing, that there is so much more to uncover and tap into through government relations assistance.
