Education Partnership & Innovation Trust (EPIT)

First week back and Te Whiriwhiringa is buzzing with activity. It's great to see that our partners see the value of seeing people kanohi ki te kanohi. The ability to share a smile, shake hands, give someone a high-five or a hug, and to share space while we kōrero. We ended 2024 on a high, with one of the main focus areas being Career Leadership. Our very own Dr. Lynette Reid was interviewed for an article published on EducationHQ about the Empowering Our Youth research. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ga9WbsDs Next week, we're bringing the whole team together in Tāmaki Makaurau for a 2-day strategy hui to both reflect on the path we have walked and look forward to new horizons and what they hold in store. #Equity #Education #SystemsChange #2025

Connecting the dots is one of our fundamental reasons for being, and this means sharing the learnings that our partners are gaining through their work that is funded by EPIT. We are in a privileged position to be able to support partners with a wide range of focus areas within the education space, including early years, literacy, careers and transitions, pathways for learners with intellectual disabilities, strategic leadership, and much more. Check out our currently funded initiatives here: https://lnkd.in/gK9R3BqF

The topic of literacy has been, and continues to be, hotly debated. This has increased recently with discussions about the efficacy of different learning approaches have been raised into the public sphere. However, Dr. Louise Taylor shares the insights she has gained over her lifetime working across many different settings within education. One of the experiences she recounts in her article is an exchange she had with one of the rangatahi in an alternative education and adult learning facility: 'I will never forget his return to my office a couple of months later when he asked me to read a letter that he had written to his mum. It was full of sentiment and very clearly conveyed a loving and heartfelt message. He told me it was the first time he had written with this kind of meaning. It brought me to tears. He went on to successfully complete the horticulture course.' Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ggASz_uw #Literacy #Education #Equity #LoveToRead #LifelongLearners #Schools

We recently brought together a group of people representing cross-sector organisations to talk about Careers Leadership. Most of them ended up staying for nearly 6 hours and freely shared their wisdom, knowledge and experience with us and with each other. Today, we released the report that summarises this session to over 150 individuals and organisations that have engaged with EPIT over this kaupapa. Some of the key messages were: - the careers journey is being left too late - we need better connections across sectors (including education, government, industry, whānau, community, For-purpose organisations, etc.) - Careers Education needs to be integrated and valued as a key strategic deliverable at the school level - we need to get better at capturing and sharing the stories of impact We are looking forward to 2025 where we will be working alongside our partners in this kaupapa to undertake the actionable steps identified by the group! If you want to find out more, get your hands on the report, or just connect with us, you can find us here: team@epit.org.nz Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi. #Equity #Careers #CareersLeadership #Schools #ForPurpose #Community #CareerJourney #Thriving

Te Whiriwhiringa The Nest was setup as a co-working space for other For-Purpose organisations who have a dedication to education equity in their DNA. Our thinking behind this was, 'Imagine all the cross-organisational watercooler chats that would be made possible, and the potential for collaboration this might create!' As we go into the festive season, we want to wish everyone out there who share the vision, of supporting all learners to thrive, a safe and wonderful summer. Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi #Collaboration #Equity #Education #CoWorking

Are you using or contemplating using AI in your school? NZCER are doing a survey on AI in NZ primary schools, Years 5-8, and we encourage you to participate. #education #AI #schools #NZ

E te tī, e te tā - Kua kitea nei he kaihautū hōu mō tō mātau waka! E hikaka ana mātau ki te pānui atu i te whakatūnga o tō mātau Kaiwhakahaere Matua hou hei ārahi nei i tā tātau kaupapa. Nō mātau te whiwhi kia whai wāhi ki tēnei takata me ōna pukeka rau.   To all those around the land, we have been successful in finding a new captain for our waka! We are excited to be able to announce we have appointed our new Executive Director to lead our kaupapa. We feel privileged to have secured someone of such talents and skills into our team. The EPIT Board and Ops Team are thrilled to announce Dr. Tim Gander will lead EPIT from 9th December 2024. Reflecting on his new role, Dr. Gander shared, "Joining EPIT is an incredible privilege, and I'm inspired by the opportunity to lead alongside a community that is so deeply committed to partnerships and collaborations advancing equity and opportunity in education. Together, we will continue to expand EPIT's impact, ensuring that all learners in New Zealand have the resources and support they need to thrive." Media release here - https://lnkd.in/giuxU9b6 #Equity #SystemsChange #Leadership

We are always fascinated by the journeys of our partners and why they do what they do. Bridget Lem, GM of the PMG Charitable Trust is no exception. As a seasoned marcomms professional and as a mum she is committed to doing all she can to ensure our young learners get their best possible starts in life. For Bridget and the team at PMG Funds, that means ensuring all our young people have a sound understanding of finances and are financially literate. EPIT is supporting PMG Charitable Trust develop their Smart$ Online tool and empower our rangatahi to make good money decisions. Learn more about Bridget in our occasional Partner Spotlight series on our website - https://lnkd.in/gsDU3Ei2 #education #financialliteracy #youth #money #equity

Tech is a core part of all our learning journeys so making it safer for our younger learners to use and explore is an essential part of school life. Check out this up coming EdTechNZ webinar and learn what's happening on both sides of the Tasman as our Ministry of Education New Zealand and Australia's Education Services Australia (ESA) discuss their approaches to safer tech for schools. #edtech #Education #digital #technology #schools #IT #onlinesafety #students

A great way to support incredible mahi with Oke Charity. If you have not yet filled your volunteering quota for the year, then this is something you should put at the top of your list. Beyond building a school garden, you are helping to: - Construct outdoor classrooms where our tamariki can learn things like literacy and numeracy outside of the usual four walls. - Create spaces for improved mental health and wellbeing, where tamariki get to connect with the taiao, and with each other. - Enhance understanding of the processes of growing fruits/vegetables, and creating potential for more locally grown food sources. - Increase consumption of fruit/vegetables and nurture better eating habits. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! #SchoolGardens #Equity #LocallyGrown #Environment #Tamariki #Schools #Volunteering #OkeCharity