Cultural confluence – challenges for a training provider intending to work cross-culturally within Māori and Pasifika contexts

The goals of this project were to:

a) identify cultural perspectives and worldview of staff and students at BTI.

b) explore areas of concern to Pasifika and Māori students and stakeholders.

c) hear experiences and perceptions of staff and student's work in multicultural contexts

Authors

Andrew Smith with Tereora Crane, Bethlehem Tertiary Institute

August 2011

Executive summary

Within the complexities of bicultural and multicultural Aotearoa New Zealand, seeking to understand the institutional culture within which we work, and the impact of that culture on staff, students and external stakeholders is simultaneously an entirely appropriate and immensely challenging task.

This project has sought to respond to that task, using as a window an immersion experience undertaken by one cohort of students within the final year of their programme. Insights on the experience have been collected from different groups and these reflections have been considered in the light of the broader issues of organisational culture.

The findings and discussion focus on general institutional factors, and on aspects more specifically related to student learning. Central to the findings is the significance of ‘connection’, the attitudes that create that sense of engagement, and the realisation that connection, while intangible to some degree, is nevertheless the result of intentional activity.

The report concludes with recommendations specific to BTI, but applicable to other educational organisations seeking to work in the bi- and multi-cultural environment that is Aotearoa New Zealand.

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