Supporting the Pasifika youth workforce

At the brink of COVID, the Department of Internal Affairs had funded a piece of work led by Ara Taiohi to look at how we could better support Pacific youth workers/practitioners in the youth work field. Ara Taiohi had contracted Cross-Polynate - an independent consultancy and the first wave of engagement saw Daisy Lavea-Timo coordinate, facilitate and lead talanoa with Pacific youth workers all throughout the motu (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch). These cities were identified as the biggest hubs for Pasifika communities and so that’s where the focus was initially. Pacific Warriors had opened the vā for Pacific youth workers to talanoa, share stories and experiences as well as inform how Pacific youth development could look in the future. This was the foundation and birth of Pou Pasifika. Chillion Sanerivi and Isabel Lemanutau had taken on the Pacific Warriors kaupapa in mid-2023 and had created and worked alongside a national working group that CAYAD sit on to oversee the direction of the kaupapa. With a slightly broader focus, Pacific Warriors has now become Pou Pasifika.

The naming of “Pou Pasifika” was inspired by the “Pou” which means ‘support pillars or posts that signal strength, infrastructure, depth’. Its main purpose is to uphold something that leans or is built on within in a house. “Pou” also resonates to seventeen island nations in some form or another.  Some nations may not use the word but the meaning of support pillars or posts in the traditional architecture remains the same. Pou are commonly thought of as pillars, upright support poles, or posts.

In traditional Māori narratives regarding the origin of the universe, pou were pillars of light, used to keep sky and earth separated. This allowed the natural world to flourish and, in turn, people to prosper. Pou Pasifika also represents the Pasifika diaspora living, learning, working and playing in Aotearoa.

We can describe our intent as pillars of Pasifika youth workers, strengthening Pasifika youth work or upholding Pasifika youth workers.  

In May 2024, CAYAD partnered with two other Council teams to lead and facilitate the North-West Pou Pasifika fono at Zeal West. The purpose remained the same behind Pou Pasifika and that was to champion Pasifika youth development practitioners in Aotearoa, guided by the moana Pasifika way, resulting in all young people thriving. It is also about the profession of youth work from a Pasifika lens and looking at how it can be locally responsive and nationally connected as a Pasifika youth workers workforce.

The fono brought together over 65 Pacific youth workers/practitioners from across the North Shore and West Auckland region to connect, learn about the revised vision of Pou Pasifika and help advise what a local response looks like. A fono of similar nature was also happening across Central and South Auckland at the same time which saw over 70 other Pasifika attend. It started by acknowledging our Pou Tū (pillars in the youth work community who have served young people for many years) who were Rob and Emelita Zee Luisi from Ranui 135. The space was then opened for talanoa to happen and to discuss what these priorities could look like for their own communities and where the immediate focus should be put:

1) Health & Mental wellbeing of youth workers,

2) Workforce Development, Professional Development, Personal Development and Upskilling,

3) Knowledge Hub (Local & National),

4) Influence at a governance level,

5) Sustainability of our local & regional workforce.

There was a very positive response and eagerness to get this mahi progressing. Pou Pasifika is currently being held in partnership with Ara Taiohi and the Village Collective. It is being led by a national working group and delivered by local action teams which include Mike, Kat, Ange and Alex Matapo from Harbour Sport.