Building confident, active tamariki in Porirua
Building confident, active tamariki in Porirua
A community effort to tackle bullying has sparked a new resilience programme for tamariki in Porirua, equipping them with both the skills to stand up for themselves and an opportunity to be active.
Recognising the need for tamariki to develop confidence and respect, local police, schools and counsellors joined forces to help tamariki work through challenges. They called on Porirua Whānau Centre to help – a kaupapa Māori organisation focused on strengthening whanāu through education and social services.
With support from Tū Manawa funding via Nuku Ora, the whānau centre developed Ko wai au, a programme designed to address bullying and promote wellbeing in a holistic way. Since its inception, over 600 tamariki in years 4-8 across 10 local schools have engaged in learning experiences that emphasise self-control, resilience and conflict resolution.
“I loved it, please come back!” – Tamariki
Ko wai au focuses on social, cultural and physical approaches to help tamariki manage emotions and navigate difficult interactions. One of the core elements in the social sessions is the ‘rock and water’ principle that teaches calmness and adaptability (water) before resorting to standing firm (rock).
“We aim to drill in their minds to use ‘water’ before ‘rock’,” explains programme manager TJ Fermanis.
“Water – being fluid and adaptable in your surroundings, thinking about the other person first and applying being friendly, calm, peaceful and communicative, with the ability to walk away,” he says. “Then they resort to rock, which is strong, defends and stands up for themselves.”
Tamarki explore these principles through role-playing, discussion and games, helping them develop effective ways to handle confrontation.
In the physical sessions, tamarki learn traditional Māori games like Ti uru, Tāhae Namu, Horohopu, Matariki and Tiaki Ariki, while applying the water before rock principle.
The cultural sessions combine mau rākau (traditional Māori martial arts) movements, which integrate striking, sparring and footwork, depicting Porirua landmarks, along with generic commands, pūrākau (stories) and other rākau (stick) games.
“Yes, please make longer sessions.” – Tamariki
Windley School sports coordinator and teacher Jay Fisher has seen the programme’s impact first-hand including tamariki improving their conflict resolution skills and more students coming out of their shells.
“The programme is boosting their confidence and self-esteem, making them more capable both in and outside the classroom,” says Jay.
The learning has also encouraged more tamariki to act as ‘upstanders’ – students who actively help resolve disagreements in the classroom and the playground.
“They’re also learning more about what they’re capable of and gaining a deeper understanding of Te Ao Māori,” says TJ.
The annual Tiaki Ariki tournament for Porirua School has grown out of Ko Wai Au, reinforcing resilience lessons through physical competition. “Tamariki learn to lose gracefully,” says TJ. "We make the games very competitive and emphasise that what the ref says is final and to focus on what you can control.”
Nuku Ora partnership adviser-funding, Hanna Baird-Herron, says watching Ko Wai Au thrive over the past few years has been amazing.
“Its success is a testament to the vital work that Porirua Whānau Centre does in the community, along with the importance of involving the community in decision-making for physical activity delivery.”
“Its already the best!” – Tamariki
