Navigating Hui-ā-tau as an ECE first timer

For Auckland based ECE Member Rhiannon, 2022 was her first time attending Hui-ā-tau, the NZEI Te Riu Roa annual conference. She’s captured her experience in a short photo essay, to give you a taste of what the experience was like!

Kia Manawa Titi - the guiding whakatauki for the hui, speaks to the value of perseverance and the heart to fight hard for what we want!

I spoke with my branch field rep about attending Hui-ā-tau this year. They managed to organise a spot for me. This included travel, accommodation and support for my centre if a relief teacher was required.

Upon arrival, members are greeted with a Pōwhiri, welcoming us onto the land and connecting us with tangata whenua.

Make sure you come with your singing voice prepped! We sang a lot of waita over the course of the hui.

Members gathered outside the venue in Rotorua.

The opportunities for learning are endless. I was able to attend panels and workshops on:

  • Membership structures

  • Te kete moemoeā - what should NZEI Te Riu Roa look like in the future?

  • Issues and Solutions for ECE 2023

  • Elections 2023 and Education

  • Kotahitanga

  • Winning Fair Pay Agreements in ECE

  • Resilience tools and strategies for teachers.

Attending with other members of my branch meant that we could talk about what we learned at the different sessions we attended and reflect on how we can use this new-found knowledge beyond the conference.

Minister of Education Chris Hipkins addressing members at Hui-ā-tau 2022

Being a union means making decisions about the direction of NZEI Te Riu Roa and our leadership team. All representatives at the hui vote for these actions and leaders. All nominees for the
National Executive are members who work in education as teachers, learning support, ECE managers and principals.

It’s a big responsibility because we are representing all the union members who are not present and trying to consider the best outcomes for all kotahitanga.

Special guests shared their knowledge and discussed issues and ideas relating to education. Some of the highlights included:

  • Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai on Maramataka based education.

  • Paul Goulter, Kevin Bates & Melanie Webber on Campaigning to Win.

  • ERO on Teacher Aide Research.

  • Leota Dr Lisi Kalisi Petaia on Pasifika mental health and wellbeing.

  • and an address from Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins.

There is nothing quite like a group of passionate educators getting together. The connections made, the learning done, and the actions we can put in place made attending so very worthwhile.

Of course, when a bunch of like-minded people get together there’s always some fun to be had. Trivia night, area council dinners, kareoke, sharing kai with the whole hui. Not to mention lunchtime walks around the beautiful Rotorua, spa catch-ups and plenty of kai and kawhe to keep our mahi going!

An item performed for members on the final night of the hui.

North Shore branch representatives at the Auckland Area Council dinner.