Through a collaborative relationship that emerged organically by way of contributing to the Porirua Assembly on Climate kaupapa, from mid 2024 through 2025; and with a shared goal of encouraging kaiako to enable local rangatahi to participate in and contribute to this rich context for learning, Future Unity (FU) – a kaupapa for rangatahi by rangatahi was born, with a group of FU ‘Aunties’ as their adult support crew.
This is the Vision statement at the heart of the Porirua Climate Assembly (2025), from which 6 broad recommendations were identified as priorities to focus on across the community.
To sustain the momentum of this critical kaupapa and for taking action on the recommendations that emerged from it, we have established a Kaiako Community of Practice for Climate education and action.
A mihi whakatau led by iwi kaumatua set the scene for the initial Community of Practice PD day for Kaiako
Feb 27 2026 – Professional Development day for Porirua Kaiako, to initiate the Kaiako Community of Practice. This invite was extended to ECE, primary and secondary sectors. The
key whainga/intentions were for
- Kaiako to walk committed to the Porirua Assembly on Climate Vision
- Kaiako to feed into the Porirua Community of Practice that supports the Porirua Assembly on climate vision
- Kaiako to be empowered to share the Porirua Assembly on Climate Vision with their school community
- Kaiako and their senior leadership commit to supporting rangatahi to be involved with the Future Unity rangatahi rōpū
45 kaiako from all education sectors attended the PD day
45 kaiako in all attended; 8 ECE represented, 20 primary schools, 1 Intermediate and 5 secondary schools.
The day started with a welcome from Ngāti Toa rangatira kaumatua Taku Parai, and Mayor Anita Baker was in attendance, indicating the importance of this kaupapa. We were hosted at Pātaka Art Museum, cultural hub of Porirua, so that we could include a curated tour of the Ngāti Toa rangatira exhibition Mutumutu ki Mukukai/ Freshwater to Saltwater. This made clear the relativity of iwi priorities with the vision and recommendations of the Porirua Climate Assembly, and these underpinning the Community of Practice (CoP) kaupapa.
Our Future Unity representative rōpū shared a presentation of the background to the CoP, including a Padlet of resources to support kaiako to engage with this kaupapa. After lunch kaiako worked in groups to make connections to the kaupapa from their school community perspectives and to identify ideas for engaging with this further.
A Padlet of resources to support kaiako
Below are links to some published articles backgrounding the Porirua Climate Assembly process through 2024-2025 :
Supporting Porirua taiohi leadership on climate action: the power of community connection article published in Te Whakatika – Issue 26, Autumn 26 (EONZ)
Alison Corich, Social Sciences Kaiako at Kapiti College and citizen of Porirua City (who participated in the Porirua Climate Assembly 2025) :
As a kaiako, it was incredibly heartening to see such a tangible example of the Assembly’s impact (at the Kaiako CoP PD day). Together we explored how local knowledge, mātauranga Māori and scientific understanding can work together in climate education. Most importantly, we sat together as educators and asked a simple question: What are we already doing, and how can we build on it? What has started is the beginning of a network where we can share ideas, resources and support one another to ensure that our young people maintain hope in a difficult world. For me, that shows the real impact of the Assembly. It didn’t just produce recommendations. It sparked community action. And it showed what happens when communities are genuinely part of the conversation. – Alison Corich, kaiako
As a collaborative of educators leading the CoP, we have continued to support and facilitate a range of related opportunities for connection to this kaupapa through the year to date.
Supporting rangatahi to take action on kaupapa important to them
This has included:
April 15 – SS4C – School Strike for Climate March. We supported rangatahi travelling from Porirua into Wellington City to take action for this kaupapa.
Aotea College Envirogroup at the SS4C march
April 19 – 3 Future Unity rangatahi representatives contributed their voices to the presentation of the Porirua Climate Assembly Recommendations to PCC Mayor and Councilors. This has had significant influence on the refreshed PCC Climate Change Strategy/Rautaki o Te Ao Hurihuri.
For many of us, it was the first time we truly felt heard. We have found our voice, found our purpose. Thank you for listening to the future of Porirua. – Gloria (year 13)
Rangatahi are not just participants, but contributors with ideas, aspirations, and a desire to be part of decisions that affect them. – Miriam (year 11)
This isn’t some far-off problem… it’s happening right now. – Macky (year 12)
Macky (left) and Miriam and Gloria (right) spoke at the Porirua Climate Assembly Recommendations to PCC Mayor and Councillors
April 29 – Rangatahi from 4 schools (Porirua, Titahi Bay, Bishop Viard and Porirua College) participated in the Iwi-led Te Waiora o Parirua/Porirua Harbour Accord Clean Up event.
Rangatahi participated in the Iwi-led Te Waiora o Parirua Clean Up event
Opportunities like this are a key part of our school curriculum. We prioritise localising learning and providing experiences that strengthen students’ sense of belonging and show them the impact of their actions. To see students’ engagement, leadership and enthusiasm while taking part in a hands-on activity(in the wider community) shows the power of taking learning outside of the classroom walls. Many of our students came away from this event wanting to make it a regular experience. – Porirua school DP Nadia Lowden
I really want to do this more often and be an envirokid. I want to be a Kaitiaki for the harbour.
People need to learn more about how to look after our harbour and how to look after their rubbish.
This was really fun and something I want to be able to do again and again.
I am happy we got to do this because we are looking after our community. – Porirua school rangatahi voices
May 7 – Taking Action on Waste PD for Kaiako – Co-Facilitated by Enviroschools and Porirua City Council, this included a Bus Tour of Spicer Landfill led by Deepa Goswami, PCC Community Waste Minimisation Advisor and Enviroschools sharing a new ‘Taking Action on Waste’ resource for PCC and a refreshed resource ‘Drains are for Rain’, developed by Enviroschools Community Facilitator Chandra Littlewood. 8 Kaiako participated, representing 1 ECE & 7 schools.
Kaiako explore the ‘Taking Action for Waste’ resource
Tour of Spicer Landfill
May 7 – Online PD for kaiako co-facilitated with NZAEE (NZ Association of Environmental Education) National Learning Manager Becky McCormack.
May 20 – Future Unity Rangatahi led Youth Week event
Ko Au Te Taiao event was a youth-led day of learning, connection, and exploration in te taiao
Led by rangatahi and supported by community partners the day encouraged young people to strengthen their relationships and explore their role as kaitiaki and leaders. Lead Co-facilitators were Papa Taiao and Enviroschools with support from Ngāti Toa rangatira, Te Wāhi Tiaki Tātou/Porirua Climate Assembly, The People Speak, PCC, Conservation Volunteers, GWRC Fish Passage Project team & Rangers at Horokiri Valley/Battle Hill Regional Park.
77 rangatahi from 8 Porirua primary schools and 2 secondary schools as well as rangatahi leaders from across the wider Wellington region in the Future Unity kaupapa and Taiohi Taiao from the Papa Taiao programme.
The vision of Future Unity brings rangatahi together to connect across schools, cultures, and communities to grow leadership, belonging, and collective action.
By connecting rangatahi with each other and with te taiao, Ko Au Te Taiao event demonstrated the importance of investing in the next generation of leaders, and community builders.
L: Future Unity tuakana leaders with Future Unity logo prints; R: Predator free Porirua and Papa Taiao taiohi shared their skills and knowledge about predator tracking and trapping
Orini Rokx-Taratu, Future Unity rangatahi tuakana, shared some highlights for her of this youth week event :
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An example of one school’s highlights of the event day
The amount of tamariki that attended made me feel emotional. Seeing so many tamariki in te taiao all day made me feel nostalgia – it felt like I was at home (in Te Tairāwhiti).
- The tuakana-teina model while facilitating – I loved having a teina with me throughout the day. It made me feel really happy when my teina eventually stood up and started to lead and facilitate the teaching – we also made great friends!
- The community using our networks, coming together and making an amazing day for our rangatahi.
- Seeing the fruits of our labour shine right in front of us. Everyone was happy, smiling, and passionate.
- Collaborating with Papa Taiao and Enviroschools.
Tania de Bazin, Kaiako Year 5-6, Windley school shared the following:
“Ongoing opportunities on offer from Enviroschools facilitators and their environmental educator collaborators through the Community of Practice, have provided motivation as a Kaiako to keep consolidating a sense of belonging and connection with the wider community and taiao. These opportunities for rangatahi help to keep their learning experiences connected and progressively deepening.
We have a class whakatauki which is our touchstone:
The Future Unity rangatahi led experiences provide real life learning for our akongā to enact our whakatauki, extending their understandings through a range of contexts.”
A Memorandum Of Understanding with schools has been developed by Michele Whiting, Educational consultant for the CoP and FU kaupapa, for confirming a commitment to sustaining learning in relation to this kaupapa, recognising it as a critical context for learning, authentic place-based education as well as a context to enact commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, particularly in relation to mana whenua Ngāti Toa rangatira’s aspirations and priorities.
Our intention is to continue providing offerings of support for the Community of Practice kaiako and for the Future Unity rangatahi kaupapa as a high priority of our work in Porirua.
A message for kaiako supporting Future Unity rangatahi : Porirua is fortunate to have a community of practice for climate education & action. It is important that kaiako see the value in committing to this kaupapa, not only for them, not only for their students, but for their mokopuna and all of the generations to come. Climate change is in Aotearoa – te taiao is telling us this. If we work together and grow this community of practice, we can share and grow ideas to grow the tamariki mokopuna in Porirua to be critical thinkers, to be leaders, and to be everything their ancestors, family and parents ever dreamed of. Be part of this change. Be part of this community. – Orini, Future Unity tuakana
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