Long courses are delivered from term one to term three. Courses are co-contructed between ākonga (students), community and Papa Taiao facilitators. Timetables vary and can include overnight wānanga and/or weekly sessions. Long courses allow ākonga to gain a deeper insight into sustainability while gaining 21st century skills through project based, self directed learning.
Papa Taiao Earthcare adopts a systems approach which integrates wai-, moana-, whenua- and rangi-restoration.
This encourages ākonga to understand the complexity of the world around them and to think in terms of inter-relationships and contexts.
Ākonga gain a selection of industry qualifications including trapping, pest plant management, aquaculture, beekeeping, horticulture etc. These practical skills are interlinked with sustainable thinking and project development.
Whenua Restoration
Restoring the endemic biodiversity on land
Moana Restoration
Innovative methods to protect our ocean
Wai Restoration
Protecting freshwater and riparian margins
Rangi Restoration
Combating Climate Change through waste reduction and regenerative farming
Previously known as the Leadership & Change-making Programme, this course supports ākonga to develop a project of their choosing to take action for a more sustainable future.
Projects are identified by ākonga, their school, and/or community to ensure they will have real positive impact. Ākonga connect with leaders from their community as well as a mentor, lead teacher, and Papa Taiao facilitator. The programme is for year 10 and 11 ākonga in term four and is currently only available in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
The enterprise courses opens ākonga eyes to a regenerative form of business.
Ākonga develop their own social enterprise that measures success using positive social, cultural, ecological and economic impact.
Ākonga will be encouraged to solve issues or implement projects that have been identified by their local community. They are encouraged to work within the Young Enterprise Scheme to connect with national funding and awards.
The principles of urban farming lead to positive social, ecological and economic outcomes for the community.
Regenerative farming systems locally and globally are proving more productive per square metre in terms of nutrition, ecological function, economic yield and social engagement. Urban farms feed people with nutrient-dense, belly-filling food, using a community-supported agriculture (CSA) model.
Regenerative Aquaculture has been identified as a key solution to climate change by sequestering carbon on land and sea, reducing methane production in livestock, rebuilding marine ecosystems, enriching soil, and addressing the global plastics problem.
Ākonga build their own oyster farms as a food supply (mahinga kai) for their Marae or grow oysters from spat for Moana NZ who pay market rates for their produce. Seaweed farming is the next step.
Hapū design courses relevant to their whanau. The hapū deliver tikanga, kawa and te ao Māori mātauranga using multiple one to two night wānanga. Papa Taiao supports by delivering and assessing sustainability and restoration qualifications.
The wānanga form the backbone of the programme, giving students the skills and tools they need to run a project throughout the year. Between wānanga a Papa Taiao kaiako or a teacher in the school work with the students to keep their projects on track.
In this two year certificate ākonga will identify and apply knowledge of sustainable environmental, conservation and land based management practices to local projects.
This level 3 NZQA Certificate can be interlinked with the Restoration or Wānanga Programmes. Ākonga will develop industry based skills of their choosing through a local sustainability enterprise or project.
The focus of the certificate is learning to apply practical skills while gaining understanding of regenerative systems thinking concepts. The programme is unique in offering UE over the two years.
