Understanding what is going on “under the hood” critical to the success of Pasifika learners

Young Pacific learners consistently fall below the national average in literacy and numeracy.

This is according to 2018 data from Stats New Zealand, which measures the reading, maths and science skills of fifteen-year-old students in Aotearoa.

Fale Youth is a local organisation working hard to help bridge the gap in engagement and achievement for Pasifika youth who have been identified as ‘at-risk students’ in mainstream classes.

“Fale Youth is a programme established in Canterbury to support Pasifika youth in two main domains; within education and wellbeing,” says Uai Liu, the programme’s Founder and Executive Director.

The organisation works in schools to raise student achievement and engagement levels, as well as running programmes that support general health and wellbeing outside of school environments.

Fale Youth’s Amokura programme, delivered with funding support from Rātā Foundation, was designed to help students affected by low attendance and low achievement. The programme began with senior students in Years 11-13, but now supports students as young as Year Seven with literacy and numeracy, including offering after-school study support.

Amokura is delivered at Hornby High School, while additional reading achievement sessions have also been offered at Shirley Boys’ High School in Christchurch East. A key focus is supporting teachers to understand the unique barriers to education that exist for Pasifika youth, including what is happening for them at home.

‘Whataboutme.nz’ - The National Youth Health and Wellbeing Survey 2021 found that forty-two percent of Pacific youth look after someone else on a regular basis, usually a child they live with. This is more than double that of non-Māori non-Pacific young people.

Uai says work commitments and the responsibility of caring for other family members are challenges for many Pacific students. He says it is important schools understand what is going on ‘under the hood’ for learners, which contributes to the bigger picture.

“A lot of it is just understanding that it’s a deeper issue,” says Uai. “When it comes to student engagement and then achievement, there is a lot under the hood that’s happening for our Pasifika learners.

“It’s one that we (tutors) understand because we were brought up in the same sort of household, understanding the responsibilities at home as well as the obligations with your family.”

Fale Youth programme facilitators go into schools and work alongside teachers, collaborating to find innovate ways to address these challenges for Pasifika youth. The focus isn’t solely on what happens in school either but also working outside of school and in the wider community to supply a holistic platform for re-engagement.

Participants in the Amokura programme have a chance to engage with out-of-school activities such as games, barbering, projects and events. Twelve students recently had the opportunity to design and build arcade machines.

“As part of the Amokura programme, we worked closely with twelve disengaged male students who had challenges in mainstream classes,” explains Uai.

“The students worked with an expert at Christchurch City Libraries to design using computer-aided design (CAD) programmes. They learnt the basics of 3D drawing, then transferred those skills into the workshop and applied practical skills.

“The project allowed us to combine digital technology with practical skills, to effectively build student capability in literacy and numeracy.”

Uai says connection to Pasifika cultures is also a critical part of programme delivery.

“Leading with culture allows us to dive deeper, build better relationships and really get to know the students,” adds Uai.

“For example, we incorporated culture-led practices such as carving workshops and some of our female students worked with a specialist carver. The focus of these sessions was the students learning about aspects of Samoan carving connected to wellbeing.

“We’ve seen some positive results with our approach, including students happier at school, improved attendance and better overall achievement in those key areas of literacy and numeracy.”

As the South Island’s largest funder, Rātā Foundation has supported Fale Youth through its ‘Learn’ Funding Focus area.

Chief Executive Leighton Evans says every student in New Zealand should have access to quality educational opportunities and a pathway to success and lifelong learning.

“Equitable access to education should be a given for all young people, but some students face barriers that impact on engagement and contribute to poor educational outcomes,” says Leighton.

“What is special about the Amokura programme to us is the way Fale has adopted a Pasifika-led approach to re-engage learners and put them on a path to academic achievement, acknowledging and adapting to challenges that are unique to Pasifika students.”