Megan Gollop

Māori university graduates: indigenous participation in higher education

ABSTRACT Māori, the indigenous population of New Zealand, are gaining university qualifications in greater numbers. This article describes the history of Māori university graduates, their current situation and the implications for indigenous futures. Section one provides a brief overview of historical policies and practices that, similar to those used on other indigenous populations, resulted in the widespread exclusion of Māori from university education until the 1970s and 1980s. Section two describes findings for Māori university graduates (n = 626) from the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand (GLSNZ). Results show that nearly half (48.4%) were the first member of their immediate family to attend university. Humanities/education (50.8%) was the most common domain of study followed by commerce (17.7%), science/engineering (15.4%), health sciences (10.9%), law (2.8%) and PhD study (2.4%). More Māori graduates were females (71%). One-third of graduates were parents, and being a parent was associated with a lower likelihood of studying science and engineering compared to those participants without children. The most common areas/fields that participants wished to work in post-graduation were education and training (28.3%), health care and medical (17.4%) and government (11.8%). Despite increases in higher education participation and completion, parity remains an issue. Similar to previous indigenous research findings, Māori are under-represented as graduates (7.1% of the total sample) and in particular as postgraduates (5.8%) considering that Māori constitute 14.9% of the New Zealand population. Contemporary indigenous graduates are critical for indigenous development. Over the next 10 years, the GLSNZ will follow graduates and provide insights into Māori graduate outcomes.

Disaster impact and recovery: what children and young people can tell us

Christchurchs earthquakes revealed childrens vulnerability to disaster but also their ability to respond and play an active role in recovery. We argue that childrens voices need to be heard and given priority in the recovery process because the disaster impacts on them and their families in ways that are not recognised or well understood. We report the findings of a study undertaken with 94 Christchurch children. Its aim was to give voice to childrens experiences of post-earthquake Christchurch and in doing so contribute to post-disaster recovery. The experiences of these Christchurch children offer other children, parents, government and agencies valuable insights into how to manage the recovery process in ways that best meet childrens needs. In the post-disaster recovery period, decision-makers need to recognise children as authentic actors in the recovery process and should commit to hearing childrens voices throughout the rebuilding. Children and young peoples resilience and positive commitment to Christchurch are assets that should be capitalised on in the longer-term recovery process.

Equity in New Zealand university graduate outcomes: Māori and Pacific graduates

ABSTRACT Higher education confers significant private and social benefits. Māori and Pacific peoples are under-represented within New Zealand universities and have poorer labour market outcomes (e.g., lower wages, under-represented in skilled professions). A New Zealand tertiary education priority is to boost Māori and Pacific success in an effort to improve outcomes for these graduates, their communities and society in general. Using information collected in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand, we compared Māori and Pacific university graduate outcomes with outcomes of other New Zealand graduates. Data were collected when the participants were in their final year of study (n = 8719) and two years post-graduation (n = 6104). Employment outcomes were comparable between Māori, Pacific and other New Zealand graduates at two years post-graduation; however, Māori and Pacific graduates had significantly higher student debt burden and financial strain over time. They were significantly more likely to help others (e.g., family) across a range of situations (e.g., lending money), and reported higher levels of volunteerism compared to their counterparts. Boosting higher education success for Māori and Pacific students has the potential to reduce ethnic inequalities in New Zealand labour market outcomes and may result in significant private benefits for these graduates and social benefits as a result of their contribution to society.

Māori University success: what helps and hinders qualification completion

Māori (Indigenous New Zealand) university graduates are role models for educational success and are critical for the social and economic wellbeing of Māori whānau (extended family) and communities. In this study, Māori graduates (N = 626) from all eight New Zealand universities participated in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand between July and December 2011. They were asked to describe factors that they found helpful or challenging to the completion of their qualifications. Graduates described a range of external (e.g. family), institutional (e.g. academic support), and student or personal (e.g. persistence) factors. Describing the experiences of Māori graduates can provide a blueprint for future indigenous success by building an evidence base of the factors that may promote indigenous higher educational achievement in New Zealand and internationally.

Pacific university graduates in New Zealand: what helps and hinders completion

Increasing the numbers of Pacific Island students who graduate from New Zealand universities is important for the students’ futures, their families, communities and society in general. In this study, Pacific graduates (N = 365) who are participants in the Graduate Longitudinal Study New Zealand were asked to describe what factors helped or hindered their qualification completion. Graduates from all eight New Zealand universities were surveyed between July and December 2011. Pacific graduates identified external (e.g. family), institutional (e.g. university staff) and student or personal (e.g. motivation) factors that both helped and hindered the successful completion of their studies. Understanding the hindrance factors faced by Pacific students and the factors that have contributed to their educational success can help to inform policy and practice to achieve national priorities of equity and successful outcomes for Pacific learners.

Children’s Views and Participation in Family Dispute Resolution in New Zealand

No longer just objects of the law, children are increasingly considered to be subjects in the determination of decisions made on their behalf. This shift in thinking has been very evident in New Zealand’s innovative approach to children’s participation in the context of private law proceedings following parental separation and divorce. Historically, children (and mothers) had no voice or right to participate in family law proceedings since the superior right of a father over his legitimate children was sufficient for the courts to reach decisions in custody disputes. However, fathers’ rights started to wane in the latter part of the 19th century as the welfare of the child prin- ciple emerged. Then, during the 20th century, the discipline of psychology began offering scientific/expert explanations for family members’ attitudes and behaviours, which filtered through to the law and influenced the way in which we conceive of children and their capabilities.