Jodie Porter

2015 | The Vaughan Park Scholar in Residence

Many Iwi are actively and strategically working towards the greater development and advancement of their people.  There is a great urgency for iwi to be able to monitor progress in a way that aligns with iwi aspirations.  Iwi are required to act innovatively and resourcefully in order to effectively align their efforts towards the realisation of iwi vitality.  Central to the concept of iwi vitality is the notion that iwi are able to actively determine what matters to them and in turn, that outcomes of iwi vitality such as a secure iwi identity, intergenerational sustainability, collective cohesion, environmental stewardship, self-determination, economic prosperity, and whānau health and wellbeing are vibrantly expressed.

Limited work has been carried out by iwi themselves that explores what constitutes iwi vitality and how this might be meaningfully measured in order to effectively plan for the future.  This research aims to develop and assess Ngai Tai vitality indicators and measures, and test their usefulness within an applied case study, utilising a Ngai Tai vitality outcomes monitoring framework.  Testing the application of the framework within four key Ngai Tai entities aims to reflect the contemporary Ngai Tai landscape and also provides a collective lens that acknowledges both the individual and shared interests and contributions of these stakeholders.  It will also demonstrate its potential contribution towards decision-making, planning, prioritisation, resource allocation and action to meet shared outcome goals in terms relevant to Ngai Tai in particular and more generally to other iwi and local level Māori communities.