First project announced

26 June 2009

Sylvia Park Schol celebrates becoming the first MPEI-funded project.

Funding has been approved for a project at Auckland’s Sylvia Park Primary School targeting Māori and Pasifika primary school children.
The funding will establish a school position for a project co-ordinator to act as a key link between home and school.
This will help families to develop an understanding of assessment data and its implications. At the same time, the role will challenge the school to consider its effectiveness in delivering programmes for Māori and Pasifika students.
The project, based at the Mt Wellington school, is for five years. The Trust expects the results to lead to similar projects throughout the region.
Details of the other six projects will be announced as funding is approved.

Seven projects approved

The selection committees have decided on seven projects that have now been approved, in principle, for funding by the ASB Community Trust (ASBCT) Board.

ASBCT is now talking with those groups and we expect to be able to announce the successful initiatives over the next three to four months.

Maori and Pasifika Education Initiative (MPEI) Project Manager Moi Becroft says the groups still have some work to do on their budgets and business plans.

“Each of the initiatives has been looked at very closely. We will be working alongside the groups to help develop their business plans and ensure that their systems and infrastructure is robust, to enable the delivery their initiatives,” she says.

When the groups are ready to start, we will profile them here on the Initiative website and continue to follow their progress over time.

Snedden joins panel

Former ASBCT trustee Pat Snedden has joined the Initiative selection panel, adding his mana and intellect to the process of deciding which groups will be funded.

He joined a Northland hui in November where shortlisted groups gathered to discuss their projects and look at ways to push the kaupapa forward. Two similar hui are planned in Auckland in December, encouraging korero around the vision of Maori and Pasifika educational excellence.

The 37 shortlisted groups are now working on their full business plans, which they must send to the Trust by January 16.  The selection panel will then make recommendations to the ASBCT board and the final list of MPEI projects to be funded will be announced by April 2009.

Funds secure

Some questions have been asked about continuing funding for the Initiative in light of the Trust’s recent investment losses. Although ASB Community Trust’s general grants budget will be smaller in 2009, the Initiative will not be affected because funds were set aside and ring-fenced for the project in 2007.

For more about the investment result story, read ‘Protecting Our Assets’