New role focuses on University’s Maori development   25 May 2015

25 May 2015

New role focuses on University’s Maori development

Ben Matthews is passionate about Maori development and helping Maori reach greater heights in the education and agribusiness worlds.

A descendant of Ngapuhi, Tauranga Moana and Ngati Porou, he is the new Maori Development Coordinator for Lincoln University and describes his role as an opportunity to make a difference to the development of the Maori agribusiness sector which “is on the brink of enormous growth”.

“It’s a very exciting time to be part of the Maori agribusiness scene as iwi across the country work through their respective treaty settlements with the Crown. We’re seeing a significant number of assets coming back into Maori ownership which presents a very real opportunity for our rangatahi Maori (young Maori).”

His newly established role is based within the University’s Lincoln-Telford Division and focuses on bridging relationships between the University and Maori organisations across the country.

“I chose this role because I wanted to help our rangatahi Maori across the country contribute to the development of Maori agribusinesses and give back to the community. I’m absolutely rapt that I have an opportunity to contribute in this way,” Ben says.

Ben works closely with Maori organisations, including iwi and Maori schools, to identify their agricultural training and agricultural human resource development needs and discuss how the University can help to meet them.

A recent example of this is Whenua Kura, a partnership between Ngai Tahu Farms, Te Tapuae o Rehua and Lincoln University to grow Maori leadership in agriculture by training cadets on Ngai Tahu-owned farms.

“We want our rangatahi Maori to set their sights higher to become farm managers and supervisors and gain a true sense of their potential and ability to be leaders within the agricultural industry,” says Ben.

Born and raised in Masterton he grew up in the Te Kohanga Reo (Maori language nest) and Kura Kaupapa Maori (Maori language total immersion school) movements, and is a fluent speaker of te reo Maori.

“I love my culture and my language. It defines a big part of who I am as a person and this is where my passion stems from,” Ben says.

Ben has had a long involvement in the education sector. Before coming to Lincoln he worked for Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre in Masterton as the Maori Agri-business Coordinator, again working with iwi and Maori schools to coordinate collaboration and training for Maori students.

He has also worked for NZQA as an international policy advisor and Education New Zealand as a liaison advisor for international education and has a double degree in International Business and Japanese language from AUT University.

He lived in Japan for several years as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and is a fluent speaker of Japanese.

He says his new role is reflective of the direction Lincoln University is taking to place greater emphasis on its relationships with Maori.

In 2013 the University Council approved the University’s Whenua Maori Development Strategy, which focuses on advancing Maori development and achievement. It is the University’s first organisation-wide overarching Maori development strategy, sitting within the University’s overall strategic theme to grow the performance of New Zealand’s land-based industries.

It lays the foundation for directed change to support more strategic, focused and collaborative engagement with Maori stakeholders, he says.

Moreover, Ben adds, it outlines the measures the University has in place to honour its obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) to guide University decision making processes, particularly those relating to Rangatiratanga (Maori independence) and Mana Whenua (local Maori authority).

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