As we approach almost one year since the launch of Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua, Northland’s strategy for play, active recreation and sport, a working group has been established to keep the momentum going and help drive and monitor the implementation of actions within the strategy.

Undertaken as a collaborative project between the Northland Sport Coalition, Sport Northland, the four Northland Councils, Te Kahu o Taonui (the Iwi Chair’s Collective) and Sport NZ, Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua was developed to help guide decision making for play, active recreation and sport in Te Tai Tokerau.

First and foremost, the strategy looks to create a bi-cultural future for play, active recreation and sport in Te Tai Tokerau, with the name, Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua, reflecting a desire to move forward under the waka hourua (double-hulled canoe/waka) partnership, allowing people to give effect from a tangata whenua (iwi/hapū /marae/whānau) approach and a tangata tiriti (people of the Treaty/non-Māori) approach.

The vision for the strategy is ‘Keeping Te Tai Tokerau moving in partnership, using our tikanga (way of doing things) to guide how we act now and in the future.’ This vision reflects a double meaning of keeping Northlander’s moving (being active) as well as the sector moving forward in partnership, rather than in isolation.

The strategy and the insights it contains, help guide the sector’s approach and programme of work. By working in a collaborative manner, a view of the regional priorities for future play, active recreation and sport has been developed. It is intended that this will help guide Regional Sports Organisations, Councils, active recreation organisations and relevant funding agencies across Te Tai Tokerau in their decision making. It also helps the sector to be better informed as to what the needs, rather than wants, are across the region.

The Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua Implementation Group consists of representatives from Sport Northland, Far North District Council, Whangarei District Council, Kaipara District Council and the Northland Sports Coalition Executive. The purpose of this group is to monitor and track progress against the strategy, ensure the strategy continues to be relevant and fit for purpose, and to drive sector-wide projects across the region. Members will meet regularly throughout the 10-year strategic period, with a range of experienced and knowledgeable people attending meetings to provide ongoing advice and guidance to the group.

The current members of the Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua Implementation Group are:
 

• Sue Hodge – Whangarei District Council
• Mark Schreurs – Kaipara District Council
• Sheryl Gavin – Far North District Council
• Josh Port – Northland Sports Coalition Executive & Northland Basketball
• Sharon Carroll – Northland Sports Coalition Executive & Parafed Northland
• Stu Middleton – Sport Northland
• Anna Markwick – Sport Northland
• Trina Henare – Sport Northland
   

Are you interested in fostering a waka hourua approach, driving collaboration across the sector and contributing to region-wide wellbeing outcomes? The following are some of the forums that you can get involved in:

• Play Coalition – This group drives play development and play initiatives throughout Northland. For more information and to get involved, contact Natalie Wilcock, Play Lead, at nataliew@sportnorth.co.nz

• Northland Sports Coalition - The Northland Sports Coalition is a forum of members which exists to speak on behalf of and collectively support, promote and advocate for the on-going development of sport in Northland. For more information and to get involved visit the Sport Northland website here, or contact Joey Yovich, Regional Connector, at josephy@sportnorth.co.nz

For more information about Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua, visit the Sport Northland website here, or contact Brittany White, Special Projects Lead at brittanyw@sportnorth.co.nz