Te Aka Tauira - Issue Seven

Issue 7

Te Aka Tauira

Inside: Tools for employability Helping charities during lockdown It’s about whakawhanaungatanga

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Mental Health at Otago Annabelle Skinner Evers > Take a moment to breathe

September News This issue: » Helping charities during lockdown » Prize highlights Pacific student achievement » Tools for employability » Pics of the month » Upcoming events and dates » Te Reo classes at Med School » Sustainable neighbourhood » How law and fashion go together

It’s been a tough semester 2. Lockdown looks different for everyone and the way that we respond is also different for

» Study tips for September

everyone. Lacking normality, certainty and routine is no easy gig.

It’s overwhelming and it certainly takes a toll. So it really is okay to not be okay.

Cover image: Dunedin Campus Magnolia tree in full bloom as Spring officially arrives

Lockdown is a bit of a mental marathon. It’s easy to get caught up in the things that are out of your control. Whether it be the 1pm briefings, the never-ending COVID headlines or just wanting

North Dunedin street clean-up

to know when things will be back to ‘normal’, keeping up with it all can be exhausting. So when it is hard to comprehend the big things, take a step back and appreciate the small things. The things that you can control. Like that morning coffee to start your day or catching up with one of your mates that you haven’t talked to in a while.

Wherever you are in Aotearoa take the time to step outside. Enjoy the beauty that comes with spring with the warmer (ish) days and the trees coming into bloom. Too often we underestimate the power of being in nature and the wonders it can do for your mental health. Unplug and go for a walk, go to your local beach, visit a new scenic spot or even just have your lunch outside. It doesn’t have to be much but your mental health will thank you for it. Having spent far too many hours in front of a computer on Zoom make that effort to step outside and soak up the fresh air.

You will feel a whole lot better for it.

Above all we are all bearing it out together. Be it getting used to having a mask in hand 24/7 or the quirks of online learning, it is okay to feel unease. So enjoy the little things and talk to the people around you. Chances are they are feeling the same.

Visit the Puāwaitanga service for support.

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The North Dunedin street clean-up is an annual event run by students in memory of Sophia Crestani and to support the kaupapa of the Sophia Charter. OUSA and the University are calling on students and our wider Dunedin community to clean up Castle Street and the surrounding areas to show respect for our home.

This is an opportunity to come together in remembrance of Sophia’s tragic passing in 2019, work together towards something positive and show our commitment to creating a safer community. The clean-up is on Friday, 22 October from 12-4pm.

Everyone will meet at the Marsh Centre at 11:45 and a BBQ will run from 1-4pm. The event will run under Alert Level 2, but registration will be required to monitor capacity. The registration form will be released in the next few weeks, if required.

Charities and lockdown Ignite perates by taking University students and matching them with external charities whose businesses they can impact. COVID-19 restrictions presented both challenges and opportunities to help these charities.

Chief Executive Officer Clementine Rose says the shift online this year was smooth after having experienced it in 2020.

“We made a quick shift online. We were fortunate as we had everything in place from last year and all of our clients were happy. It was lucky for us they were willing to work with us online.”

Mike McInerney is a Project Manager at Ignite and has seen the positive side of flexible working.

“University you don’t have as much flexibility with your timetable. It’s been really cool being able to jump on a Zoom meeting at any time rather than scheduling it before a business day would begin.”

Laura Brown is a Project Manager at Ignite and says her team’s project has very much been shaped by the pandemic and seeing a need.

“We’ve been working on a project called Coalition of Trusts. It has come about as we’ve seen a need for mental health and wellbeing support as a result of COVID-19.”

Clementine says the team are now reaching the end of their 2021 projects but the usual end of year wrap-ups are looking a bit different.

“At the end of the year we usually host a presentation evening to showcase the different organisations we’ve worked with and our findings.

Hosting a large in-person event isn’t feasible this year. We are in the process of talking to different video making firms on how we do this as a substitute for our presentation evenings.”

Prize highlights Pacific student achievement An award celebrating Pacific women’s academic achievement – the Heilala Book Prize in Humanities – was presented to students Maya Kiddle and Kiana Raeli in September.

Since 2017, the family of Dr Claire Matthewson have presented the prize to the highest-achieving Pacific woman studying 200-level Division of Humanities papers.

Kiana, a second-year BCom student, said she was honoured and thrilled to receive the award; Maya, a third-year BCom student, said the award was an amazing way to celebrate the efforts of Pacific women. Her studies were very relevant for a planned future position in trade and enterprise, based in Wellington.

Dr Matthewson said the award was a present from her children marking her 70th birthday.

“They knew I had been involved with the University of the South Pacific (USP) and had worked to support the cause of young women and feminism in the region. While the prize is a modest one I’m very pleased it recognises the splendid achievements of these wonderful students, and it might be a small item to add to their CV.”

PICS OF THE MONTH

Caroline Freeman College “bubble” Futsal Competition during Alert Level 3.

Student pulling litter from the Leith during Alert Level 2 on Dunedin Campus.

The Magnolia tree in bloom on an almost-empty Dunedin campus.

Have an image to show off?

University activities look a little different with masks and “bubbles”.

Send it to: communications@otago.ac.nz

“It’s about that whakawhanaungatanga.”

An eight-week te reo Māori class for medical students, set up by

Rebecca: “I did an expression of interest form and we were just

fellow students, was so popular it will be repeated in future years.

inundated with people wanting to come. We actually had to close

The organisers explain how Te Reo Kia Ora sessions at the Hunter

the signups. It was a mixture of staff and students and we closed it

Centre began, the philosophy behind the classes and their hopes for

at 125. We had about 90 students in person each week, so that’s a

the future.

really good retention rate, which is what we’re probably most proud

Friends and third year medical students Nic Sinnott (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) and Carlton Irving (Te Whakatōhea) had the initial idea.

Nic: “I distinctly remember we were at the intersection between the Colquhoun Lecture Theatre and the Hunter Centre and Carlton was

of.”

Next year it is planned to run two classes, a Level One and a Level Two, with several of this year’s participants becoming tutors to begin to build future capacity.

saying, ‘There must be something we can do to bring more reo into

Carlton: “The idea is that we can build on people’s knowledge and

the medical school space’. We’d had te reo classes in the past in the

add a level above. If people who have become proficient want to

medical school but we wanted to do something more. There are

go and teach the next year, you’ve got that resilience in the model.”

so many keen people out there but the supply wasn’t meeting the demand. No one else was doing it so we just thought, who else but us?”

Carlton: “I’m on the Māori Student Executive (Te Oranga ki Ōtākou) and part of the kaupapa of being a Māori medical student is you come in through a preferential pathway. And the idea is to improve health outcomes for Māori and that’s something as Māori medical

Rebecca: “We’ve got the funding that’s been renewed for subsequent years. This isn’t a one-off programme. What we really wanted to do is start people on their journeys.”

Nic: “Seeing people make progress was one of the most rewarding parts. By the end of it we were playing Simon Says all in Māori with no English needed.”

students we take really seriously. There’s only so many Māori that

Feedback from student participants was overwhelmingly positive.

can come through that pathway, so our way of thinking was, we

OUMSA Education Officer Jackie Hazelhurst praised the language

can only make so many of us doctors, but we can make a lot more

classes, which were offered free of charge, in a glowing letter to

doctors Māori. We could introduce our world, how we think.”

medical school leadership. “The enthusiasm that has greeted this

After a trial run teaching medical students at the Teddy Bear Hospital language skills to help them interact with kōhanga reo children, the idea for a larger class took flight. The proposal was supported by

course is evidence that Otago Medical School students and staff are not only receptive of, but are actively wanting, programmes to further their cultural competence.”

with funding from Te Oranga ki Ōtākou (The Māori Medical Students’

Carlton: “It’s about that whakawhanaungatanga - understanding

Association), Otago University Medical School Students’ Association

and existing in a Māori space, and I think what a lot of people

(Te Rōpū Ākonga Rongoā o Ōtākou) and the Otago Medical School

enjoyed is discovering that it’s actually a very welcoming, fun, friendly

Dean’s office. Fellow student Rebecca Goodman helped organise the

environment. Language is just a medium that we can use to bring

sessions.

people into our world. Our goal from the outset was to teach people

STUDY TIPS FOR NEWBIES

September Study Tips Learning Online Varied Alert Level restrictions around the country and how that looks on campus affects the way we learn and what usual learning activities look like.

“The scholarship really solidified my choice to study at Otago.”

Bachelor of Laws (first year) student Charlotte Fuller has a love for fashion which she hopes will give her a unique edge in her career.

Originally from the United Kingdom and raised in Dunedin, Charlotte

You’ve put so much hard work into the year already and have learnt so much – keep it up. There are a few things you can do to ensure your space at home will help you learn and get you exam ready: » Get into a study routine » Make sure you have everything you need before you begin a study session » Set up your workspace » Stay on top of things » Stay in touch with classmates and staff

has had a busy few years using her creativity.

» Keep yourself healthy and well

“In high school I came second in the Bernina Fashion Awards with a dress I created from tea towels.”

» Reach out if you need support from lecturers, student health - don’t be afraid to ask questions

Charlotte’s latest big win was her entry in the New Zealand

» Take regular breaks and try something new

Shakespeare Globe Centre Costume Design Competition.

“For this, I had to design a costume based on a Shakespearean costume. I chose Katherina Minola from Taming of the Shrew to base my dress on. I placed second in New Zealand and my dress was then made professionally and sent to the Globe Theatre in London to be on display to the British Public.”

“I considered studying fashion, but I have always found law fascinating, and I know the two can work together for a career overseas. I’m from Dunedin and studying law here just made sense.”

Charlotte was also a successful recipient of the University of Otago Performance Entrance Scholarship. The scholarship recognises academic students with high-level ability in areas such as performing arts and sport.

“I’d also like to add History to my studies in the future, it makes sense for both of my passions.”

Charlotte says she can see her love for fashion and law coming together in various ways in the future, as creative industries always have need for copyright law. She talks of maybe one day taking her 6designs to the World of Wearable Art exhibition in Wellington.

We may all be learning, teaching, studying and working apart from one another now, but we’ll get through this together.

View the online study resource here.

Tools for employability MyCareerSpace is a free online tool for students and includes benefits such as a CV builder which also gives instant feedback on employability, online professional development courses and an international job search.

Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Entrepreneurship) student Hugh Bradford has recently used the tool to help him with his internship applications and says the tool clears up a lot of questions about preparing for the job market.

Sustainable flatting

“The job market is saturated right now so you need to be able to

Living in the University’s Sustainability Neighbourhood has shown

was amazing. You input your details and then you can choose a

students how easy it is to make sustainable changes – and given

layout you like. After you’ve built your CV you can upload it to a

them easy opportunities to learn new sustainability skills to use in

tool called CV 360 and get instant feedback on how to improve

their future lives.

it.”

The favourite quick-win discovery for Jessie Barron, Aleida Powell

Hugh says it’s easy for students to assume they don’t need to

and Tessa Dalgety-Evans is bokashi composting, which ‘pickles’ food

think about their employability until their last year of study –

scraps in bins rather than letting them decay in the traditional way, so

which isn’t always a wise plan.

the compost does not smell.

stand out from other applicants as much as possible. The first thing I tried was the CV builder which I straight away thought

“The earlier you adopt it the better, don’t leave it until third

“In the past with flatting, you know it’s temporary, you’re there for a

year. It’s important to have as much preparation as possible. I

year. The cool thing is that we’re here for a year but the (Sustainability

definitely think the skills courses are worth taking up early.”

Neighbourhood) project’s not.”

Stephen Jones is about to complete his studies in Law and

All three students plan to keep using the system as often as possible

Psychology and has already landed himself a job for 2022. He

wherever they are because it is small and portable. The trio has spent

is now using MyCareerSpace to help him prepare for the role.

almost a year in the Sustainability Neighbourhood for 20 students, which is in three neighbouring University-owned Great King Street buildings.

“The work preparation section has videos and articles I’ve been using to get myself fit for work. There are quite a few things I’ve appreciated learning about such as being mentally and

When Jessie’s application for the neighbourhood was accepted,

emotionally ready for the workplace. Study and work are very

the microbiology and medical laboratory science student was most

different environments.”

excited about the ‘homey’ feel she would get from using her vegetable gardening skills.

Then she started going to the monthly neighbourhood workshops and became most keen on them as she learned “new skills for life,” – including how to compost and look after the worm farm in the backyard.

“It’s all those little common-sense things which you need to make habitual such as forward-planning. You do these things at University but it’s applied differently at work.”

MyCareerSpace is now up and running and can be accessed for free using your student login.

Energy management student Aleida uses vegetables from the garden most days – “it’s really exciting, just having it in the backyard” – and enjoys showing the garden to friends, but she is most excited about having beehives in the backyard. She also likes feeding food scraps to the worms rather than throwing them out.

For Tessa, being in the garden enriches her day – “I really enjoy working in the garden. It’s a great little daily ritual to connect in with the āhua (vibe) of the day.”

Aleida says living with like-minded people means they get to bounce ideas off each other, plan work together, and make the most of each other’s different interests and strengths.

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KEY DATES & EVENTS October | Whiringa-ā-nuku 15

Bike Grab & Returns

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Semester 2 exams begin

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North Dunedin street clean-up (in memory of Sophia Crestani)

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Labour Day

November | Whiringa-ā-rangi 07

2021 Sunshine Concert

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Semester 2 exams end

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Pre-Christmas Summer School begins

Regular Events The Health Sciences First Year Integrated Context Lecture Series (ICLS) Lunchtime Concerts Lunchtime Theatre Diversion Day

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