Lālanga Charitable Trust is an organisation supporting South Auckland schools in improving educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students through culturally relevant teaching resources and tools.
From lockdown to learning resources
In 2023, Foundation North approved a two-year grant to Lālanga Charitable Trust in support of their mahi researching, developing, and delivering resources and programmes aimed at increasing equitable education outcomes for students in South Auckland.
Born out of a COVID19 lockdown in August of 2020, and in response to a social media post seeking innovative ways of supporting Māori and Pacific students negatively impacted by the disruptions of the pandemic – founder Lesieli Oliver wasted no time, officially launching the Lālanga kaupapa just four months later. With a mission to champion and empower the education, leadership, and wellbeing successes of Māori and Pacific students, Lālanga understands that raising the next generation is a collective effort.
Weaving education and cultural values
Grounded in their Pacific identity, the name Lālanga is the Tongan word for ‘weaving’ and is inspired by the creation of Fala, Tongan mats, which are considered a treasure, with the value lying in the commitment, patience, skill and intention brought to the process of weaving together many different strands to create a final product.
"Lālanga [as a concept] inspires our work with young Māori and Pasifika children and their families. We understand that the most powerful tool to transform a person’s life, and improve equity long-term is education. Lālanga reminds us that the value in our work is not just in the outcome, but in the process of the Village weaving together, and contributing their skills, love and resources to the process of enabling the success of our children. Lālanga reminds us that it really does take a village to raise a child." - Lesieli Oliver, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
Demonstrating their commitment to creating learning tools with intention, skill, and care, the Lālanga team engage with a wide range of Pacific consultants that share in the overall mission. From women in STEM to those with a background in healthcare and journalism, the development of learning tools and resources involves a range of professionals who each lend their expertise to the kaupapa.
"For many years, New Zealand has faced chronic educational challenges, including student attendance, achievement, and overall wellbeing. The Lālanga ToolBox has emerged as a culturally relevant and innovative solution to address these challenges effectively. Our schools have reported significant improvements in student attendance, learning engagement, and wellbeing. The key to these positive changes has been the provision of high-quality, engaging, and culturally relevant learning resources through the Lālanga ToolBox." - Lesieli Oliver, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
The journey to learning success
Focussed on strengthening student-teacher connections, family relationships, and bettering the wellbeing of both students and teachers, the Lālanga programme weaves culture and learning to create resources that engage students and act as a point of reference in their own lives as young Māori and Pacific people. Having a culturally relevant thread running through all their offerings helps to contextualise the unique experience of being a Māori-Pacific learner and showcases the ways their education feeds into family and cultural values.
"It is important for young people that their learning and Lālanga learning resources reflect their cultural identity and values because it helps them develop a strong sense of identity and belonging. When learning content resonates with their cultural backgrounds, it validates their experiences, reinforces their identity, and fosters pride in their heritage. This cultural relevance also enhances engagement and motivation, making learning more meaningful and relatable. Additionally, it equips them with the knowledge and confidence to navigate and contribute to a diverse world while preserving and celebrating their unique cultural identity." - Lesieli Oliver, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
The Lālanga ToolBox is a carefully crafted programme that provides teachers with an age-appropriate weekly classroom box full of various written and recorded resources, lesson plans, rewards and certificates, student workbooks, and teacher manuals. While the resources are designed with a focus on students, the ToolBox also provides relief for teachers – who often sacrifice their personal time to develop their lesson plans.
"Lālanga's weekly resources have had a profound impact on teachers by significantly easing their workload and enhancing their ability to focus on and connect with their students. With these resources now embedded in the daily learning of schools, teachers have come to rely on them as a crucial part of their daily learning. In a time when kids face more and more challenges, and with ongoing teacher shortages and teachers being increasingly time-poor, the Lālanga ToolBox has been invaluable." - Lesieli Oliver, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer
Keeping students engaged
Since the launch of their first product in 2020, Lālanga’s educational offerings have consistently improved student attendance, learning engagement, and learning behaviour.
With 60,000+ students missing at least three days of school each fortnight, the need for educational resources that spark an interest in learning is top-of-mind for many people adjacent to our young learners.
Lālanga acknowledges that the current needs of our learners are multi-layered, and that further support across different areas of students' lives plays an important role in whether they have the capacity to learn. To address this, the organisation is constantly developing their offerings to provide targeted and accessible support that meet the diverse needs of the next generation.
