Innovation and technology programme update

Te Haa O Manukau

Te Haa O Manukau, South Auckland’s first and premier co-working and innovation space designed to grow and amplify the creative sector, celebrated its first year of operations in September 2019.

Te Haa now has 8 anchor tenants and has been used by 30 part-time hotdesk users. It has hosted more than 2,000 people who attended at least 60 business related events and workshops and 45 technology focused events.

Our local social enterprise operators, Ngahere Communities delivers its Tukua programme, a business germination initiative to grow local Māori and Pasifika creative ventures which has supported 10 businesses so far. They are currently growing a shared studio model which is nurturing an eSports start-up, a creative design agency and developing podcasting, multimedia, ecommerce and retail studios.

Making and Innovation

Makerhood, a movement that rekindles peoples’ passion for creating, aims to build the necessary skills for the 21st century using digital technologies.

Makerhood organised several technology workshops for young people to spark their passion for science, technology, engineering and maths. Working with local tech ventures, it has organised five workshops such as basic coding, 3d printing, eSports and online game creation and beat making.

Makerhood also partnered with Panuku to create an interactive light box installation during the Ko Puanga Matariki festival.

TSI, Panuku and the Young Enterprise Scheme ran the second Mannix Winter Markets in August 2019. With over 25 products created by young entrepreneurs from high schools across South Auckland, the market is an avenue for our young makers to test their products and experience selling in a real marketplace.

Manurewa High School Makerspace

TSI introduced the Business Academy at Manurewa High School to the Maker Movement and a vision of South Auckland as a Maker City. Recently TSI produced a case study outlining how this initiative developed and how it’s currently operating.

Another recent highlight has been for one of the founding members of the Makerspace, Yashna Kumar, winning The STEM Award at the GirlBoss awards. Yashna was recognised for becoming the go-to-girl for both teachers and students about all things tech at her school. She also created and led the All For One Locker Project, designing and engineering lockers for local homeless people to keep their belongings safe. Both projects have gained international recognition for what can be done with limited resources and huge aspiration.

Tech internship programme

TSI partnered with CreateOps to deliver a 10-week tech internship programme for young people to experience what it is like working in the tech sector and gain a better understanding of the different career pathways in the tech industry. During their term breaks, 10 young women from McAuley High School engaged with partner companies to gain deeper knowledge of tech-enabled jobs.

Upsouth

Upsouth is on the cusp of an exciting new stage in its evolution as a youth empowerment tool, as the developers behind the platform have now created an App which could potentially enable our South Auckland users to engage with youth all around the world. This next stage is due to be launched later this year and it will also mean our TSI Youth Innovator can focus more closely on supporting South Auckland rangitahi to maximise their use of the site.

Upsouth has continued to grow with over 1500 new members signing up this year, with 11 callups and over $20,000 paid to contributors.

Currently active users are primarily aged 14-20 years of age, from Papakura, Manurewa, Māngere, Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara and Franklin and are of Pākehā, Māori, Tongan, Samoan, Indian, Asian, Cook Island and Niuean descent. TSI is also working on developing partnerships that will support taking Upsouth to the next level.

Wiri School Research Project

We are working alongside Panuku and the Massey University research team with the Wiri School. The project is one of two case studies funded as a research project by the National Science Challenge: Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities. Our project team’s mahi has included how to integrate tamariki perspective into the urban design and planning happening across Manukau as well as the Puhinui awa regeneration mahi. We’re currently working with 24 children from composite Year 5/6 classes – 6 children from each of 4 classes. We’re working with the tamariki in their role as co-researchers and co-designers. To date we’ve had three workshops with the tamariki, with another two more to happen in the next short while. Chris Wade from Te Akitai Waiohua is an integral member of the project team and has provided historical overview (from a Te Akitai Waiohua perspective) in relation to the Manukau area and the Puhinui awa. The final workshop is on Wed 25th September. The report back will also encompass a presentation by some of the students to the Project Steering Group. The final report will be completed following the 25 Sept workshop.

Science in Schools - Rangatahi Innovation

This ongoing project encourages tamariki, rangatahi and whānau to learn how ancient ancestral practices can guide them in their understanding of how the universe is connected. Primarily starting with kura kaupapa, the programme has been adopted by 20 schools across the region. This project has focussed on working with marae-based rangatahi initiative Taiohi Whai Oranga, Te Wharekura o Manurewa, Ormiston Middle School, Weymouth Primary School, Manurewa High School, and Kererū School in Papakura. The programme established mātauranga Māori observations around environmental science. This work also includes creating a mātauranga Māori science curriculum. Discussions have begun with NCEA moderators on how this could be further developed.