Hei Ara Ako ki te Oranga: a model for measuring wellbeing outcomes from literacy programmes

Hei Ara Ako ki te Oranga is a collaboration between Literacy Aotearoa and Te Wahanga, New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER). The purpose of the project is to develop a kaupapa Maori adult literacy and wellbeing assessment model that demonstrates the link between literacy learning and teaching to improved wellbeing experienced by Maori adult learners, their whanau [family] and their communities. For learners, improvements in wellbeing can include personal development, increased employability, greater support for their children's education, and improved relationships.

The project team identified the range of wellbeing outcomes that are experienced by Maori adult literacy learners, examined these outcomes and gained a better understanding of them. From this, the team: (1) drew on existing Maori frameworks of wellbeing to develop a Maori adult literacy and wellbeing assessment model; (2) developed processes to assess and validate improved wellbeing as identified by Maori adult literacy learners; and (3) disseminated the Maori adult literacy and wellbeing assessment model to Maori adult literacy providers to generate support for the concept, its further development and eventual uptake. In 2012, five Literacy Aotearoa poupou [providers] and another community provider piloted the six instruments for the wellbeing model.

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