Expression of Interest | Chair and Working Group Members for Māori Cultural Advisory Group

The International Association for Public Participation Australasia (IAP2A) is seeking expressions of interest for the Chair and Working Group Members of the newly established Māori Cultural Advisory Group. This group will play a crucial role in supporting IAP2 Australasia to deliver on its Commitment to Māori, guiding the internal and external Māori responsiveness work for IAP2 Australasia.

IAP2A Commitment to Māori

IAP2 Australasia commits to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  This commitment will guide strategy, planning and deliverables by IAP2 Australasia to achieve authentic engagement with and for Māori.

IAP2 Australasia will support and build capability for engagement practitioners to enable organisations and communities to authentically engage with Māori.

IAP2 Australasia commits to advocating for engagement with Māori to be embedded into policy and regulatory frameworks; to building capability amongst engagement practitioners; and developing and supporting curriculum and professional development products, services and events, to achieve authentic engagement with and for Māori.

Role of the Māori Cultural Advisory Group (MCAG)

• Inform, co-create, monitor and assess progress, and advise management on ongoing priorities and actions.
• Provide guidance and advice to IAP2 Australasia in the development of a Māori Strategy and Implementation plan.
• Develop guidelines for engaging with Māori that will become an important published resource for our members.

Roles and Responsibilities

Chair (remunerated opportunity)

• Lead the Māori Cultural Advisory Group in respect of establishing the group’s annual directives, priorities and deliverables.
• Facilitate meetings, workshops, and consultations with both the Advisory Group and tangata whenua.
• Represent the Advisory Group in public forums, conferences, and IAP2A events, as required.

This is a paid opportunity due to the nature of the work, experience required and IAP2A’s expected outcomes. Remuneration commensurate with experience will be offered to the successful candidate.

Working Group Members (volunteer opportunity)

• Active participation in regular advisory group meetings, either in person or virtually, as determined by the group.
• Contribute to the development of guidelines, resources, and training modules for culturally competent authentic engagement practices.
• Provide insights and feedback on projects and initiatives from a te ao Māori cultural perspective.
• Engage with mana whenua, iwi and hapū to ensure their voices are heard and incorporated.
• Support the Chair in executing the group’s directives, priorities and deliverables.
• Confidentiality and discretion regarding any sensitive information discussed during meetings.
• A minimum commitment of up to eight (8) meetings per annum, with the possibility of extending your involvement depending on mutual agreement.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Ideally, individuals wishing to be considered for the Chair position, identify as Māori, and have a deep understanding of their respective culture and tradition.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.
• Communication skills in te reo Māori.
• Extensive experience in community engagement, with a focus on working with mana whenua, iwi and hapū.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Commitment to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) and their application in community engagement.

How to Apply

Please submit your expression of interest, including a cover letter and CV, outlining your experience, qualifications, and motivation for joining the Māori Cultural Advisory Group.

Highlight any previous roles or contributions to Māori community engagement projects, or cultural advisory capacities.

Submissions should be completed online here  by Monday 15 April 2024.

Please refer to the DRAFT Terms of Reference for more information.

Selection Process

EOIs will be reviewed by a selection panel from IAP2 Australasia.  Selection will be based on alignment with the qualifications, experience in relevant fields, and demonstrated commitment to achieving / enhancing authentic engagement with and for Māori.

For further inquiries or more information about the role and the selection process, please contact membership@iap2.org.au.