Refocusing Our Learning in Bicultural Professional Supervision

As Kōrero Pono continues to grow and evolve, Brad and I are beginning our Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision through Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

Choosing to undertake further study at this stage of our professional lives has been a deliberate and considered decision. Both of us bring many years of experience across health, education, leadership, and supervision mahi. At the same time, we hold a strong belief that good supervision requires humility, reflection, and a willingness to continue learning as kaimahi and supervisors.

For me, this decision also includes a conscious pause in my Master of Professional Supervision at the University of Auckland. This pause is not a step away from learning, but a refocusing of it. I have chosen to step back temporarily in order to give greater attention to the importance of culture, whakapapa, and context within professional supervision, and to deepen my understanding of this kaupapa.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision provides an opportunity to engage directly with bicultural frameworks and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, and to strengthen practice in ways that are reflective, relational, and accountable. While there may appear to be overlap between programmes, this study offers depth rather than duplication. It allows me to return to my Master’s study in time with a clearer and more culturally grounded foundation, with the intention of resuming my Master of Professional Supervision at the University of Auckland in 2027.

Studying through Te Wananga o Aotearoa aligns closely with our values at Kōrero Pono. Learning within this space reinforces the importance of whanaungatanga, lived experience, and collective wisdom. It reminds us that bicultural supervision is not a set of tools, but a way of being that requires ongoing reflection, responsibility, and care for hauora.

Alongside this study, Brad remains available to provide Life Coaching and continues his practice as a qualified Life Coach registered with ANZCAL. While our focus this year includes deepening our learning in bicultural professional supervision, Brad’s coaching mahi continues to offer a supportive space for people seeking clarity and direction. This sits comfortably alongside our supervision mahi, held within shared values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and kotahitanga.

We begin this study with curiosity and openness, acknowledging that as learners we are always becoming. This learning journey strengthens our ability to walk alongside others in ways that are respectful, culturally responsive, and grounded in integrity.