This Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori, Barnardos is thrilled to announce Quannah Nickerson (Ngāpuhi e Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga) as the winner of the organisation’s Tu Rangatira Māori Leadership Award for 2023.

For the second year in a row, Barnardos is shining a light on a staff member who has shown leadership in the Māori development space and who has potential to help the organisation progress our strategy to do more with and for Māori.

Quannah has been working for Barnardos since February 2020 when she joined in the leadership position of Visiting Teacher for the Gisborne Home Based network. Since then, Quannah has worked tirelessly to ensure Barnardos Early Learning services thrive for the tamariki in Tairāwhiti. Her ability to lead across all of Barnardos’ guiding principles has made her stand out as this year’s recipient of this prestigious award.

When the Gisborne Home Based network closed in February 2023, Barnardos was thrilled to see Quannah remain within the Barnardos whānau and lead our brand new service, Awhi Tairāwhiti, our first integrated service combining Barnardos Early Learning Services and our Child and Family Services under one roof. While demonstrating āta whakarongo (hearing with intent), she was able to advocate for and listen to the whānau and community, knowing that she had to find a way to be present with them. She has worked with mahi tōtika (doing the right things well) in being a key part of the launch and setup of Awhi Tairāwhiti.

Barnardos Chief Executive Matt Reid says, “Quannah has worked alongside Child and Family Services Manager Chris Semmens to create something incredibly special through what has been one of the most challenging years for the community and people of Tairāwhiti. However, their resilience, initiative and kaikōkiritanga [progress with purpose] has enabled them to make the vision come alive together. The families of Tairāwhiti now have a safe, warm place of learning for them, their pēpi and tamariki with māiatanga [realising potential].”

“Unwavering in her commitment to Barnardos, Quannah always acts with kotahitanga [unity], bringing a spirit of collaboration and belonging. She’s a thoughtful, experienced Māori leader and an outstanding member of the Barnardos Early Learning team. This award is well earned and we could not have accomplished Awhi Tairāwhiti without her leadership.”

Quannah says she is humbled to receive the award. “It was a major surprise to me. I feel like somehow I've got pushed up there as leaders do, but the reality is it's a representation of all the hard mahi that's been happening on the ground all around me and continues to happen every day. I just have the most amazing team here. I truly have the best kaiako. We've all got the same vision, we all align with what Barnardos is trying to achieve, we’re all here for our tamariki and their whānau. Honestly, we just do what we do. There's just so much heart and it’s genuine. I'm glad for all of us here in Gisborne that we've got this award.”

Matt Reid will present the Tu Rangatira Māori Leadership Award to Quannah at Awhi Tairāwhiti Early Learning Centre in a special event involving tamariki and their whānau on Thursday 14 September, the anniversary of the presentation of the 1972 Māori language petition to Parliament.

Awhi Tairāwhiti Centre Manager receives Tu Rangatira Māori Leadership Award for 2023.