The Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management (GDNFPM), is one of the 160 programmes on offer at Unitec Institute of Technology. It was established in 1996 in response to a call from the community sector to improve the capability and professionalism of practitioners working in the Not for Profit (NFP) sector. It is a unique programme for Unitec as it caters to its target community by organising the credited papers in blocks of 3 days to make it accessible to people working in community organisations and creating minimal disruption to the workplace. It is delivered in 6 centres nationwide and has a strong demand in the Pacific. GDNFPM has been delivered in Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea for the past 12 years.
Between 2009 and 2011 the GDNFPM worked in partnership with Te Rau Matatini, to provide the
programme to a Māori cohort from the Māori Mental Health sector. Te Rau Matatini is a national
Māori Mental Health workplace development organisation. The intake over this period enabled 59
students to participate on a full scholarship provided by Te Rau Matatini. The programme was
delivered via a noho marae environment (living- in together) and resulted in 32 Māori graduates in
2010 /11. After three years the relevance of content, course structure, and tutoring style most
suited to an all Māori cohort were able to be gauged. The GDNFPM has been able to evidence higher
success and completion rates for Māori students in the programme via the noho environment where
student support including pastoral, academic and cultural, have been provided in class and after
hours. The personnel support has been provided by a three way partnership agreement with Te Rau
Matatini (pastoral care), Maia Māori Development Centre at Unitec (pastoral and cultural support),
and GDNFPM (academic, pastoral and cultural support).
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https://doi.org/10.34074/rsrp.12013