Schools and Community

At Bioprotection Aotearoa, our work with schools, kura, and communities is grounded in relationships. We create spaces where research, science, and Indigenous and local knowledge can meet, be shared, and grow stronger together. Through education, outreach, hui, and community engagement, we support learning pathways, build trust, and connect people to place through shared understanding and care for the whenua.

This kaupapa creates space for knowledge systems to meet. Research, science, and Indigenous and local knowledge are brought together in ways that respect place, people, and lived experience.

By fostering relationships with schools, iwi, hapū, and community groups, we support learning that is meaningful, locally grounded, and connected to real environmental challenges. Our focus is not just on sharing knowledge, but on building long-term relationships that strengthen understanding, trust, and collective care for te taiao.

Our engagement takes different forms depending on people, place, and purpose. Rather than a one-size-fits-all model, we work collaboratively to shape experiences that are relevant and responsive.

This includes:

• In-school and kura activities
  Interactive sessions that introduce bioprotection through discussion, hands-on activities, and real research examples.
• Community hui and knowledge exchange
  Opportunities to bring together Indigenous knowledge and scientific research to explore bioprotection issues in context.
• Outreach programmes
  Annual programmes delivered with communities, kura, and schools to support participation, curiosity, and connection to research.
• Pathways and inspiration
  Creating opportunities for rangatahi to see themselves in science, environmental research, and future pathways connected to their communities and landscapes.

Our schools and community engagement is supported by a range of programmes and initiatives that sit across our wider research and training work. These programmes provide practical ways for schools, kura, and communities to connect with bioprotection research and researchers.

This work is led and coordinated by Meikura Arahanga who works closely with researchers, educators, and community partners to shape engagement that is responsive, collaborative, and grounded in care for people and place.

Rather than following a fixed model, programmes are developed alongside schools and communities to reflect local priorities, knowledge, and ways of learning.

Whether you are a teacher, kura lead, community organiser, or part of a local initiative, we would love to hear from you. There is no fixed model for engagement. We shape this work together.

Get in touch