The UNICEF Implicit Bias Project

The Implicit Bias Project done in collaboration with UNICEF

A donation was made to UNICEF to fund their research and platform development for the Te Hiringa Tamariki (implicit bias) project. Te Hiringa Tamariki is a wellbeing framework based on Māori values aimed to create a positive framing and discussion about capabilities and aspirations that tamariki Māori have.

During engagements with Māori stakeholders to develop Te Hiringa Tamariki, UNICEF found that one of the themes that emerged from young Māori was a feeling of low achievement expectations from their teachers at school. Decades of research has shown that New Zealand teachers have lower expectations of Māori and Pasifika students, than other groups. Teachers’ expectations set the bar for student achievement and students live up to their teachers expectations.

From this background UNICEF launched a pilot project to address teacher bias towards Māori and Pasifika at Te Pāpapa School in Onehunga. Te Hiringa Tamariki framework was used as an aspirational lens for teachers to lift their expectations of students.

A series of Unconscious Bias training modules for teachers along with a suite of resources are being developed and delivered to the school with some outstanding results produced. The programme has been expanded across 13 other schools that sit within the same Kāhui Ako cluster as Te Pāpapa.

The One Billion will continue to support this meaningful project including with plans for ensuring that THT platform may gain reach throughout NZ and ultimately worldwide.

Read the UNICEF media release here: https://www.unicef.org.nz/stories/SharndreKushor