About Us

Whāia te iti kahurangi kite tuohu koe me he maunga teitei.

“Seek the treasure that you value most dearly, if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain”.

This whakataukī reflects the perseverance and endurance our young mamas express on a daily base. They refuse to let obstacles get in the way when striving to reach their goals.

Te Tari Ako Mātua Taiohi aims to provide the Eastern Bay of Plenty with a high-quality education that meets the academic, social, cultural and emotional needs of teen parents and their whānau within our community.

We offer our Teen parents:

A safe and supported learning environment.
A wide curriculum taught by experienced, qualified secondary teachers that target individual student needs.
NCEA 1,2,3 and U.E working on co-constructed ILP.
Gateway Placements.
Career and Vocational Education up to Level 4.
Ongoing support into tertiary studies.
Life skills, parenting and budgeting courses.
Licenses.

We work closely with:

Our host school, Tarawera High School.
Young Parent Payment providers.
Health and Social Service Agencies.
External providers to support vocational pathways (this has included Beauty Courses, Barista and Work Place Safety Courses).

We are student focused and aim to meet all the needs of young parents.

Free transport for Māmā and Pēpi.
All course costs are covered.
Childcare subsidies are available.
Young infant Pēpi can be with māmā while studying.

Our students enjoy their time at Te Tari Ako Mātua Taiohi and the education they gain enables them to make career and lifestyle choices that support both them and their children in the future.

Supporters and Sponsors

Parents, please support our local businesses