Mana Ora Overview

Mana Ora Students Decarbonising Schools was designed in consultation with educators active in sustainability. Mana Ora was aimed at supporting students to take climate action in their schools and communities. Delivered in 2023 by the Sustainable Schools team at Auckland Council. It was one of four projects in an intake of funding called Financing and incentivising the decarbonisation of Aotearoa, administered by the Westpac NZ Government Innovation Fund. The Ministry for the Environment also sponsored the programme.

The programme name is explained as follows: 

Mana Ora speaks to the mana (prestige/power) we have as ira tangata (people) to do right by our taiao/tupuna (environment/ancestor) by enhancing the mauri (life force) and ora (health) of our taiao (environment). 

Ka ora te taiao, ka ora te tangata (a healthy land is a healthy people)

Schools and kura across Tamaki Makaurau were recruited for participation through the Sustainable Schools network. 

Mana Ora was launched in Term One at Grid AKL, where student leaders and teachers gathered for a day of learning, networking and pitching ideas for new environmental action projects.

Mana Ora teams were then invited to refine their ideas and apply for grants from a $60,000 Climate Action Fund. Applicants had to consider how their project idea aligned with the concept of Mana Ora, and the programme’s themes of climate action/decarbonisation, community engagement and measurable outcomes. 

Eighteen educational institutions participated in Mana Ora, five of which were Māori-medium. A wide range of learners were engaged, from preschool / kohanga reo to Year 13. An additional group of secondary students from different schools across Tamaki Makaurau were engaged in Mana Ora as part of the Young Leaders programme offered by Sustainable Schools. 

The case studies in this series showcase a story of each project.