After years working across the legal, health and horticultural sectors, Ami said studying at EIT Tairāwhiti meant she could grow professionally while staying close to her whānau and serving the region.
“It was also about proving to myself that anything is possible.
“EIT Tairāwhiti gave me the opportunity to connect academic learning with practical experience, build my confidence while keeping me grounded in the realities of the communities and whānau closest to me.”
During her degree, Ami completed two placements - one at Oranga Tamariki and the other at Gisborne Hospital.
The latter highlighted both the complexity of the profession and the importance of strong advocacy, she said.
“Social work is not practised in perfect conditions and, in placement, I saw firsthand the strength required to navigate complex systems. When whānau voices were unheard, social workers carried them forward.”
It also reshaped how she understood the profession and the respect it deserved.
“I don’t just see social workers. I see practitioners. It takes four years of commitment and we graduate as registered professionals. That recognition matters.”
Ami hopes to build on her experience in governance and Māori health, using her social work qualification and frontline insight to contribute to stronger policy, practice, and decision-making that better reflect the realities of whānau and communities across Aotearoa.
She was grateful for the friendships she formed with fellow social work students in Tairāwhiti, particularly Natalya Williams and Nathanael Elliott, who began the degree with her.
“There were seasons of uncertainty, but through them we became certain of our own capability.”
She also received a study grant from her grandfather’s iwi on her mother’s side, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, affirming that her journey was supported by whakapapa and whānau beyond Tairāwhiti.
At the heart of her journey were her close friends, parents, and tamariki, whose love, support and unwavering belief carried her to this moment.
“This honour belongs to them as much as it does to me.”
Tairāwhiti Campus executive director Tracey Tangihaere said Ami was a dedicated student who balanced parental responsibilities, work and academic studies.
“She supported her fellow students along the way with maturity. Ami was selected because she displayed empathy for others and she was a passionate learner.
“Congratulations to all our graduates.”
