When you have established the overall objectives for your iwi and hapū, you can plan how to move from your present situation to your desired situation. We recommend that you approach this in terms of a series of short-term goals that tie in to your overall objective.
What are short-term goals?
Short-term goals are the link between the overall objective and the everyday lives of iwi and hapū members. By setting short-term goals, you can establish concrete targets that are tangible and that people can focus on straight away.
In setting the short-term goals, think laterally.
Many people think that Māori language planning involves Māori immersion education; this is an important issue, but it is possible for iwi and hapū planning to influence many more areas. You may wish to consider short-term goals about;
- Māori language at your marae
- Māori in the homes of iwi and hapū members
- Māori at the offices of your Rūnanga or Iwi Authority
- Māori language education for iwi members (children and adults)
- Links with local Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori
- Māori in the local community
- Māori language in the local District and/or City Councils
- Māori language at local libraries
Developing short-term goals that build on existing resources, and aim towards the long-term objectives, is the hardest part of the planning process. It is hard to say what the short-term goals should be, and how these can be achieved. We encourage iwi and hapū to spend time thinking carefully about this area.
You may choose to take a low key approach and set goals that are easy to manage and achieve. This way you can develop experience and confidence in planning and implementation.
Every activity, and every endeavour, no matter the size, makes an important contribution to the growth of the Māori language.
As noted earlier, each iwi and hapū is unique, and will need to develop objectives and short-term goals that suit your own situations, resources and ambitions for the Māori language.
