kateedgertrust

New Master of Music Therapy Award collaboration of The KEECT, Gattung Foundation & Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust

December 20, 2022

We are thrilled to announce a new award “The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award” sponsored by Gattung Foundation and supported by the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust (RMTT). The purpose of the award is to improve diversity within the music therapy profession by opening doors for Māori and Pasifika women.

Music Therapy is the planned use of music to assist in the healing and growth of people with emotional, intellectual, physical or social challenges.   A career in Music Therapy offers challenge, opportunity, and distinctive rewards to those with a strong musical background interested in working with people of all ages with various disabilities.  Music therapists have extensive training in music, psychology and human development.

The recipient of The KEECT Master of Music Therapy Award will receive $8,000 for one year of full-time study, and if they are in their second year of study, it will also include a minimum 750 hour placement with the Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre.  Raukatauri is committed to supporting students on placement into employment and intends to extend that commitment to recipients of this award.

RMTT Clinical and Centre Director Jen Glover (left) said she has been disheartened by the lack of Māori music therapists working in Aotearoa.

“Our experience in expanding to areas such as the Far North and the Eastern Bay of Plenty in recent years has made it clear to us that there are passionate wāhine musicians living around the country who would make amazing music therapists if they could be supported in their studies,” she said.
“We’re confident that the award will make a real difference in increasing the diversity of our field, and improving access to music therapy services around the country.”

Gattung Foundation spokeswoman Angela Gattung (pictured below left with her sister and co-founder Theresa Gattung) said the foundation was born out of a shared spirit to enable others and make real change.

“We support causes that touch us deeply and make a tangible difference – especially for Māori and Pasifika women,” she said.
“The aim of the scholarship is to inspire Māori and Pasifika wāhine musicians to consider taking up a career in music therapy, filling the need for more music therapists, whilst increasing diversity in the profession.”

The Kate Edger Trust feels this award aligns beautifully with namesake Kate Edger’s own skill and passion for music.  She was a gifted singer and played the piano and violin, performing publically at concerts with her siblings.  Her own children were also noted for their ‘gifted musical abilities’.

Full-time wāhine students, preferably of Māori and Pasifika ethnicity, studying a Master of Music Therapy can apply for the scholarship.

Applications for the award close on January 31, 2023.

Women in Science Award in memory of Sylvia Tredwell

November 22, 2022

Born in Northampton, England in 1931 to a ‘lower middle-class family’, Sylvia Tredwell pictured aged 29 with her eldest son Stephen, followed the social norms of the time which included leaving school at 16 to work as a shorthand secretary and later giving up work when she married to become a homemaker and mother to her 3 children Stephen, Susan and Michael.

While Sylvia later went on to have a successful and rewarding administration career where she was highly regarded, her family has often wondered if she had been born into different circumstances with the opportunity to attend university and gain formally recognised qualifications, how much more she might have achieved in her career.  They believe she would have most certainly ended up in a senior management role suited to her high level of intelligence and capability.

Sylvia’s return to the workforce and ensuing career began in 1973 when the young family emigrated to New Zealand and set up home in Hamilton. As the children were now all school-age, she worked in a number of administrative and reception roles for several years before the family moved back to Northampton in 1979.

Once back in England, Sylvia continued to work in administration, eventually ending up at British Gas where her common sense and no-nonsense approach to work and life prevailed over her lack of engineering experience and formal qualifications.  Her time there culminated in her managing a large team of Gas Engineers and their workload – a role that would have required a high level of specialised knowledge that she had gained over the years.

Even after her retirement from British Gas in the 1990s, she continued to enjoy working part-time for many years as an exam invigilator at several nearby tertiary institutions, something which gave her enjoyment and a continued purpose.

When Sylvia died in 2013 aged 82 years, she left a legacy her family is very proud of.  She displayed great resilience, tenacity, and an inherent level of practicality in her approach to her professional career and in overcoming the barriers and social preconceptions of the time.

It is with this in mind, that Sylvia’s family is offering the Women in Science Award in her memory so that someone else may be afforded the opportunities their mother didn’t, to pursue a career path of their choosing and reach their full potential.

 

New Award in memory of Elizabeth Crannigan

Elizabeth Crannigan was born in 1927 in Warr犀利士
ington Lancashire.  Her parents were a WWI veteran and a housewife.  Tragically, both parents had died by the time she was 10 years old, and she and her 3 brothers were raised by their spinster Aunt Clara who undoubtedly would have struggled with the responsibility of caring for 4 orphaned children.

The difficulties young Elizabeth Crannigan faced in her early life shaped her for a lifetime of wanting to make a difference in the lives of others, especially those who were marginalised in some way.

On finishing school, Elizabeth went to London to study Art.  Her early art and design career included designing the artwork for well-known British chocolatiers Beeches Chocolates who recently celebrated over 100 years in business and for Sandersons, renowned wallpaper manufacturers.

In the late 1960’s, now a mother herself and with a passion for children and education, Elizabeth returned to study at Ilkley College of Further Education and gained a teaching qualification.  She was a passionate and creative art and remedial English teacher with a natural talent for hands-on craftwork, no doubt inherited from her carpenter father.

Challenging the gender myths of the time, she went on to teach metalwork and woodwork, eventually becoming the Head of the Craft Department at Ilkley School.  Mrs Crannigan used her classroom as an opportunity for students who struggled with mainstream subjects to discover their passion and strengths through creative work.

Outside the classroom, Mrs Crannigan continued to express her own creativity through watercolour painting and was an active and engaged member of the Ilkley Art Club.  During a trip to New York, she was invited to exhibit later that year in Philadelphia where her watercolours exhibition was a great success.  This was a special highlight in her artistic career.

After her retirement from teaching, Mrs Crannigan enjoyed travelling and had many happy trips to The States, Australia and New Zealand to visit friends and family.

She was widowed in 1998 with the death of her husband Tony, and 8 years later experienced further untimely grief with the death of her son Nicholas from cancer.  For someone who lost their parents at a very young age, to also lose a child seems very unjust.  But Elizabeth Crannigan had a special resilience and fortitude that she is especially remembered for.

In 2016 she suffered a debilitating fall which she wasn’t expected to recover from and was taken to the Gables Nursing Home to be cared for in her ‘last weeks’.  However, she confounded the experts by living and enjoying special times with her family for another 5 years before eventually passing away on September the 8th 2021.

The impact of education comes in many forms, including the teachers at school who leave a lasting imprint.  Mrs Crannigan’s students will no doubt remember her as the teacher that made them feel seen and valued.  She in turn greatly admired those students who, despite their difficult life circumstances, used her classroom to discover their creative passions, purpose and hands-on skills they could take with them in life.

It is with this in mind, that her daughter Margaret and family have chosen to honour her memory with a Kate Edger Trust Award recognising the resilience and achievement of a Kate Edger Awardee who has overcome adversity to achieve their education goals.

 

 

Keisha Rawiri – Awardee Speaker 2022

July 13, 2022

Abridged from an article originally published by the Unitec Media Team, June 2022

Bachelor of Architecture graduate and Ngā Wai A Te Tūī researcher Keisha Rawiri (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Hāmoa) pictured on the left with her mother, has been awarded one of The KEECT Master’s Awards valued at $8000 to help fund her Master of Architecture (Professional) Project supporting the regeneration of the Tau Henare Marae in Te Taitokerau (Northland).

KEECT Awards Coordinator Katrina Ford says Keisha’s hard work and determination to succeed combined with dedication to her whānau and community epitomizes the values of the Trust.  “What made her application special compared to the many other excellent applications is how her referees spoke about how Keisha supports her colleagues and fellow students, despite her many commitments. The application process for the Master’s Degree Awards is very competitive. This is the first time a student from Unitec has received one of our Master’s Awards, so we hope that Keisha’s success will encourage other Unitec students to apply.”

It is a significant milestone for Keisha, who took up her studies as a mature student to pursue her dream as a teenager of becoming an architect.  She says that her interest sprang from a keen interest in art and having an analytical brain. “I figured architecture was a great way to put them together, but my high school didn’t have the resources or the programmes to support jumping into architecture at the time”. 

After leaving school, she moved to Australia and ‘life happened’.  She pursued a career in banking and finance for 8 years alongside having her family, before deciding it was time to finally follow her dream of becoming an architect.

“The KEECT were also part of my beginning architectural studies journey. In my first year, I applied to them for a scholarship to start my studies and was awarded a $2000 Tressa Thomas Retraining award, which assists mature women to retrain in a profession.”

“One of the big things for me was that I was born and raised Samoan. I grew up with a solo mother who returned to study as a mature student. My mother modelled age should never be an obstacle to further education. I also grew up surrounded by my nana and grandpa, who were fluent in Samoan and ensured that my Samoan identity was strong. Unfortunately, I didn’t have an established relationship with my father, who is Māori.  Then I had this reconnection with my whakapapa on his side that sprang from an internship with Matakohe Architecture and Urbanism in Whangārei during the second year of my Bachelor’s Degree”

Keisha’s Master’s project represents an extremely significant journey of connection on both a professional and personal level.

“Through the internship journey, I visited my marae and participated in their Waimā Waita Waiora wānanga, staying two nights. That was about caring for our wai and protecting the life of tuna (eel), which has a significant role in our hapū narratives. Through that, I connected with my extended whānau on my father’s side and that’s where my journey started. ” 

Through discussion with whānau, one of the aspirations that initiated the research project was to breathe life back into Ngā Tau e Toru, the original wharenui of Tau Henare marae built in 1893, before the larger Tau Henare whare tupuna was built in the mid-19th century.

For a long time, it housed the Kōhanga Reo, with koro and kuia sharing knowledge with mokopuna with te reo, but over the years natural wear and tear meant it became unsafe for whānau use. Eventually, it was disestablished as a functioning whare on the marae and now sits vacant and unutilised.
“As a research project, it is quite special because through the process of whakawhanaungatanga and as the researcher, because of my whakapapa connection, I share a strong relationship with the people and the place and further expresses the Kaupapa Māori lens the research project is adopting. For Māori, whakapapa, history, and cultural narratives are passed down and Ngā Tau e Toru is part of the marae history, a precious taonga. It is about the narrative”

Keisha hopes that her project will provide the vision and scope for the original wharenui to be brought back to life, bringing the history of Nga Tau e Toru forward rather than sitting unutilised.
“Tau Henare marae whānau will receive the final report as a koha – as a thank you for their time and contribution. The hope is that they can use it as a design advocacy report to support the marae’s current and future aspirations. It will include a visual representation of Ngā Tau e Toru’s regeneration where hapū were in the driver’s seat, leading the visioning, aspirations, and design development.”

The Kate Edger Trust looks forward to following and supporting Keisha on her Master’s journey.

Janet Xuccoa: leaving a ‘gift into the future’ for Education

March 29, 2022

When Janet Xuccoa was admitted to the Bar in an online ceremony on Friday 29th October 2021 in the midst of a Covid lockdown, it was not the High Court occasion and celebration she had envisaged.  After an education journey of almost 30 years studying part time for two degrees whilst working full time and writing 3 bestselling books, she had planned to throw a party!  However, this was just another obstacle that by now, Janet was well versed in overcoming. 

Janet is a successful businesswoman, author, public speaker and Trusts Specialist who has a passion for sharing her knowledge, based on the principle of ‘paying it forward’.  This comes from a place of knowing what it feels like to be given a helping hand when all other doors have closed which is why she has decided to leave a generous gift in her Will to The Kate Edger Educational Charitable Trust (KEECT).  At face value, she has it all, but what is most interesting is the lengths she went to achieve her goals, the sacrifices she made, and the obstacles she overcame on the way. 

Janet was born in England to a British mother and an Arabian father.  The family moved to New Zealand when Janet was very young.  She had a difficult family upbringing, particularly with her dominant father who placed no value on education, especially for women, so as soon as she finished school, she left her home and began her quest to gain further education.

She began working as a receptionist while attending night school studying basic accounting.  She then took a job in a law firm as a legal secretary and studied for a Legal Executive qualification.  Janet soon began working as a Legal Executive, quickly proving her sharp intellect and astute work ethic.  This is when she commenced studying part time for a BCom degree, attending one lecture a day around her full time work schedule. 

Janet lived paycheck to paycheck on a tight budget for many years, supporting herself and paying for her university fees.  Unexpected expenses required thinking outside the square.  She tells of the time she and a friend set up a car washing station on a busy street corner with buckets of soapy water to earn the immediate cash she needed to fix her broken down car and pay her university fees.

She also remembers the tea lady who would quietly give her the leftover sandwiches after in-house lunches citing they would just go to waste otherwise, but knowing that Janet had little money for food.  These small acts of kindness made a huge difference when she needed it most and are what fuels her desire to do the same for others now. 

When Janet learned about The KEECT and the financial support it offers students, she wondered how differently her path would have played out if she had had access to something similar when she was putting herself through university.  It would have at the very minimum alleviated the financial strain she was constantly under, and may well have afforded her the option to study full time and complete her qualifications sooner.  But it would have also validated and encouraged her decision to study. 

After a series of jobs that got bigger each time enabling her financial situation to steadily improve, she was headhunted to work for the senior legal counsel and corporate secretary of a large banking institution.  It was while working there that she decided she wanted to go to Law School.   She applied but missed out on the first round by 0.4% of the required GPA.  She was accepted a year later and quickly mastered the art of balancing the papers to ensure a more manageable workload (while still working full time).  Overall, Janet found the learning relatively easy as she had so much practical industry knowledge from working far above her Legal Secretary pay grade for many years already.  

Several years later Janet graduated with her Law degree.  By now she had been working with a prominent accounting firm for 3 years where she had been made a partner in the first 9 months.  During her 16 years there, she ‘shook the tiger by the tail’ and became an expert on Trusts, alongside publishing 3 books; Family Trust 101, Money Secrets 101, and Women & Money: Mastering the Struggle

During this time, Janet also traveled the country extensively educating businesses and individuals on setting up and managing trusts.  She remembers one year where she took 82 flights and gave 109 presentations – all water off a duck’s back for this dynamic woman who only needs 5 hours sleep and in her own words, ‘gets bored easily’.  She is currently the In-House Legal Counsel and Trust Advisor at Greenlion Limited, and in her ‘spare time’ she is working on the premise for her 4th book. 

Janet has spent a total of 24 years studying part-time alongside a demanding career, graduating from the University of Auckland with a BCom in 2001 and her LLB in 2008, culminating with her admission to the Bar in 2021.  She knows that it was this education alongside sheer grit, determination and hard work that has paved the way to her success and financial stability.   

She is a firm believer in education as a tool for building a more ‘ably equipped, stronger person’ and her books optimise this belief that education drives better outcomes for people and society as a whole.  This is why she hopes her bequest as a ‘gift into the future’ will help The KEECT to support students to have equal access to education despite their circumstances.  Janet cares deeply about people and as such, being remembered for her ‘kindness in words, deeds and actions’ is more important to her than her many successes and achievements.  

We are delighted that Janet has chosen The KEECT to leave a lasting legacy of her passion for people and education, and thank her for her generosity and kindness.

Gifts in a Will (a bequest), whether big or small, are a very special way to assist a charity into the future, at no cost to you now.  If you would like to find out more about leaving a Gift in your Will, please contact Nina Tomaszyk, General Manager, for a confidential discussion.

Nina.tomaszyk@kateedgertrust.org.nz
021 376 411

Women in Fine Arts Award in memory of Carol Schofield

December 17, 2021

Carol Schofield was a gentle, kind and creative soul who was taken from her family and friends too soon following a short illness aged 49.  She formed a hub that friends, family, customers (both artists and gallery owners) circled around.

Carol was born in Napier and spent her early childhood there.  Her parents moved to Auckland to allow her to attend secondary school, firstly at Kristen and then at Rangitoto College.

Art, photography and creativity were central to her studies. On finishing school, she took an apprenticeship as a picture framer and, at 21 she became the owner of framing business, Sharp Frames.  With a strong reputation of being able to recommend the right frame to make artwork shine and her quality work, she became the framer of choice for many Auckland gallerists and artists.

Art work by Carol Schofield

She was passionate about local artworks.  She was a regular attending at Auckland theatre, film and writers festivals, she supported New Zealand fashion designers and the walls of her home were covered with local artworks.  Carol knew the challenges faced by local artists to make a living from their work.

Carol had a generosity of spirit – every call from a charity received a donation; coffee, tea, glasses of wine, lunches with friends and customers on the back deck were regular events; and the odd homeless person dropped in for a shower and a bed for the night.  It is with this spirit, and the understanding of the challenges that up-and-coming artists face, that the Women in Fine Arts Award is offered in Carol’s memory.

For information on eligibility for this award and how to apply, click here

The KEECT Awards Programme

November 23, 2021

Academic Awards Programme

Each year, The KEECT funds approximately 110 educational awards totaling $600,000, predominantly for women.  Funding varies for each award from $2,000 up to $18,000 to assist with study expenses, fees or retraining.

The award selection process is overseen by an experienced Awards Committee and the approach is both academic and holistic, considering things such as financial need, whether the applicant is first in family to study, or any challenges they might have.

Awardee Testimonials

FAQ’s About the Awards Programme

You are most welcome to email Awards Coordinator, Katrina Ford with questions about any of our awards awards@kateedgertrust.org.nz

*Please note for those applying through the AUT or University of Auckland Scholarships portals, applications usually open 6 weeks before the closing date.

Awards List

For closing dates, eligibility criteria, and application forms for awards, click on the individual awards below:

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS

POSTGRADUATE
AWARDS

DOC/POSTDOCTORAL
AWARDS

Tressa Thomas Retraining Awards

Practicum

First-Year Doctoral 

New Start Awards (for graduates of the UoA New Start Programme)

Postgraduate Diploma

Dame Dorothy Winstone
Doctoral Completion Award

Foundation Awards (for graduates of an approved tertiary institute Foundation course)

Bachelor with Honours Degree

Post-Doctoral Research

Practicum

Master’s Degree

 
Bachelor with Honours Degree    

Awardee Alumni Stories

2014 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2015 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2016 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2017 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2018 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2019 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2021 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2022 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

2023 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery

SPONSORED AND DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC AWARDS

ARTS

MacAndrew Award in Performing Arts

NZ Contemporary Art Award

Women in Fine Arts Award in memory of Carol Schofield

BUSINESS

Women in Business Award sponsored by Hilary Lewis

ENGINEERING

Vinka Marinovich Awards in Engineering

Watercare/Ghella Abergeldie Engineering Award

HEALTH

Māori/Pasifika Midwifery Award

Midwifery/Nursing Clinical Placement Award in Memory of Ngaire Miller

Women in Medicine Award

LAW

Women in Law Award


MUSIC & PSYCHOLOGY

Master of Music Therapy Award sponsored by the Gattung Foundation
Master of Music Therapy Award sponsored by MusicHelps
Vinka Marinovich Awards in Music


SCIENCE

Women in Science Award in memory of Sylvia Tredwell


SPECIAL AWARD

The KEECT Resilience Award in memory of Elizabeth Crannigan

This special award is given to a Kate Edger Awardee in recognition of their resilience and commitment to achieving their education goals.


EMPLOYEE & INSTITUTION SPECIFIC

AUT Fashion Design Award

Westferry Property Services Rick Sowman Educational Award

Bed Bath & Beyond Employee Award

Bed Bath & Beyond MIT Award

Bed Bath & Beyond Manurewa High School Award

 

 

Partner & Sponsor Stories

Academic Dress Hire – Stand Proud

October 26, 2021

Academic Dress Hire – Stand Proud
A social enterprise, funding and supporting education

All proceeds fund The KEECT Awards Programme.

 

For all your graduation requirements and legal attire – top quality, best value and best service

 

 

Academic Dress Hire is renowned as New Zealand’s premier regalia hire and sale business, and the preferred and official supplier to schools and universities in the Auckland and Northland region.  

Hire or Buy

 

 

Visit Academic Dress Hire website

 

We supply graduation regalia and legal attire for:

  • University graduates
  • University staff
  • School Prizegivings and graduations
  • Legal admission to the bar ceremonies and court appearances
  • Korowai can also be purchased

Lina Tangata-Tearetoa – Māori/Pasifika Midwifery Awardee

October 20, 2021

When Lina applied to receive this award, it was her compassion and determination that made her a stand-out candidate.  Lina is a busy mother to 4 young children (including twins) and is being supported by her husband to complete her degree, which means long hours of work for her husband and many sacrifices for the family along the way.  One of the biggest financial impacts of receiving the award was being able to afford to buy a laptop for her studies – for almost 2 years, she had completed (and passed) all her assignments on her phone.

Less than 10 percent of midwives identify as Māori and less than 3 percent as Pasifika. However, figures from the New Zealand College of Midwives showed 25 percent of Aotearoa’s birthing population in 2018 identified as Māori, and 10 percent as Pasifika.   Lina believes that there are “undeniable and unfortunate” socioeconomic and cultural barriers that exist in these communities which is why it is important that awards such as this exist to support more women to overcome these barriers.

Lina always knew she wanted to do something with her life that “uplifted women” and her own experience of pregnancy and motherhood at the age of 17 is when the seed of midwifery was planted. But not because of the wonderful experience she had, quite the opposite. Lina felt “categorized and judged” as a teen mum during her pregnancy and what should have been a special, wondrous time was shadowed by shame and guilt.
In her own words, Lina vowed that “I would try to the best of my capabilities to become a midwife, no matter how long it took, because I did not want another woman to feel just like I had felt. Women need support and encouragement in the scary, yet magical time that is pregnancy, not judgement……this is was something I would carry with me all the way through my goal of trying to obtain my degree, something that would drive my determination.”

However, things don’t always go to plan and Lina has had to overcome obstacles along the way, including failing a paper that set her back and altered the pathway of her degree. She describes being in a dark place and “wandering along on a lonely pathway” as her cohort graduated without her. But with the support of her AUT lecturers and due to her excellent grades, she was able to fast track on a special reoccurrence pathway and ended up only a few months behind so will complete her degree at the end of this year.  Being the recipient of The KEECT Maori/Pacifika Midwifery Award was also a driving force behind her determination to get back on track as she knew others were invested in her success.

Lina plans to work predominantly in Pacific Island communities solely due to the fact that “we as Pacific Islanders are the most vulnerable for many complications in pregnancy, labour and birth, as well as the post-partum stages. I feel that I am able to educate, connect and form a better partnership with Pacifika women as I am able to relate to their way of thinking both culturally and professionally”.

Lina is profoundly grateful for the support afforded to her from receiving the award and tells “not only did it allow me financial relief in a time I really needed it (such as petrol and parking money when on placements), but it also allowed me more time to refocus on the degree…. thank you for believing in me, supporting me and entrusting me with such an amazing honour”.

We wish her all the best in her midwifery career – she is already a fantastic role model for her family and community, and has proven that hard work, determination and perseverance will triumph over adversity.