Walking together in times of change
At Educating Hearts and Minds, we hold a deep appreciation for the opportunity to walk alongside our early childhood communities- especially during times of change. Whether it’s navigating shifts in licensing criteria, professional standards, or supporting leaders through mentoring and networks, our work is grounded in connection, trust, and growth.
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on one particular leadership cluster in Tairāwhiti - a group of 10 settings that we have been journeying alongside since Cyclone Gabrielle. Despite ongoing challenges - repeated weather events, isolation, and the pressures that come with both - this group has become something incredibly special. A network grounded in honesty, openness, and genuine support for one another.
The power of coming together
During our most recent hui, we invited MoE Advisors to join us and share their insights around the new licensing criteria.
What stood out most wasn’t just the information shared - it was the feeling in the room.
There was a deep sense of respect. A sense of partnership. A quiet understanding that we are all in this together.
One moment, in particular, has stayed with me.
A leader shared that following a recent ERO review, she had written to ERO to acknowledge the impact of her local MoE Advisors - the awhi, the guidance, and the ongoing support that had helped shape their centre into what it is today.
She spoke about this openly with the Ministry advisors in the room. You could feel the impact of those words.
Saying what we value
It made me pause and reflect.
How often do we actually say these things out loud?
How often do we tell our MoE Advisors:
We value your support
We appreciate your guidance
We trust that we can come to you
In a sector that is often navigating change and pressure, these relationships matter deeply. And as we move into a time where the MoE and ERO continue to evolve, I wonder if this is an important moment to speak into that.
To acknowledge what is working well.
To name what we value.
To share what we need as a community moving forward.
Because those voices, your voices, have the potential to help shape what comes next. Write the letter, send the email, make the phone call, let the Advisors know what has worked for your setting.
A shift in the conversation
What also stood out in that hui was a subtle but powerful shift.
After some light connection at the beginning, there was a moment where the conversation could have easily moved straight into compliance. But instead, one of the leaders gently redirected the space. The focus moved back to people. Back to connection.
“Tell us what this means to you?” was the question to the Advisors.
And in that moment, the hui changed. It was no longer about just getting it right. It became about understanding.
A whakaaro to hold onto
This moment brought to mind a whakatauki that feels deeply connected to what we experienced:
Te timatanga o te mātauranga ko te wahangū, te wahanga tuarua ko te whakarongo.
The first stage of learning is silence, the second is listening.
In the busyness of our roles, and the constant movement within our sector, it can be easy to move quickly to answers.
To respond. To fix. To ensure we are meeting expectations.
But this reminds us that learning and leadership - begin differently.
They begin with pausing. They begin with listening.
Listening without preparing a response. Listening with openness. Listening with a willingness to not yet know.
This is what we witnessed in that space. Leaders listening. Ministry advisors being heard. Conversations grounded in respect, curiosity, and connection.
The strength of collective leadership
I want to acknowledge the leaders within this Tairāwhiti network.
Each brings their own strength, experience, and insight. Together, they have created a space where it is safe to:
Share openly
Challenge thinking
Offer support
Be vulnerable
They share resources. They share ideas. They share their thinking, even when it feels uncomfortable.
And in doing so, they are building something incredibly powerful.
Because leadership can often feel isolating.
But it doesn’t have to be.
An invitation
If you have the opportunity to build or be part of a network like this - take it.
Create spaces where you can be honest.
Where you can reflect together.
Where connection sits at the centre of the work.
And don’t wait for it to be created for you.
Start it. Nurture it. Grow it.
Because when we come together - when we truly listen, share, and learn from one another - there is a deeper sense of clarity, confidence, and collective strength in where we are heading.