Tohu Kaupapa Māori Award

NZSTA would like to recognise a team or individual service and commitment to kaupapa Māori in the workplace. This award is not limited to speech-language therapists; however, nominees are expected to contribute positively to speech-language therapy spaces.

Value: $1,000
Each nominee will receive a certificate recognising their commitment to kaupapa Māori.

Selection process:

Nominees will have been observed to demonstrate:  

• NZSTA values of aroha, whanaungatanga, rangatiratanga, and kotahitanga 
• Positive leadership by embedding kaupapa Māori and promoting tikanga within the workplace 
• Commitment to learning and continued sharing of kaupapa Māori (for example, te reo Māori, tikanga, etc)  

Evidence:

Evidence will take the form of reference/nomination detailing how the individual/team have demonstrated leadership in kaupapa Māori.

Award Process:

The winner of the Tohu Kaupapa Māori Award will be determined by the Māori rōpū and will be announced in September.

Applications close at 5pm on 30 June annually.

 Any queries, please contact culturaldevelopment@speechtherapy.org.nz

Awarded in 2025 to Sally Kedge

Sally Kedge is being recognised for her leadership and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Talking Trouble, a social enterprise improving services for children, youth and adults involved with care and protection, justice, mental health and behaviour services.

As founder and director, Sally leads a team of Speech-Language Therapists with manaaki and kaitiaki to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Her leadership shows real action in decolonising practice and creating culturally safe environments.

Resourcing and Valuing Kaitiakitanga

Sally contracts specific kaupapa Māori kaitiakitanga, a form of clinical supervision through a cultural lens, and provides paid time for staff to attend this supervision. All staff are offered the opportunity to attend this kaitiakitanga and can even bring case specific kōrero if needed to ensure SLTs feel supported to work with whānau Māori. This recognises the importance of clinical supervision developed through a kaupapa Māori lens and also values the lived experiences of Māori SLT delivering this Kaitiakitanga model.

Creating Safe Spaces for Māori Voices

Sally ensures Māori staff are both supported and properly resourced. She has set aside dedicated space for Māori employees to gather regularly in a collective called kapa. The purpose is to create a safe space for rōpū to support each other and discuss kaupapa with no pressure or expectation of consultation - the only goal is collaboration and collectivity. This time is funded and resourced because Sally understands the benefits of whakawhanaungatanga.

Embedding Te Tiriti in Practice

Sally has commissioned a collective including the kapa, tauiwi and Sally as kāwanatanga to review Talking Trouble's Te Tiriti o Waitangi policy and cultural competence. Sally acknowledges the power that a Te Tiriti o Waitangi aligned kaupapa has for whānau Māori and has been proactive in creating spaces where power is shared and systemic barriers for Māori staff are acknowledged and rectified. Sally is taking concrete steps to make decolonising practice a reality for her organisation and the people it serves.

Sally's work shows how Speech-Language Therapy services can be transformed through genuine commitment to Te Tiriti principles. Her efforts have created safer spaces for Māori staff and clients, representing the systemic change needed to move towards fair outcomes for Māori in health, justice and social services.