Let's Celebrate our Stars

Get your Uara Nominations in NOW!

Closing date 26 April

It's time to get the team together, dust off those stories and photos, and get your nomination in. Our Uara stars will be recognised at the Kidsfirst AGM, 29 May at Addington Raceway, and we're looking for inspiring projects that demonstrate their spirit in action.

The Uara Working Party felt that non-material recognition best reflected the spirit of the Uara, so those recognised will receive certificates rather than prizes of cash and/or goods.

There are a few other changes this year that make it easier than ever to submit and the recognition more meaningful:

• Your entry no longer needs to fit a single category – one of the underlying principles behind the Uara is that the Waypoints are intertwined and all work together. Just suggest which of these you feel is strongest in your entry.
  

• Teams, individuals (including relievers), and community champions are all eligible for recognition.
  

• Our digital entry form has been streamlined to make it as short and sweet as possible - nobody enjoys paperwork!
  

• Everybody's story matters! Six to eight nominations will be honoured on the night, but we also want to use as many projects as possible as the base for social media posts and online content across the year - telling the stories is key to bringing our Uara to life and bringing everyone on the journey. Please note we'll ask your permission to tell your story to external audiences first.

Nominations

Kindergarten teams may nominate:

• Community Champions

• Relievers

• Other teams/Individuals

The Education Team may nominate:

• Up to 10 kindergarten teams/Individuals total

The Strategic Leadership Team may nominate:

• Any others

Nomination Process

All nominations will be made through the digital submission form on this page.

The nominations for Kidsfirst Staff will reflect on the 2023 year. We’re looking for stories that showcase the Uara which guided our Stars (Ngā Whetu) to achieve above and beyond during that year. Your nomination must show:

1. Improved outcomes. What happened, what were the outcomes and who benefited? Is the outcome sustainable?

2. An attitude that influences positive change. What was the change? How critical was attitude? What difference did it make? Is the change embedded?

3. Innovation in the approach. What does real innovation look like in this setting?

4. Collaboration to achieve success. Who was involved? How did this promote success?

The Community Champions can be nominated by any kindergarten team who can tell us how this person supports their kindergarten, and how it benefits the kindergarten community. Entries must be endorsed by the nominator’s team.

The table below unpacks our Uara and should assist in checking that your nomination is appropriate.

Uara At Kidsfirst…	In our team
Whakaute Everyone’s welcome here	We are respectful towards and show humility to others, celebrating diversity. We are accepting and inclusive, open to people, perspectives, ideas, and contributions.
Manaakitanga We care about each other	We are welcoming, nurturing, kind, supportive and caring to each other, our whānau and community.
Kaitiakitanga We’re taking care of yesterday, today, and tomorrow	We promote sustainability in all its forms to protect our environment. We are proud guardians of Kidsfirst and the Kindergarten movement.
Whanaungatanga We nurture connections so everyone thrives	We are engaged and connected with our whānau, we know our communities and each other.
Kotahitanga We’re better together	We are united and work together as a team, as part of a wider network, part of kindergarten, and part of our community. We collaborate to achieve a shared vision,
Whakapono We walk our talk	We are trustworthy and show integrity, we are proud of our profession and organisation. We promote kindergarten and the difference it makes in the lives of our tamariki.
Whakamanamana We find happiness in every day	We find ways to have fun in our mahi, and we stay positive and share our enthusiasm.  We promote and support the wellbeing of our team, whānau and community

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Nomination Form – Kidsfirst Team or Individual

Nomination Form – Community Champion

Taking our inspiration from ancient Māori and Polynesian navigators, we chart our journey each day, guided by the stars above the waka we all share. These concepts influence everything we do and how we approach our mahi. Waypoints are used to trace a path forward, while Uara speaks to the idea of values, and of travelling over water towards and to reach a destination. And so, we draw from the essence of this cluster the principles at the very heart of the Association.

Get your Uara nominations in by 26 April, 2024 -

any questions don't hesitate to drop Jenny an email.