Auckland Languages Strategy

Briefing to the Incoming Minister, December 2017

COMET Auckland has supported the Auckland Languages Strategy Group to send their own briefing to the various ministers whose responsibilities are relevant to language diversity. 
The briefing outlines the value that language diversity can bring to social and economic development and summarises key data  and current issues affecting languages in Aotearoa New Zealand.  It also recommends quick-win actions that could bring significant gains, including:

•             Implementing the proposed Pacific Languages Framework
•             Setting a timeframe and process towards Te Reo M�ori becoming core curriculum in all schools from Year 1
•             Creating a Community Languages Framework
•             Developing a Hindi language curriculum
•             Undertaking a national consultation towards eventual development of a national languages policy.

Download the full briefing here 

 Auckland Languages Strategy

The Auckland Languages Strategy, Nga Reo o Tamaki Makaurau, aims to develop a shared agenda for multilingualism and to enable alignment of policy and practice to support, promote and foster all the city’s diverse languages and cultures.

The following organisations have been part of developing the strategy, and are therefore contributing authors of the document.

The document was developed by a broad cross-sector group representing a wide range of language interests in Auckland. The process began in late 2012 and the strategy was finally launched in November 2015, after several phases of consultation on earlier drafts.

During the development of the strategy, the strategy working group consulted with Maori about how the strategy should link with or support te reo Maori.  It was agreed that the strategy should align with and support a separate Te Reo Maori strategy. We are pleased to note that since that time, both national and regional strategies to support Te Reo Maori revitalisation have been developed by government and by Auckland Council, respectively.

How can you be involved?

The Auckland Languages Strategy Working Group continues to meet regularly to support and monitor actions towards the goals of the strategy. Please let us know if you would like to be involved in any of this work.

The group is also seeking endorsements for the strategy from organisations and individuals. If you or your organisation would like to endorse the plan, please email susan.warren@cometauckland.org.nz

2015 Launch Event: Nga Reo Maha, Nga Reo Rere: Shaping a Multilingual Auckland 

The Auckland Languages Strategy working group hosted the Nga Reo Maha, Nga Reo Rere - Shaping a Multilingual Auckland conference and launched the Ta½maki Makaurau Auckland Languages Strategy on November 27th in partnership with the Office of Ethnic Communities. The strategy aimed to establish a shared agenda for a multilingual Auckland, aligning policy and practice to support, promote and foster all the city’s diverse languages and cultures. The conference included several exciting keynote speakers, workshops about current practice, a chance to engage with the newly-published strategy, and hands-on sessions to contribute to planning for action to support languages in Auckland.

We were encouraged that so many people wanted to celebrate the importance of languages for Auckland, by participating in the launch of the Auckland Languages Strategy.
 
The most valuable part of the day was the chance to work together in the World Café session to shape and prioritise actions to support the goals of the strategy. Click here to see the summary of the actions identified in the session.
 
Languages not only equip us with a means to communicate with one another, they also enrich us socially, culturally, spiritually and economically.

• Click here to view the Nga Reo o Tamaki Makaurau Auckland Languages Strategy
• Click here to view the programme

Plenary Presentations
Click on thumbnail to view presentation

Languages and the Superdiversity Stocktake Mai Chen Superdiversity Centre			The vision of a multilingual Auckland Professor Stephen May The University of Auckland			Language policy and planning Associate Professor Sharon Haron AUT			Auckland Languages Strategy Overview Susan Warren COMET Auckland

Education Workshop

Setting the scene: Multiculturalism and it's implications for education Martin East The University of Auckland			Languages in the curriculum Adele Scott Kaihautu M�tauranga at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu			Building on learners' first-language strengths John McCaffery The University of Auckland

 


Health/Social Workshop 

English language provision that connects new migrants and refugees Maria Hayward AUT			Support for families from non-English-speaking backgrounds Anastasia Kariukin English Languages Partners			How we're keeping NZSL alive and thriving Victoria Manning Deaf Aotearoa

 


Community Workshop
Discussion workshop

Business Workshop
Examining the Superdiversity Stocktake and the Auckland Languages Strategy and their implications for business, tourism, trade and international relations.

Kayur Ramson The University of Auckland			Hanoku Bathula The University of Auckland

Media coverage the launch generated for language issues:

• TV3 News: Push for multilingual Aucklanders
• BBC: Auckland aims to become trilingual city
• Radio Waatea: Listen to the podcast here
• Tangata Pasifika: Watch the video here
• NZ Herald: Plans to turn Auckland into trilingual city
• Radio NZ: 'The reo is your reo too’
• Radio NZ: Auckland plan to boost te reo Maori speakers
• Maori TV: Proposal for every Aucklander to be fluent in te reo & two other languages
• Maori TV: Mataora
• Stuff.co.nz: Strategy to get Aucklanders speaking three languages launched
• World TV / Chinese TV: Click here