The appointment is a significant milestone in the establishment of the Workforce Development Council, which will give sectors including care services, education, health and social services greater leadership in the vocational education and training system.

 

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā whakawhanake ohu mahi, koutou ngā mana o te whenua, ngā mana o te tangata, e te haukāinga, rau rangatira mā, tēnā koutou katoa.

Nō tēnei rā tonu nei i tohua ko Donovan Clarke hei Tumu Whakarae mō Toitū te Waiora Community, Health, Education and Social Services Workforce Development Council (WDC). He whāinga whakahirahira tēnei mō te whakatūtanga o te Workforce Development Council, he tuku i ngā ratonga hei ārahi i te pūnaha mātauranga ringarehe, whakangungu hoki ki ngā rāngai pēnei i ngā ratonga tiaki tangata, te mātauranga, te hauora me ngā ratonga pāpori hoki.

He Māori, he rangatira hoki a Donovan me ōna tātai whakapapa ki Waikato­­–Tainui, ki Ngāti Hine, ki Ngāti Manu me Ngāti Te Ata. He matatau ki te reo Māori, he taura here hoki ki ngā rangatira Māori me ērā o ngā moutere puta noa i te motu.

I tēnei wā ko Donovan te Tumu Whakarae o Central Kids Early Education. Kei a ia hoki ngā wheako mō ngā momo reanga hauora, nāna nei i ārahi i ngā kaupapa mō te hauora reanga whānui me te rāngai hauora hinengaro me ngā waranga, whaikaha hoki. I mua i tērā, 14 tau a Donovan i Pirihimana Aotearoa e mahi ana.

I runga i te whakanui i a Donovan, i kī a David Waters me Wini Geddes, ngā Heamana o Toitū te Waiora i tēnei wā: “Ko Donovan tonu te tangata tika hei Tumu Whakarae, hei whakatū, hei ārahi hoki i te Toitū te Waiora Workforce Development Council me tō mātou harikoa hoki kua tau mai ia. He pono, he tūturu tonu ōna mahinga, ōna panonitanga puta noa i ngā rāngai me ngā hapori, ko tōna mahi he whakapakari ake i ngā whakaurunga. Arā noa atu te momo me ngā āhua o ngā rāngai e mahi nei mātou, arā atu anō hoki ngā weronga roa. He hiringa tonu te mātauranga ringarehe ki te kaupapa nei, ā, me whai hoki i tētahi tumu whakarae e tutuki i a ia tēnei kaupapa hou. Mā tōna mana, mā tōna āhua whakakaha, tōna wairua mahi tahi, me ōna mōhiohio ki ngā take e pā ana ki te hunga whaikaha, te hunga Māori, Pasifika hoki – ērā o ngā rohe – kāre he mutunga mai.”

Hei tā Donovan: “He pānga nui te KŌWHEORI ki ā tātou hapori, ki ngā ahumahi hoki – he wā taumaha tēnei mō te nuinga. He mahi tino nui tēnei, me te hihiko o te ngākau ki te hono atu ki ngā rāngai ki te rapu i te ara kōkiri. Nōku te maringa nui ki te ārahi i ēnei mahi, i tēnei tī hoki o Toitū te Waiora, me te whakamahi hoki i tōku ake kete mātauranga ki ngā mahi.”

Ka tīmata a Donovan hei te Whiringa-ā-rangi 2021.

Anei ētahi o ngā ahumahi e mahi tahi nei a Toitū te Waiora (Community, Health, Education and Social Services) Workforce Development Council, pērā ki ngā ratonga Tiaki Tangata (Care Services), ngā ratonga Whaikaha (Disability Services), te Mātauranga me ngā ratonga Tautoko Mātauranga (Education and Educational Support Services), ngā ratonga Nehu Tūpāpaku (Funeral Services), ngā ratonga Hauora (Health), te Public Order Safety, ngā Regulatory Services, Skin and Nail Therapy Services, ngā ratonga Pāpori (Social Services), me te Hunga Patu Riha Taone (Urban Pest Control).

 

Toitū te Waiora Community, Health, Education and Social Services Workforce Development Council (WDC) today announced the appointment of Donovan Clarke as their inaugural Chief Executive. The appointment is a significant milestone in the establishment of the Workforce Development Council, which will give sectors including care services, education, health and social services greater leadership in the vocational education and training system.

Donovan is a proud Māori leader and has whakapapa to Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Manu and Ngāti Te Ata. He is a fluent Te Reo speaker and is well connected to both Iwi and Pacific leaders across the motu.

Donovan is currently Chief Executive Officer of Central Kids Early Education. He also brings executive Primary and Secondary health experience to the role, having led significant change projects across primary care, mental health and addictions and the disability sector. Donovan was previously in the NZ Police for 14 years.

Celebrating Donovan’s appointment, David Waters Wini Geddes, Co-chairs of Toitū te Waiora, said: “Donovan is the ideal Chief Executive to set up and lead Toitū te Waiora Workforce Development Council and we are delighted to have him on board. He has a proven history of leading transformational change across sectors and communities, with a particular talent in improving accessibility. The sectors we represent are diverse and face a range of longstanding challenges. Vocational education is an important part of the solution and we need a Chief Executive who will deliver innovative, industry-led change. Donovan’s mana, his empowering, collaborative working style, as well as his deep understanding of the issues impacting people with disabilities, Māori and Pacific people – particularly in the regions – will be invaluable.”

Donovan said: “COVID has affected our communities and industries in so many ways – times are tough for many. There is a big job to do and I am looking forward to engaging with our sectors to agree innovative ways forward. It will be a privilege to lead the mahi and tima of Toitū te Waiora and I am excited to be bringing my kete Mātauranga to the role.”

Donovan will commence his new role in early November 2021.

Toitū te Waiora (Community, Health, Education and Social Services) Workforce Development Council represents industries including Care Services, Disability Services, Education and Educational Support Services, Funeral Services, Health Services, Public Order Safety, Regulatory Services, Skin and Nail Therapy Services, Social Services, and Urban Pest Control.