Te Tōtara Workforce Capability Framework Project – April 2024 update

A clear strength of the framework is that it is intentionally adaptable or, as Whanganui District Libraries put it, “making it work for us”. Their team have redeveloped the framework, with helpful direction from iwi. The tōtara metaphor is transformed to a waka on the river, made from tōtara, while the branches (Ngā ruhā) become paddles (hoe). This is another beautiful metaphor, and one that accentuates the message that the library team which sits in a waka on the river of knowledge, carries complementary capabilities, the paddles, to make up the whole.

Ian Littleworth, Manager Future Libraries for Kāpiti Coast District Council, says the capability framework, whilst comprehensive, is intended to be worked through in “bite-sized chunks”. The Kāpiti leadership team are using the capability framework to inform their team’s learning and development goals for the year ahead. They have developed a template for kaimahi to record their individual goal or goals on a simple one-page worksheet. Kāpiti have found that this has led to more meaningful conversations which are specific to their context.

Many other sites have started using, or are considering using, Te Tōtara, ranging from small school library teams to university libraries with multiple specialisms. Several teams are reporting that they have chosen to start with Ngā paiaka | the roots, as their team development goal. Another area of development is digital capability, looking at the Literacies, References and Research Services capability branch of the framework.

Project manager, Annemarie Thomas, has gathered the available resources to support Te Tōtara and made these accessible on the LIANZA website here.

Annemarie has put out a call to the sector to those people using or wanting to use Te Tōtara and other workforce capability developments in their workplaces. Annemarie has set up a community of practice on LIANZA Connect to provide a forum to engage and share with others. Join the Community of Practice on LIANZA Connect here or contact officeadmin@lianza.org.nz if you are not already on LIANZA Connect.
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The project will share Te Tōtara more widely, sharing resources for the sector to pick up, adapt and apply Te Tōtara to their local context and putting into practice developments that support a strong and diverse workforce in their team.
If you are interested to know more, contact: annemarie@lianza.org.nz
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