<p style="text-align:center"><em><span style="font-size:12px">Kiri Parata with Indigenous AES Board members Dr Amohia Boulton, Sharon Clarke and Doyen Radcliffe and fellow support grant recipients from Australasia at the Gala Awards Dinner in Canberra, September 2017.</span></em></p>

<p>In September 2017 Kiri Parata, who works as an independent community researcher and evaluator attended the AES17 International Evaluation Conference in Canberra, Australia. Kiri has worked on a number of research and evaluation projects alongside our team here at Whakauae as a subcontractor. Kiri was grateful to Whakauae for encouraging her to apply for a support grant to attend. Along with 11 other emerging indigenous evaluators Kiri was sponsored to attend the 3 day conference that also offered two additional days of workshops.</p>

<p><em>&quot;It was a great learning and networking opportunity for me and gave me validation for the methods we adopt here in Aoteraoa when working for better outcomes with wh&#257;nau M&#257;ori. I enjoyed sharing our experiences, particularly what we know works well with our people&quot;.&nbsp;</em></p>

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