The Middlemore Foundation Launches ‘The Future Forecast’ To Support Aotearoa’s Rangatahi

INITIATIVE TO ASSIST MĀORI AND PACIFIC RANGATAHI IN THEIR FIRST YEARS OF UNIVERSITY

Māori and Pacific are dramatically underrepresented across Aotearoa’s key sectors. In the healthcare industry, only 6.7% identify as Pacific and 12.7% as Māori. To address this, The Middlemore Foundation have today launched The Future Forecast, a data-led project to equip corporates, c-suite executives and journalists with the information they need to include Māori and Pacific rangatahi in their business development plans for the future.

The data tells a difficult story. By 2040, over 35% of the population will be Māori and Pacific Island. Yet, our rangatahi growing up in South Auckland face deep inequities that are holding them back in alarming ways. This project sets out to change that.

Says Middlemore Foundation’s CEO, Margi Mellsop “We are proud to stand alongside Middlemore Hospital to change the game for rangatahi and our community . The Health Science Academies established by the Hospital in partnership with local high schools have successfully helped 1000’s of students realise their potential in a health or science career. The Middlemore Foundation Scholarship Fund will equip these students with the tools they need to take the next steps towards their career. With so many Academies working hard to retain students over lockdown – this could not come at a more crucial time.”

Lemisio Andy, Occupational Therapist at Middlemore Hospital believes that “by supporting initiatives like this, we can continue to guide the next generation with similar backgrounds to me towards creating positive health outcomes for our Māori and Pacific populations.”

Hosted online, The Future Forecast tells the true depths of inequities South Auckland rangatahi face to make their way in the world, particularly in the healthcare system which sees drastic under-representation.

With interactive graphs, illustrations and outlinks to data sources, it makes an extremely compelling case: if those in positions of power do not change their hiring practices and invest in the future talent, these deficits will perpetuate and their business will be left behind with it.

To launch, CEOs of some of Aotearoa’s most influential companies have received a tag in their inbox from the Google Presentation. An investment as small as $5,000 into their future budget forecasting will equip one young person with extra financial support they can use to get through their first years of university.

This project is not just a one-off commitment. This data will be tracked over the coming years as a way for us to stay accountable for the future of Aotearoa.

The Future Forecast is accessible for reading, sharing, investing-in, presenting and downloading here.

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