Hana is a somewhat recent addition to Ōtautahi Christchurch and she shares her perspective of the cultural differences and approaches that are taken to learning, both in her personal life and in the position she holds at NZ Study Careers. We discuss how learning takes place in her studies at Ara and through her endeavor to understand what it means to have grown up in Japan and now live in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Caroline brings a wealth of knowledge regarding sustainability and through her business acumen (Sustainability 360) has been learning how to navigate what it means to run her own business.
Charing anecdotes of learning through being a mother, businesswomen, and early education, the picture that Caroline provides is varied and dynamic. BCorp is mentioned and we encourage listeners to search that up to provide context for some discussion items.
Let us know what you think! :)
Idoia shares her learning experience working with the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) and how this has opened up pathways of working with her sons school to facilitate creativity in a business context. Idoia's empathy and passion for encouraging curiosity is highlighted through her story of learning in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
Thomas discusses the impacts of growing up in a recovering city and his experiences post earthquakes that have informed his interests in community development and advocacy. Join us as we get a glimpse of our city through a young persons lens who is interested in policy and how that's implemented through design.
Pia Titus from PlainsMedia discusses how her past learning experiences with facilitating activity based learning has shaped her approach and ethos when in a people centred environment. We are lucky to have Pia on board the show before she leaves PlainsMedia, to travel for a couple of months and begin the next chapter of her life.
Amy Knudsen (she/her) brings us on her own learning journey, how this has shaped her and her views and approaches to life. Amy's story shows how the people in her life through different stages, events and experiences have been crucial to the work and way of being she holds now. And that the love that Amy holds for people extends to future generations through the work she does with Tokona te Raki.
In this very first episode of Ōtautahi in Practice, cohosts Sam Woolf and Erica Austin introduce the kaupapa behind the podcast and share their own learning stories.
Together, they unpack why learning matters, how curiosity shapes their work, and why they’re choosing to amplify the voices of everyday Learning Champions and Ambassadors across our city.
This episode sets the tone for what’s to come: real, reflective, and hopeful stories that celebrate learning in all its messy, powerful forms. Featuring themes of:
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What’s your learning story? We’d love to hear it. Contact us at stories@learningcitychristchurch.nz and checkout Ako Ōtautahi Learning City Christchurch.
Thanks to Plains Media (for making this a reality), The Response (intro and outtro soundtrack) and Peanut Productions (for our photo).
Welcome to our show Ōtautahi In Practice!
Curious about Ōtautahi Christchurch as a Learning City?
Tune in with Sam Woolf and Erica Austin on Ōtautahi in Practice, where we sit down with Learning Champions and Ambassadors to discuss how we can shape Ōtautahi Christchurch as a city where learning is equitable, accessible and innovative for all.
Ōtautahi in Practice, a show proudly brought to you by Ako Ōtautahi Learning City Christchurch. We’re working to make learning more equitable, accessible and innovative for everyone in Ōtautahi Christchurch NZ.
This podcast is proudly brought to you by Ako Ōtautahi Learning City Christchurch and PlainsMedia. We’re powered by a diverse network of educators, businesses, community groups, iwi, local government, and individuals—all working together to make learning accessible, innovative, and meaningful for everyone in Ōtautahi.
We act as a connector, aligning efforts, sharing resources, and amplifying impact. By bringing people and ideas together, we strengthen the bonds that shape our city and ensure every initiative contributes to a bigger, shared vision.
If this sparked a memory of your own learning journey or reminded you of someone who is a learning champion and ambassador, we’d love to hear it!
Please contact us through stories@learningcitychristchurch.nz.