Digital boost for Pacific early learning services clicks with communities

 The team involved in the Digital Marketing Pilot after presenting their new websites. All images in this article are by JJ Paiti.

New enrolments, better communication with parents, and stronger community ties – these are just a few benefits Pacific early learning services are seeing following a 12-week Digital Marketing Pilot.

Six West Auckland Pacific early learning services took part in the Digital Marketing Pilot from 16 November last year to 29 February.

During this time, services worked with Salā Marie Young and Suitauloa Simon Young from Pacific Enterprise People Ltd (PEP) to develop vital digital skills and create a website highlighting the centres’ history and philosophy, while also showcasing their commitment to Ministry of Education Licensing Criteria GMA 1–5.

Feagaimaleata Hemopo and Amelia Ma’afu, Ministry of Education Pacific Early Learning senior advisors, say the pilot follows the completion of phase 1 of an initiative aimed at developing a seven-step digital marketing resource tool kit. It also upholds the objectives of The Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP).

“The initiative presented a way for Pacific early learning to identify Pacific ways of being, and principles of governance that may be implemented demonstrate how they may be complying to licensing criteria for Governance Management and Administration 1–5.”

Building websites and exposure

The team from Akoteu Falemaama – West Auckland’s only Tongan Christian early learning centre.
Loviana Tufulele-Lusaipau, centre manager of Akoteu Falemaama – West Auckland’s only Tongan Christian early learning service, says before the website, word-of-mouth was the main method of advertising. However, building an online presence was one of the centre’s strategic priorities.

“I’m 68 years old. I think computer literacy is important for me as the manager, and I also do the administration. I have a fair idea of what to do, but it’s just for my job. So, this was a challenge,” she says.

However, Loviana says PEP made an initially overwhelming task, more manageable.

“They really empowered me and my team to manage our online presence.”

Karen Su’a-Allison, centre manager for Henderson-based Taulapapa Leata Su’a Aoga Amata, says a simple action like claiming the centre’s Google listing is already having an impact.

“We got more parents contacting, ringing us. We’ve had at least 10 new enrolments now – or close to 10 – since January and it’s still carrying on,” she says.

Meanwhile, Alofa Sivao, teacher and centre supervisor for Glen Eden-based Aiga Salevalasi Aoga Amata, is also seeing the benefits of the website.

“We don’t get a lot of exposure unless we have other connections in the community.

“We were sort of in a dry period with numbers, with children, last year. And now they’ve picked up again. I think the website has also helped in that sense.”

Karen Su'a-Allison (holding the certificate) and Akelina Tuaifaiva (fourth from left) with the rest of the Taulapapa Leata Su’a Aoga Amata team at the presentation evening.

Sharing stories and history

Salā and Suitauloa say for five out of six centres involved in the pilot, there is a multigenerational aspect to them, with the second generation now taking over. 

“We said, you have a story and you know the story, and the parents who send their children to your centre know the story, but nobody else knows the story. So, it’s time to get it out there,” says Suitauloa.

Elisapeta Pedro, centre manager of Fetu Fa Tokelau Akoga Kamata in Te Atatū Peninsula, is part of the second generation taking over. She is continuing the mahi of her mother, Kailelei Tepou.

She says the centre had not needed a website as they were well-known in the Tokelau community. However, it has recently rebranded by adding Peninsula Stars to its name to meet the needs of the changing demographics in the area, while still paying homage to the Tokelau values the centre was founded on.

Elisapeta says she did a lot of research when designing the website as she wanted to target it towards families who would benefit from affordable childcare. 

“This website for me now is just so awesome because it forced me to market ourselves in a real professional way – in a way that consolidates our information and who we are. It consolidates our story,” she says.

Taulapapa Leata Su’a Aoga Amata is named after its founder – Karen’s mother – who started the centre as a playgroup in 1992.

Karen says this history was at the forefront of their website design.

“I don’t think our current parents know about the history. So that kind of opens the door to them having a deeper understanding of our aoga amata and how we got started.”

Akeliana Tuaifaiva, a teacher who has been involved in the aoga amata since her baby attended in 2004, says that history is important.

“She [the founder] started from nothing and now a lot of children come from university and they say they’ve started from here. So that’s the history and that’s our story.”

Alofa presenting the Aiga Salevalasi Aoga Amata website to the Ministry of Education, and fellow early learning services who took part in the pilot.

Meanwhile Alofa, whose parents Paulo and Ivapene Ieriko established the centre she teaches at in 1988, says the website has enabled the aoga amata to share testimonials from past students.

“Our legacy is so important – we have to sustain and we have to maintain. The testimonials from these generations were all part of the legacy,” she says.

Just getting started

The websites are just the beginning for these early learning services. Many of the centre managers and teachers say they are already looking at what they can do next.

“Now that we’ve got ourselves started on this digital marketing journey, we do hope to develop it and move with the changes,” says Karen. 

What is Pacific Enterprise People Ltd?

Pacific Enterprise People Ltd (PEP) is run by husband-and-wife duo Salā Marie Young and Suitauloa Simon Young.

PEP partners with funding providers to support grassroots community organisations in the fields of governance and technology, empowering organisations to achieve the dreams on which they were founded. 

Before PEP, Salā and Suitauloa aided multinational corporations in Asia with technology to bridge cultures. They led workshops and spoke at conferences across the Asia Pacific. Now, they focus on governance and technology needs in Pacific communities.

Salā Marie hails from the Samoan villages of Sapapali’i, Saleimoa and Leauva’a. As a Palagi (Pākehā) Suitauloa Simon chose to take a title from Leauva’a to serve and understand the Samoan culture.

Loviana Tufulele-Lusaipau (in yellow) and Elisapeta Pedro (third from right) with the team from Ministry of Education and Pacific Enterprise People Ltd.

Ministry of Education licensing criteria

The Digital Marketing Pilot has been an important way for the centres to recite, demonstrate and include the Ministry of Education’s licensing criteria GMA 1–5.

GMA 1: Displaying information

GMA 2: Access to parent information

GMA 3: Information provided to parents

GMA 4: Parent information

GMA 5: Philosophy statement

Many of the early learning services involved in the pilot say important policies and information have always been on display. However, with parents being busy and swiftly picking up and dropping off their children, they often didn’t read that information.

With the website being a digital extension of their bricks-and-mortar premises, it makes it easier to access information like policies and reports, and simplifies the process of booking site visits, making enquiries, and enrolling.

The tamariki from Akoteu Falemaama.