Call for Maori psychology scholarships
Updated at 8:23 pm today
A Maori clinical practitioner says there needs to be a major push for scholarships and advertising to attract rangatahi to study psychology.
It comes after warnings of a lack of Maori studying in the sector, as well as a growing shortage in general.
It's being attributed to the cut of student allowances for post graduate students, which started this year.
Russell Smith of Ngapuhi and Ngati Kahu descent is the co-director of Korowai Tumanako, a sexual abuse prevention therapy roopu in Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau.
He received the student allowance during his study, which he said would have been extremely difficult to complete without.
Mr Smith said there was a huge need for more Maori and said the numbers aren't even up to double digits.
He said in his experience, significant support from Maori lecturers and scholarships was what would attract more Maori into the line of mahi such as psycho-therapy and psychology.
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