Kahukura Newsletter from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
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Kia ora e te whānau, and welcome to the Kahukura Newsletter ⭐
Here's what's in our newsletter:
😊 Rainbow Students’ Welcome
ℹ️ Connect with a Rainbow Support Navigator
✔️ Updating your name, gender, or pronouns
🔔 Social and peer support
🖥️ Read&Write inclusive software
📚 Pride Month at Te Pātaka Kōrero—The Library
💛 Wellbeing Kete—Developing strong, supportive friendships
📢 Student Column by Ally Furnaux
🧪 Notices—STI Testing at Mauri Ora
Stay connected:
🌏 Check out the Rainbow Hub for useful information www.wgtn.ac.nz/rainbow
📷 Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
❓ Questions or Queeries? Email rainbow@vuw.ac.nz
Rainbow Students’ Welcome Trimester 2
Nau mai, haere mai to new and existing queer and takatāpui students. Join Josh and Etta, your Kaiwhakatere Tautoko Kahukura—Rainbow Support Navigators, for a warm connection to our rainbow community. Come along to learn about the support available, meet other students, have some fun, and enjoy kai!
When: 12.30–1.20 pm, Wednesday 1 July
Where: The Bubble, Student Union Building, Kelburn campus
Please RSVP to let us know if you can make it.
Connect with a Rainbow Support Navigator
Josh Robinson (he/him) and Etta Bollinger (they/them)
Josh Robinson (he/him) and Etta Bollinger (they/them) are our Kaiwhakatere Tautoko Kahukura—Rainbow Support Navigators. They’re here to offer advice and support to queer and takatāpui students while at University—things they can help with include:
- Working towards your goals and achieving them
- Wellbeing and life
- Guidance on gender and sexuality
- Legally updating your name or sex marker
- Connecting you with support services at the University and in the community
Connect for a kōrero either in person at RS111, or online.
🔎 Updating your name, gender, or pronouns
Learn how to update your preferred name and pronouns on our University systems, including your student email, and how we can support you with legally changing your name or gender.
Social and peer support
The Bubble Programmes
The Bubble programmes at our campuses are comfortable and inclusive spaces. Come join wellbeing activities (like Paw Therapy days with trained therapy dogs). You can also chat with our Student Wellbeing Facilitators and grab some free fruit. Come hang out, connect, and take a break from study.
For programme updates from Manawa Ora—Student Wellbeing, follow Student Equity and Wellbeing on Instagram and/or Facebook.
Friday Space—UniQ Te Herenga Waka
Friday Space is a relaxed, drop-in space for all LGBTQIA+ students to hang out, connect, and unwind in a welcoming environment. Tea, coffee, and board games are available. Drop in at any time and stay for as long or as little as you like.
📅 11 am–3 pm, every Friday during teaching weeks in all three
trimesters.
📍 Rainbow Room, SU209.
Get support with Read&Write inclusive software
Training for Read&Write software is now available for Rainbow students. If you’re facing technical issues accessing your course content or want to learn how Read & Write software can support your everyday study tasks, Nashie, our Inclusive Technology Assistant, is here to help.
Here’s how you can connect with Nashie:
- Book inclusive learning software training.
- Email a question to inclusivesoftware@vuw.ac.nz.
- Or reach out to your Rainbow Navigators to get connected.
Nashie Shamoon, Inclusive Technology Assistant
Wellbeing Kete Module—Developing strong, supportive friendships
The Wellbeing Kete brings together practical wellbeing skills to support you during your studies and beyond. Starting the trimester is a great time to focus on connection. The Developing strong, supportive friendships module supports you to build confidence in your relationships—whether you’re meeting new people or strengthening existing connections.
Check out the Wellbeing Kete and follow Student Equity and Wellbeing on Instagram or Facebook for Wellbeing Kete quick tips.
Celebrating Pride Month
Te Pātaka Kōrero—The Library’s NZ Author of the month: Chris Tse
Chris Tse has been selected as the NZ Author of the month at Te Pātaka Kōrero—The Library. Tse’s work explores identity, including his Chinese heritage and queer identity.
The Law Library at Old Government Buildings has also put together a resource display acknowledging 40 years of homosexual law reform.
You can find the library's entire rainbow catalogue through their Rainbow Reads collection.
Student Column by Ally Furneaux
Kia ora from UniQ’s new Publications Officer!
On behalf of the UniQ exec, I wanted to reach out with some tips following the end of trimester 1. I’ve been getting really familiar with just how easy it is to become completely swamped with assessments and study, and have gone through a lot of trial and error to find strategies that work for me.
My number one tip would be to break your work up into smaller chunks. Thinking of every assessment as a massive thing makes me far more prone to procrastination—separating it into smaller pieces instead helps me balance my workload while still having time for breaks.
And yes, breaks are super important. I’ve burned myself out over schoolwork enough times to have learned that lesson. I know it’s tempting to put everything into your assessments, but if you don’t take the time to be social, engage with hobbies and have fun, or even just rest your mind, you’ll quickly find yourself hitting a wall.
Keeping in contact with my people and staying engaged with my non-school hobbies has been incredibly important for my mental health this trimester. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to go it alone—reach out to the people around you if you need support. In times like these, community is everything.
Wishing all of you the best of luck for your future study endeavors!
Student Column—Call for submissions
Do you have a helpful study tip, a way to look after your wellbeing, or a story that might lift someone’s spirits? We want to hear from you!
Send us a short submission for our student column with your practical advice or positive perspective. It could be about:
- how you manage your workload
- what helps you stay connected
- something that made your day better
Submissions should be:
- uplifting, encouraging, or empowering
- focused on study, wellbeing, or campus life
- submitted as a Word document
- 250 words or less
We’ll feature selected tips in our newsletter to support and inspire others.
📧 Send your
tips to: rainbow@vuw.ac.nz
🗓️ You can submit anytime!
📝 Please note: submissions may be edited for clarity or length.
Notices
Sexual Health Testing available at Mauri Ora
Our friends at Mauri Ora offer confidential, inclusive easy-to-access STI testing for students who are enrolled with Student Health as their primary care provider. See more information on what they offer and how to book below:
What we do
We provide a wide range of STI testing and sexual health care, including:
• Testing for common STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and HIV
• Assessment of symptoms and advice on the right tests
• Cervical screening where appropriate
• Treatment, follow-up, and help with partner notification
• Advice on safer sex and contraception
• HIV prevention, including PrEP initiation and urgent PEP support when required
Testing is simple; it may involve a urine sample, a self-collected swab, or a blood test, depending on your needs.
Who you’ll see
Most STI care at Mauri Ora is provided by our experienced Registered Nurses. They:
• carry out STI testing and sexual health assessments
• provide clear information and advice
• manage results and follow-up care
• offer treatment where appropriate
• create a safe, non-judgemental space so you feel comfortable asking questions
If your situation is more complex or you have symptoms that need further assessment, our nurses work closely with our GPs and Nurse Practitioner to support your care.
How to book
You can book a routine STI testing appointment by contacting us on 04 4635308.
If you have symptoms or need to be seen urgently, please call us on 04 4635308 and ask to speak to a nurse for support.
