In 2025, Nui Creative partnered with NorthTec to launch Puawānanga Tapuhi Māori | Bachelor of Nursing Māori. The Puawānanga Tapuhi Māori degree embodies mātauranga o te Tai Tokerau, integrating te ao Māori into every part of the programme. Delivered at NorthTec Ngāwhā, it offers students the chance to study closer to home while gaining a registered nursing qualification.

Our job? Support enrolments for Puawānanga Tapuhi Māori | Bachelor of Nursing Māori through a digital storytelling campaign.

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Illustrating the whakapapa of Nursing in the North.

Māori make up around 10% of Aotearoa’s Health and Social Care workforce, despite being 17% of the population. Our campaign set out to close that gap by inspiring Māori health workers in Te Tai Tokerau to take the next step in their careers.

How did we do this?

By taking ownership of Nursing, as a role that has been held within Te Tai Tokerau Whānau for generations.

The message was simple and powerful: Me whai Tapuhi tō ia whānau. Every whānau needs a nurse.

To bring this to life, we met with real Tai Tokerau whānau who have multiple generations of Nurses. Each whānau shared their experiences, the importance of Nursing to their whānau and hapū, the reasons they entered Nursing and the challenges they faced along the way.

By capturing the stories of these challenges - fear of study, juggling work and family, reconnecting with education - we illustrated a legacy of Nursing and determination within whānau that was relatable, inspiring and truly reflective of the hapori NorthTec set out to serve.

The Campaign

We built a strategy that combined storytelling, community connection, and strong digital presence:

• Social media: Short video interviews and image posts across NorthTec Tai Tokerau social platforms.
• Community outreach: Showcased videos to the students and their whānau, at the Powhiri supported by iwi and Tai Tokerau health providers.

Each piece of content linked back to the same call to action: Join the legacy of Māori nurses in the North.

Real Results through Real Stories

Puawānanga Tapuhi Māori | Bachelor of Nursing Māori was oversubscribed within the first month of its release.

By focusing on authentic voices and whānau-centred storytelling, this campaign connected meaningfully with Māori audiences across Te Tai Tokerau. It inspired confidence in those considering study and celebrated those already leading change in healthcare.