Jewelz Petley selected for the 2022 Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) programme

Jewelz Petley (Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa), who is part of The Western Initiative team, has been selected for the 2022 Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE) programme alongside 20 Fellows from Australia and Aotearoa with a background in Indigenous social change.

The Atlantic Fellows hub is based at the University of Melbourne, in partnership with the University of Auckland, and focusses on Indigenous social equity.

Jewelz has spent the last 15 years working to improve the wellbeing of Māori and Pasifika communities within the charitable and public sector, working at both grass roots and systems level.

Jewelz sees youth in West Auckland as in crisis due to unemployment, lack of appropriate housing and the high cost of living.

These factors exert pressure on mental health and wellbeing and contribute to systemic helplessness, hopelessness and disengagement.

“The solutions to many of the problems we have today could potentially be found in mātauranga Māori, the values and knowledge systems of the indigenous people of Aotearoa,” says Jewelz.

As the global Covid-19 pandemic is intensifying west Auckland’s situation, Jewelz will continue her work alongside local youth development organisations and key strategic partners to enable systemic shifts in economic norms.

Drawing on youth development, mātauranga Māori (knowledge and ways of being), whakapapa (kinship) co-design and innovation methodologies, Jewelz works to enable rangatahi to find their own solutions to economic autonomy.

“Being accepted on to this programme is a great privilege, and I am really honoured. I’m most looking forward to learning and working with the other Fellows. Being with a cohort who have shared values and vision provides a life changing opportunity, which I’m hoping will have great impact for whānau, rangatahi and hapori” says Jewelz.

A strong leader with skills in collaborative practice, agile thinking, and facilitation, she thrives in complexity. Her goal is to see Māori rangatahi (youth) and hapori (community) thriving in places where they live, learn, work and play.  

The cohort of 2022 Fellows come from a range of backgrounds and sectors, including finance, education, policy, health and environment. The cohort is majority Indigenous and includes 14 Fellows in Australia and 7 in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The programme begins with a foundation year where Fellows develop a social change project while completing a postgraduate qualification in social change leadership. This is followed by lifelong fellowship and membership in the global Atlantic Fellows community.

Professor Elizabeth McKinley, Executive Director of AFSE and Professor of Indigenous Education at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, welcomed the new cohort.

“We are delighted to welcome another strong cohort of social change-makers from across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand,’’ Professor McKinley said. “They join a growing community of Fellows who are working for better outcomes in Indigenous communities and organisations.”

Professor Shaun Ewen, Pro Vice Chancellor (Indigenous), spoke about the change the new Fellows will deliver.

“The 2022 Fellows come together at an exceptional time in human history. As we (hopefully) emerge from the depths of the pandemic, these Fellows will be a group of people who help create and shape our societies for years to come,’’ Professor Ewen said. “I look forward to watching and hearing about their achievements and influence in the coming months and years.”

The AFSE programme is led at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education and Social work by Associate Professors Melinda Webber and Te Kawehau Hoskins.

“The Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity is an excellent opportunity for community leaders and change makers to further develop their networks, capacity and capability to effect transformational social change. We look forward to working alongside them next year.”

The new Fellows are passionate about restoring Indigenous culture and knowledge, and empowering Indigenous communities for generations to come.

This is the fourth cohort since the program started in 2018. The 2022 cohort join 49 AFSE alumni and a community of 900 Atlantic Fellows around the world, which will grow to more than 2500 fellows by 2036.

The Atlantic Fellows programmes around the world are funded by a $US660 million commitment from The Atlantic Philanthropies. Established by American/Irish businessman Chuck Feeney, the co-founder of the Duty Free Shoppers Group, the foundation has given away $US8 billion over the course of Mr Feeney’s lifetime, largely anonymously.

Information on the 2022 cohort of AFSE Fellows can be found at socialequity.atlanticfellows.org/fellows.

Applications for the 2023 programme will open for Indigenous and non-Indigenous applicants committed to advancing Indigenous-led social equity in mid-2022.