Sarah Williams: Championing equity through education and connection
The PSNZ Education Fund helps paediatric professionals grow their expertise, build networks, and advance equitable health outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi.
Sarah Williams, a council representative for PSNZ and senior academic at AUT, used her grant to attend the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting in Ōtepoti Dunedin. There, she engaged in kōrero with fellow clinicians, researchers, and policy advocates, and was especially moved by the powerful Māori Rōpū session.
This session prompted me to reflect deeply on how we support Māori students in our health programmes—especially through transitions from school to university. I left with new ideas and renewed motivation to improve outcomes through education and connection – Sarah Williams
Sarah’s experience highlighted the importance of listening to Māori voices and broadened her understanding of inequities in child health from a Māori perspective. The sessions she attended are already informing her teaching, course content, and approach to research.
Through this opportunity, Sarah:
- Strengthened local and international research partnerships
- Reconnected with professional networks
- Promoted PSNZ membership through the College of Child and Youth Nurses and AUT’s research community
Her learnings will continue to be shared through student mentorship, national networks, and collaborative projects aimed at improving equity in child health.