Taruna College is going through some changes at the moment with a new leadership team on board. Rosie Simpson, Lauren Hudson and Deb Bednarek are now working together to lead Taruna into a bright future. Here, they share their work with us:
On Wednesday 7th March we marked with a Blessing ceremony, the beginning of a new era of Taruna as an Adult Learning Centre. In 1982 Karl Hoffman founded the first teacher’s course here, and now 35 years later we recognise the birth of a new seven-year phase – our consciousness soul time. The last years at Taruna have been about surviving in, and responding to an increasingly challenging operating environment. During this time the various forms of management wrestled with the question of how to keep Taruna afloat while providing courses that were in the spirit of anthroposophy.
With this latest significant birthday, the challenges have not disappeared but a new group, the Leadership Council, have taken on the task of bringing fresh eyes and enthusiasm to navigating the next phase. One new freedom is the decision to de-register Taruna courses from the NZQA qualifications framework, which had meant restrictions to course flexibility and demanded high levels of compliance.
Another new development is the local community connection to Taruna facilities and their discovery of this sanctuary. Everyone who comes here remarks on what a special and blessed place Taruna is. The feedback from past students is consistent about how affirming and life changing a course undertaken at Taruna can be. For this, we thank the many wonderful tutors and course directors who have generously shared their goodwill and wisdom as creative teachers here in the past.
At the Blessing ceremony we remembered Ruth Nelson and Edna Burbury and all those who connected themselves to the being of Taruna, especially those who chose to have their ashes interred here. All Friends of Taruna who gathered on that evening also took a moment to connect themselves consciously to the emerging future of Taruna.
As the new Leadership Council now charged with the responsibility for making Taruna responsive and contemporary while honouring its founding impulse, we invite your connection too.