Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa

Celebrating Pride in every school | Whakanuia te uenuku ki ia kura

We will be back in 2025!

Registrations will be open for Schools’ Pride Week 2025 early next year!

June 2 – 6, 2025
Term 2, Week 6

Celebrating Schools’ Pride Week is an important way for school communities to affirm that rainbow students, staff and whānau belong.

Help us make SPWA 2025 the biggest and best one yet!

We offer our heartfelt gratitude to all the amazing rainbow young people, staff and allies leading this change on the ground in our communities.

The activities and information on this website are useful all year round!

He aha te kaupapa?

Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa is an important annual pride campaign celebrating rainbow staff, students and whānau in school communities across the country. It is organised by the youth-led rainbow non-profit, InsideOUT Kōaro.

Now in its fifth year, Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa takes a strengths-based approach to combating rainbow-focused school bullying and discrimination.

Rainbow people are a normal part of society. We belong. That is why it is so important for rainbow tamariki and rangatahi (or those with rainbow parents and whānau) to see themselves reflected at school – so they know they are OK, and can thrive, shine and grow freely.

School-specific events for Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa are often run by students, with rainbow diversity groups showcasing their leadership skills to advocate for safer, more inclusive school environments.

Learn more by visiting our About or FAQ pages.

 

Poho Kererū

Full of Pride

InsideOUT Kōaro kaimahi worked closely with rangatahi and our takatāpui community to gather the kaupapa of Schools’ Pride Week Aotearoa 2023 around the te reo Māori kīwaha (colloquial saying) ‘Poho Kererū’.

A figurative expression referring to the puffed up plumage of the kererū (a native manu with cultural significance to many Māori, including as a historically important source of kai), ‘Poho Kererū’ cannot be directly translated. In inspired English, however, it may be adapted as ‘full of pride’ or ‘puffed up with pride’.

We mihi and offer gratitude to takatāpui ringatoi (artist), Pounamu Wharekawa, for their gorgeous mahi toi. Our 2023 Schools’ Pride Week Stickers featuring their designs are still available to order.