title: Strengths and limitations of early career mentoring schemes: Case Study, the New Zealand Police Field Training Officer programme

authors: Korach, Haydn Clyde

subjects: Field Training Officer

abstract: This study focuses on the Field Training Officer (FTO) programme that the New Zealand Police adopted as an early career mentoring programme in 2003. The purpose of the research was to understand the nature of workplace mentoring and how such mentoring schemes are experienced by the mentor and the mentee. A qualitative approach was used to achieve this purpose which drew on literature, policy, internal review documents and interviews (practice). Specifically, the New Zealand FTO programme was compared to broader mentoring literature, including a comparison is research on early career mentoring in teaching, nursing and policing outside of New Zealand. To gain an understanding of the New Zealand Police FTO programme, three reviews and a range policy documents were thematically analysed alongside three in-depth interviews which were carried out with resigned New Zealand Police members, exploring their experiences as both probationary constables and FTO mentors. This information was used to determine the strengths and limitations or issues with formal early career mentoring systems generally and more specifically in relation to the FTO programme.
Based on the findings from the literature, policy documents and interviews, the central arguments of this research are: 1) that workplace mentoring has benefits but also common implementation problems, including; time management: a) balancing mentoring with normal duties; and b) building a strong relationship between mentor and mentee, selection of the ‘right’ mentor, and lack of access or insufficient training for mentors. 2) The FTO programme is beneficial to the development of both probationary constables and the FTO mentors alike. 3) The reviews and interviews demonstrated the FTO has all the implementation issues identified in the literature demonstrating that some of the issues in the programme are symptomatic of workplace mentoring schemes. 4) That the issue of inconsistent implementation across districts is different and can and should be addressed. 5) That the funding constraints associated with neoliberal influenced policy and practice means that it is likely that some of the issues identified in the FTO programme will continue. 6) The thesis argues that despite the funding constraints it is worthwhile putting aside some resources to ensure effective socialisation of new police officers, including: a clearer career path and/or different forms of recognition for FTOs; develop a centralised position to co-ordinate the recruitment and training of FTOs; increase the amount of training provided.

text: Strengths and limitations of early career mentoring schemes: Case Study, the New Zealand Police Field Training Officer programme This study focuses on the Field Training Officer (FTO) programme that the New Zealand Police adopted as an early career mentoring programme in 2003. The purpose of the research was to understand the nature of workplace mentoring and how such mentoring schemes are experienced by the mentor and the mentee. A qualitative approach was used to achieve this purpose which drew on literature, policy, internal review documents and interviews (practice). Specifically, the New Zealand FTO programme was compared to broader mentoring literature, including a comparison is research on early career mentoring in teaching, nursing and policing outside of New Zealand. To gain an understanding of the New Zealand Police FTO programme, three reviews and a range policy documents were thematically analysed alongside three in-depth interviews which were carried out with resigned New Zealand Police members, exploring their experiences as both probationary constables and FTO mentors. This information was used to determine the strengths and limitations or issues with formal early career mentoring systems generally and more specifically in relation to the FTO programme.
Based on the findings from the literature, policy documents and interviews, the central arguments of this research are: 1) that workplace mentoring has benefits but also common implementation problems, including; time management: a) balancing mentoring with normal duties; and b) building a strong relationship between mentor and mentee, selection of the ‘right’ mentor, and lack of access or insufficient training for mentors. 2) The FTO programme is beneficial to the development of both probationary constables and the FTO mentors alike. 3) The reviews and interviews demonstrated the FTO has all the implementation issues identified in the literature demonstrating that some of the issues in the programme are symptomatic of workplace mentoring schemes. 4) That the issue of inconsistent implementation across districts is different and can and should be addressed. 5) That the funding constraints associated with neoliberal influenced policy and practice means that it is likely that some of the issues identified in the FTO programme will continue. 6) The thesis argues that despite the funding constraints it is worthwhile putting aside some resources to ensure effective socialisation of new police officers, including: a clearer career path and/or different forms of recognition for FTOs; develop a centralised position to co-ordinate the recruitment and training of FTOs; increase the amount of training provided.

year: 2015

title: Characterisation of VapC in Mycobacterium smegmatis

authors: Willcock, Duncan Mark Koorey

abstract: Members of the VapC family of proteins cleave RNA at specific sites in order to regulate biological processes with a cell. Characterization of the sites targeted by a specific protein using conventional biochemical techniques is resource intensive. This study explores the potential use of computational models to characterize the sites targeted by VapC in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Previous work has reported the impact of VapC upon each gene in the M. smegmatis genome and produced a hypothesis model for the specific motif targeted by the enzyme. However, this model has been shown to be insufficient for the differentiation of sites cleaved by VapC from those not cleaved. This study aims to extend this model to accurately describe the features which influence VapC activity at a site. A model capable of accurately predicting the VapC target sites could supplement the existing biochemical techniques. Furthermore, a process developed to train such a model could potentially be generalized and applied to other proteins and species.
This thesis explores increasingly complex representations of RNA sites and a suite of supervised learning techniques to train models that predict the efficiency with which sites are cleaved by VapC. The simplest representations of RNA sites consider only the RNA sequence. More detail is added to the representation in the form of secondary structures and the potential influences of tertiary structures are discussed. No model is produced that is capable of accurate, meaningful predictions. This suggests that the construction of a successful model requires significant alterations to the representation of RNA sites or that the data available is insufficient for training an accurate model.

text: Characterisation of VapC in Mycobacterium smegmatis Members of the VapC family of proteins cleave RNA at specific sites in order to regulate biological processes with a cell. Characterization of the sites targeted by a specific protein using conventional biochemical techniques is resource intensive. This study explores the potential use of computational models to characterize the sites targeted by VapC in Mycobacterium smegmatis. Previous work has reported the impact of VapC upon each gene in the M. smegmatis genome and produced a hypothesis model for the specific motif targeted by the enzyme. However, this model has been shown to be insufficient for the differentiation of sites cleaved by VapC from those not cleaved. This study aims to extend this model to accurately describe the features which influence VapC activity at a site. A model capable of accurately predicting the VapC target sites could supplement the existing biochemical techniques. Furthermore, a process developed to train such a model could potentially be generalized and applied to other proteins and species.
This thesis explores increasingly complex representations of RNA sites and a suite of supervised learning techniques to train models that predict the efficiency with which sites are cleaved by VapC. The simplest representations of RNA sites consider only the RNA sequence. More detail is added to the representation in the form of secondary structures and the potential influences of tertiary structures are discussed. No model is produced that is capable of accurate, meaningful predictions. This suggests that the construction of a successful model requires significant alterations to the representation of RNA sites or that the data available is insufficient for training an accurate model.

year: 2016

title: Rahui and marine construction: Potential for enhancement of taonga species

authors: Fox, Danielle

subjects: Maori

abstract: The aims of my study were to investigate whether marine reserves enhance intertidal species used by Māori in a traditional or contemporary sense, and whether artificial structures in the intertidal region (such as wharf and bridge pilings) provide suitable habitats for traditionally harvested species. Further, I investigated whether non-indigenous species were found in these habitats, which may affect traditionally used species.
The abundance of ataata (cat's eyes; Turbo smaragdus) and kina (sea urchin; Evechinus chloroticus) were quantified in three marine protected areas and nearby unprotected reference beaches. Results from Mann-Whitney U comparisons suggested that kina were significantly enhanced inside the two marine reserves with total protection. Kina are released from harvest pressure inside these reserves and possibly from the effects of predation and competition. In one reserve ataata abundance was significantly lower and no difference was found for ataata in the second reserve. This species is not as heavily harvested as kina and may even be negatively affected by trampling inside reserves. Both kina and ataata showed no response to a partially protected marine park. Abundance of both non-indigenous species was not sufficient enough to be sampled and statistically quantified at the marine reserve sites. Biotic resistance may restrict the proliferation of non-indigenous species in rocky intertidal marine reserves. 
Intertidal fauna were scraped from concrete and wooden structures and were compared with fauna inhabiting nearby natural rocky reefs. Multi-dimensional scaling and ANOSIM was used to explore trends in the community composition of different study sites, and to illustrate which habitat types are more associated with traditionally used and non-indigenous species. The main results conclude that diverse communities are associated with natural habitats whereas constructed structures have limited fauna. Of the traditionally used species, the native rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) was found in relatively equal frequencies on artificial habitats and rocky reefs, and the non-indigenous oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was predominantly recorded on artificial structures and rare on natural substrates. The construction of artificial structures around New Zealand's coastline may assist in the spread of non-indigenous species, to the detriment of species traditionally used by Māori.

text: Rahui and marine construction: Potential for enhancement of taonga species The aims of my study were to investigate whether marine reserves enhance intertidal species used by Māori in a traditional or contemporary sense, and whether artificial structures in the intertidal region (such as wharf and bridge pilings) provide suitable habitats for traditionally harvested species. Further, I investigated whether non-indigenous species were found in these habitats, which may affect traditionally used species.
The abundance of ataata (cat's eyes; Turbo smaragdus) and kina (sea urchin; Evechinus chloroticus) were quantified in three marine protected areas and nearby unprotected reference beaches. Results from Mann-Whitney U comparisons suggested that kina were significantly enhanced inside the two marine reserves with total protection. Kina are released from harvest pressure inside these reserves and possibly from the effects of predation and competition. In one reserve ataata abundance was significantly lower and no difference was found for ataata in the second reserve. This species is not as heavily harvested as kina and may even be negatively affected by trampling inside reserves. Both kina and ataata showed no response to a partially protected marine park. Abundance of both non-indigenous species was not sufficient enough to be sampled and statistically quantified at the marine reserve sites. Biotic resistance may restrict the proliferation of non-indigenous species in rocky intertidal marine reserves. 
Intertidal fauna were scraped from concrete and wooden structures and were compared with fauna inhabiting nearby natural rocky reefs. Multi-dimensional scaling and ANOSIM was used to explore trends in the community composition of different study sites, and to illustrate which habitat types are more associated with traditionally used and non-indigenous species. The main results conclude that diverse communities are associated with natural habitats whereas constructed structures have limited fauna. Of the traditionally used species, the native rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) was found in relatively equal frequencies on artificial habitats and rocky reefs, and the non-indigenous oyster (Crassostrea gigas) was predominantly recorded on artificial structures and rare on natural substrates. The construction of artificial structures around New Zealand's coastline may assist in the spread of non-indigenous species, to the detriment of species traditionally used by Māori.

year: 2010