Piripi believes performing at a high level requires a mix of discipline, patience and integrity.
Phillip Shaun Burt is well known in the Whau Valley community as Matua Piripi. He has a passion for music, sports and equipping young people with the necessary knowledge, tools and resources to achieve their personal goals with long lasting, positive results.
He is an I Have A Dream school-based navigator at Te Kura O Otangarei, a 15-year commitment in which he follows each year-level of children from early primary to tertiary education or employment, providing mentoring, academic oversight, and support.
Piripi has spent nine years in education, largely at Whau Valley School assuming many different positions. He’s been a Youth Mentor for R.E.A.L kids leadership Programme (2010‐2013), a bi‐lingual teacher aide (2011‐2015), kapa haka tutor for ‘Nga Matatupu o Whau’ with great success (2014‐2016), a caretaker and cleaner (2014‐2017).