WHY THE Y ISSUE 5
For Youth Development For Healthy Living For Social Responsibility
YMCA of Greater Wellington Head Office 04 568 3252 www.ymcawellington.org.nz
July 2014
C.E’S MESSAGE There is a lot going on at the moment! Our staff have started the new year with a surge of excitement and anticipation. Our number one focus is young people, with the key areas being youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
YOUNG PEOPLE CONTINUE TO THRIVE AT THE Y Recently our YMCA Education students joined together for a day at the Masterton Fire Station. Students and staff thoroughly enjoyed the day. After watching a few cautionary short films about the danger of fire and how to prevent a potential tragedy we were given a tour of a fire engine and the uniform that’s worn by firefighters. A dramatic display of why water should never be used on an oil fire is something that will stay prevalent in our minds. The highlight of the day however would have to be participating in the removal of the doors and roof of a car using the hydraulic Jaws of Life. It made us truly appreciate the extraordinary situations that firefighters have to attend to and it definitely sparked the interest of a couple of students who are now considering fire fighting in the future. Thank you to Kim and her partner Stephen for organising the day. Special thanks must go to the team at Masterton Fire Station, Mike, Richard, Justin, Marina and Doug all great experience and their willingness to share this with the students is something that will stay with them for life.
Wellington Education Centre Recently we made some significant changes to the structure and learning programmes delivered at the Wellington Education Centre, creating a new and exciting culture for our students. No longer are we known in the community as the ‘last resort’ but have become a ‘preferred educational provider’ with 31 students on our role and a further 7 young people on our waiting list. We have been fortunate to have Charlizza Harris and Soraya Kamau on board leading the cultural aspects of our programme, these amazing young women bring with them extensive knowledge and skills in youth development which has proven extremely valuable in engaging students in the new ‘culture’ at the centre. This term the students have been learning about how to deliver personal Pepeha. A Pepeha in its simplest form is an introduction of us illustrating our connections to the environment as well as our linkages to our cultural heritage. We have also been discussing values and applying these through waiata and whakatauki in preparation for our cultural tour to Gisborne in July. The students are starting to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of values and how these underpin what we are attempting to achieve at the education centre. This term we have introduced new programmes and initiatives which are based on authentic learning and development. This approach has provided students with more fun and interactive ways to gain credits towards their National Certificates. Last month we ran a Careers Day, inviting local employers and community leaders to interview our students and prepare them for employment. As a follow up we managed to secure work experience for most of the students covering the areas of youth work, hospitality, child care, farming and event management. The Wellington Education Centre is shaping up to become a vibrant community space for young people to receive a meaningful education. Every week we have regular support people visiting from Youth Transitional Services (WINZ), Evolve and the Weltec Bachelor of Youth Development programme. We have also connected with Police, CYFS, Mental Health Services and Weltrust to meet the social needs of our students. We are providing a safe and caring environment where everyone is valued and supported to achieve their learning goals. Our doors are open and welcome community interest in what we are doing here.
Camp Kaitoke has been humming… Hundreds of children per week have been enjoying their school camps. Now that we are through the busy summer season we are taking some time to focus on programme development and getting on top of repairs and maintenance. The Upper Hutt Y has formed a partnership with Upper Hutt Health. This has enabled us to use our facilities to help families and those people who require support to get themselves through our wYse script programme. We are now the largest provider of after school care programmes in the Wellington region, and fourth largest in New Zealand. We provide a quality, affordable product. with staff that genuinely care for the youngsters attending our programmes. We are still keen to increase our presence in the area, so we would welcome a chat with your school regarding potential partnerships. Our education programmes are all fully occupied with waiting lists. These students have often found the education system not for them. Our role is to assist them with finding a more positive pathway. Our Youth programmes have seen hundreds of students discovering the rewards of giving back to their local community. We attempt to always make our programmes affordable. We know that not everyone can always find the money to go to camp or be part of a programme, and we are often supporting students by providing food and/or clothing. We have also developed a scholarship fund that has supported many people in a positive way over the years. All this takes funding. If you would like to assist by making a donation it would be greatly received and well used. Simon Jackson, CEO
Sally Rye Dunn, Centre Manager and Tutor 1
“Percy is thriving at the YMCA Education Centre... He clearly has great potential, his peers look up to him as a leader.” Growing up on a farm in rural Gisborne was a perfectly natural fit for young Percy Takao. Following the sudden death of his father, Percy and his 8 siblings were taken in by his grandfather when he was 5 years old and raised entrenched in Maoritanga and taught how to live off the land. In April 2012, when Percy Takao saved all of his money to buy a one way ticket from Gisborne to Wellington he had no idea what to expect. Living in Wellington with his grandmother and cousins, Percy was a long way from the tight knit community he grew up in. In fact when he first arrived in Wellington he recalls thinking “am I still in NZ?” Needless to say it was a huge culture shock as he was challenged to form new friendships and assimilate into the Wellington ‘Youth Culture.’ Shortly after settling in Wellington, Percy’s grandmother passed away. With no means of income Percy was left to fend for himself hustling for food, clothing, and other necessities. Throughout 2012 and 2013 Percy found himself in ‘survival’ mode spending most of his time in and out of the attention of the police, struggling to keep out of trouble. In the earlier months of 2013 Percy stumbled across the YMCA Education Centre with a friend and after attending the “free lunch”, Percy decided to enrol. Even though he engaged quickly in the education programme, Percy still failed to resist trouble as he floated from home to home without any reassurance of where he would sleep next. Recently as part of the culture change at the YMCA Education Centre, Percy undertook a holistic assessment where it was discovered that Percy was living on the streets, involved in excessive consumption of alcohol and junk food and addicted to synthetic drugs. YMCA Staff moved quickly registering Percy with Study Link, connecting him to More than Numbers Social Services and accessing funding through the YMCA Hardship Grant to secure accommodation. Within a few weeks Percy was receiving a student allowance, engaged in Drug and Alcohol Counselling and living in a safe and supportive home. Today at 19 years old, Percy is thriving at the YMCA Education Centre and aims to achieve his NCEA level 1 & 2 by the end of this year. He clearly has great potential, his peers look up to him as a leader and he is beginning to come out of his shell since incorporating Te Ao Maori teachings and Tikanga into the Education programme. Percy has many dreams and aspirations but above all he aspires to own and operate a farm. With this in mind, YMCA staff have connected Percy with the opportunity to expand his farming skills through work experience at Camp Kaitoke. Things are starting to come together for Percy and with the support he has in place through the ‘Y’ he is confident that he will achieve his goals, “I’m not there yet” he states “but I know I’m close!”
Y-KIDS PROGRAMMES HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES The holiday programme fast approaches with all our centres getting together for a winter carnival as well as learning and having fun with a PJ party day, Kiwiana themed day, a Harry Potter wizard event and a neon lights disco. The last holiday programme saw around 250 children attending our Amazing Race at Aotea Lagoon where teams participated in a wide range of events to win the day. All sites also got together, dressed as their favourite movie character and went to the Embassy to see the new Lego movie. We will not be running programmes at Churton Park, Moera Community Hall or Postgate School this holiday. With various Holiday Programme sites around the region we have something for everybody. Visit www.ymcawellington.org.nz to book online and confirm your spot. Early bird discounts available!
AFTER SCHOOL CARE Titahi Bay We are now into their second term and have had a superheroes day during the teachers only day. Cashmere Ave Cashmere Ave are learning about the jungle and have created a space full of vines and monkeys in which they learn about values and get acknowledged for their great behaviours. Khandallah School Khandallah were Community heroes and have fundraised money for the Kids Can Trust, they have also been learning about what to do in an emergency and who to call. Mount Cook School Mount Cook are adapting to an exciting new structure after school and are all learning new skills everyday by being engaged in the different activities offered. Kahurangi School We have a new centre open at Kahurangi school. The first few weeks have gone well with kids enjoying the variety of activities offered and staff enjoying a beautiful brand new school hall to work in.I tenei wa kei te ako nga tamariki o Kahurangi nga purakau, waiata me nga tikanga o nga Atua maori. He tino pai ki a matua me nga tamariki hoki te kaupapa nei. Which translates to: This term the children of Kahurangi have been learning stories, songs and traditions of the maori guardians. Both parents and children have been enjoying this kaupapa. Silverstream School We’ve had a lot of new exciting things happen at our Silverstream centre recently. A science club has been set up on a Friday which the kids really enjoy. Our first experiment was “lava in a cup”. Our sewing club is very popular, with the kids finding the sewing machine fun to use - we plan to make many things, including wheat bags. Your children can now showcase their talents at our new “YMCA Silverstream’s got talent”. We especially loved Emily-Jane and Sophie’s performance from Disney’s Frozen. Te Aro School Te Aro has had heaps of fun activities this term. Our themes have included NZ music, where we played with and made a range of instruments and were introduced to some local music, living planet, where we learnt about the natural world, prehistoric week, where we completed all sorts of dinosaur activities, and technology, where we used teamwork and initiative to complete challenges. Lots more fun planned for the rest of the term, looking forward to seeing you at after school care. Belmont School Belmont ASC has started Jump Jam fitness on the cold winter days. The children really enjoy this and have turn’s leading the moves on stage. The children are kept busy creating arts and crafts and playing with lots of interactive games. Trentham School At Trentham after school we love to get busy baking, making and creating! Term 3 we are starting a Dance Club! A great way to have fun and keep fit during these winter months!
SUPPORT THE YMCA The YMCA is a not-for-profit organisation. Whilst we do have programmes and services which attract an income such as accommodation and gym memberships, many of our programmes are offered at minimal or no cost in order to remove barriers to participation and to provide important services to the community. Additional funding, from donations, grants and contracts, is often required to run these programmes. The YMCA of Greater Wellington is a charitable trust registered with the Charities Commission. Donations of $5 or more qualify for a tax rebate on production of an official receipt.
OUR MISSION ACCOMPLISHED Without a scholarship, I could never have financed a camp trip for my son. My appreciation for what you have provided for us cannot be truly expressed through words. By graciously giving, you have enabled my son to experience camps that have ultimately contributed to his success as a Year 8 student today. He has gained knowledge and experience that has helped him grow in character. What you have graciously given, has helped transform my son into a confident young man. For that, I will be forever grateful. Thank you for making a difference in our lives. -Parent of YMCA Scholarship Recipient
OUR SUPPORTERS A big thank you to those founders who have supported us in the last quarter.
Crofton Downs School The number of children coming to Crofton Downs has been growing throughout term 2. We celebrated Cinquo de Mayo in Mexico week, had a pirates ball to celebrate pirates week, and made erupting volcanoes during dinosaur week.
St Orans School MR16 Tutor Group.
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NOTICE BOARD YMCA AFTER SCHOOL CARE Do you want a YMCA After School Care Centre at your school? If so we would like to hear from you. All information on our ASC programmes can be found on our website or by contacting Elizabeth Burns on: 04 568 3252 or elizabeth@ ymcawellington.org.nz
OSCAR PROGRAMMES Did you know you can register online for all our kids programmes? Holiday Programmes, After School Care & Camp Kaitoke Camps are all available for online bookings. Use our online booking system to make registering for our kids programmes as easy and stress free as possible. Log into: www.ymcawellington.org.nz for all details.
HORSE & Y-CAMP WEEKEND BLAST Join us for a weekend jam packed with adventures. Numbers are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Visit our website for more info: www.ymcawellington.org.nz
YMCA UPPER HUTT ACTIVE LIVING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Do you struggle to keep active? Or are you looking ways in which the whole family can stay active? Why not join YMCA Upper Hutt Sport and Fitness as a family? We have structured exercise times for the whole family so primary and intermediate students can be engaged in fun active activities while mum, dad and the grandparents work out. Prices start at only $32 per week for a family of 4 or $40 per week for a family of up to 6. OR Pay the whole year up front and get a month free! At the Y, we believe that our youth should understand the importance of physical activity while having fun. Our programs are designed to be age appropriate and promote lifelong healthy habits. More classes to follow subject to interest including Junior Pilates and more. Junior Circuit Training 4:30–5:15pm on Tuesdays. Age: 5–12 yr olds. Cost: $4
SPORTS LEAGUES Term 2 Unihoc has kicked off to a good start with most schools entering at least two to three teams in each grade. Currently we have 10 teams for years 1-2, 10 teams for years 3-4 and 14 teams fro years 5-6. Each team consists of at least 10 players per team which means I have 340 kids participating in the sport this term. All teams showed a good and competitive attitude towards the game. THANK-YOU Teachers, Coaches, and Parents for your continuous support in getting the kids to the games on time. And referees Merekara, Viapuna and Jade for their support and patients teaching our little year 1-2 kids.
YMCA CAMP KAITOKE Kia Ora, hi from YMCA Camp Kaitoke! We have lots if super awesome camps during the year including out annual speciality camps of Y-Kitchen Rulz and Art Funk in July! In September we have our ‘cool’ Ski Camp where we head up to Tukino Ski Field for a fun filled week in the snow! Don’t forget our classic Y-Camps and Ever popular Horse Camps are held every school holidays too! Experience a jam packed week of fun and adventures with loads of activities, games and laughter, all while creating amazing memories.
HORSE & Y-CAMP WEEKEND BLAST. Come join us for a weekend jam packed with adventure. Numbers are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Visit our website for more info: www. ymcawellington.org.nz Bookings are available all through the year. We do: Birthday Parties, Team building, Conferences, Reunions, Retreats and more. Contact us for more info and to ensure you don’t miss out. CONTACT: camp@ymcawellington.org.nz 04 568 3853 184 Marchant Road, Kaitoke, Upper Hutt, 5018 www.ymcawellington.org.nz