Its 8am at OPC headquarters and its buzzing with conversations, safety briefings and the days plans.  Instructors are about to head into wilderness as they gather their radios and meet their groups of excited young peeps.

Meanwhile, the crew behind the scenes are working away sorting out medical forms, bookings, finances, the new website, planning events, developing database systems, maintaining buildings and vehicles, responding to radio calls, sorting out IT hiccups, management restructuring, chopping firewood, sharing ideas… there’s a lot going on.

In just over 2 weeks with the centre I have been learning a lot about how this place ticks, its systems and the many roles of people here (and a crazy amount of acronyms!).  I’ve also shared what makes me tick, our World of Difference year ahead and been treasure hunting for resources….including a freeze proof, water proof, dust proof and shock proof camera!

Becoming part of the OPC community has been a priority so on Friday eve I cooked peoples a hakaari and we watched an awesome film called Earth Whisperers, Papatuanuku (at the CC – that’s the Community Centre).  This was a great way to bring our minds together as one and feel inspired by a diversity of New Zealand Earth activists responding to the life around and within us.  This will be the first of a series of social and environmental film screenings for staff throughout the year, so do get in touch if you know of any positive and connecting flicks (gratitude!).

On that thread, we are also re-developing the role of the Environmental Officers and two awesome instructors have stepped up to take it on, pick up and develop our conservation programs, as well as co-create a social and environmental response action plan for OPC.  So exciting!

Sharing kaupapa with our local communities has begun and there are some exciting ideas coming forward for collaboration.  We are also seeking advice from our community and experts about developing a framework for OPC to establish a baseline for social responsibility – a clear place from which we can grow with others and develop positive relationships.

And It wasn’t so long ago when Graeme Dingle set out to ask young New Zealanders if they wanted the centre.  And with an astounding ‘yes’ co-created this place with no cash upfront, a lot of possum stews and the power of people who really believed in adventure and connecting young people with the outdoors.

Discovering more deeply the inspiring beginnings and future aspirations of this community has been wonderfully reinforcing for me.  It’s been 37 years, a lot is changing and I have realised that it’s the perfect time to be here.

I am also learning how to create movement with patience, and feeling challenged by existing for so many hours indoors.  I do know though, that Natures grace is only a few footsteps away and it wont be too long before I am under open skies and trialling programmes with our young people and instructors.

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In the staff village at night I hear Ruru call, and moth wings purr in my room above my head.  Morning light wakes me with mountain sights and gratitude flows for living and giving with this place….

Til next time…

Stephanie

Well, I’ve just completed my first month on my World of Difference project and so far it has been amazing.  Vodafone provided me the opportunity to travel over to Denver U.S. for a conference on Youth Offending.  This was a great opportunity to attend some workshops around working with Adolescent Girls.  I also got to spend some one-on-one time with Susan Robinson who has written some great resources on the subject.  I survived the freezing temperatures and snow – but, maybe not the absence of good coffee.

After 4 days at the conference I travelled over to Illinois to visit an established residential programme called Indian Oaks Academy, which is run by an organisation called Nexus.  Indian Oaks is for adolescents who have sexually abused others (12-21yrs).   They have around 120 beds, and a school on site.  I was especially impressed by the acknowledgement of being gender-responsive in their approaches thus meeting the needs of girls within a therapeutic environment that  takes into account their life experience as girls.

Nexus offers a programme for girls called ‘Soundwaves’.  For me, being able to see how therapeutic models and approaches have been taken up within other contexts was incredibly informative.  ‘Soundwaves’ is a service designed to meet the unique needs of females,  that values the female perspective and  takes into account female development. They seek to empower young women to reach their full potential.  This is done within the residential environment by using things like music as a theme throughout the programme in visual and behavioural cues.

The staff were incredibly hospitable and allowed me to really submerge myself in the programme over the week.  I was able to meet and liaise with staff about their approaches and the structure of the service. Then it was time leave the snow behind and come home.

On my return I spent a week at Massey University working on my research skills for the research component of my project.  I’ve also been collecting and working my way through screeds of books and articles, so I can begin my literature review.  The direction of my research appears to be getting clearer.  One of the really important things for developing services for young women appears to be the importance of being gender responsive and not simply adapting models designed for young men, and also finding ways to bring to bear the different context of our own unique little country – New Zealand. 

The next month with mainly be filled with writing up a literature review and continuing my clinical work with the girls.

Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Be-Da-Day… Stevie Wonder. The Man. A wiked day, coming to the end of an epic month. Kickin it in the back of the room listening to a live rehearsal while I reflect on how we got to where we are now…

That was a week ago now, back there in the rehearsal room, life came along and moved me onto the next gig, to the next task, and the sitting to reflect got left singing along where it was…

Now. I’m up north in Te Tai Tokerau, Te Nōta, kei te rongo i te mita, i te hā ō tōku nei kāinga. Te reka hoki! We have been rolling for a week now, cranking up the start of our Hui ā-Kura, our school workshop tour catalysing rangatahi Māori out in the regions in their action learning journey, seeking out the kōrero ō neherā, the old stories, legends that are connected with the significant water features in their region.

Wai – water, is our main kaupapa for the year and it’s so confirming to see that it IS an extremely relevant and connected kaupapa for the students and communities that we are working with. Right now in a lot of the far north there are water shortages and creeks drying up because of droughts, so helping rangatahi connect to their wai, and bringing alive the stories of their tupuna has been a massive privilege! The energy of the students and the richness of the stories that they are sharing with us is totally enriching our journey and the scenery and beauty of the north is awesome. The other awesome thing about jamming with rangatahi Māori about wai is that we got to rock it out at the different awa and jump off the bridges! Meeean bombs all around!!

Tonight, on sunset, we found ourselves enjoying fish and chips on the beach at Waitangi after a massive day! The morning started in the mist crossing the ferry from Rawene over to Kohukohu, from there the drive out to Panguru flew by, and after a quick detour to the beach at Mitimiti we were welcomed onto Te Kura Taumata o Panguru by the whole school, spending the day with the senior crew there then rolling from the west to the east in the sunshine…

Casting my mind back, in Pūmahara mode I’m seeing that there are two distinct types of work that I’m finding myself engaged in, after blowing a week out pulling together a funding application for one of our projects (enabling work) I’m now spending my days jamming with the students and my crew (contact work) Definitely seeing and confirming where my passions lie and learning new skills as we roll through the work…

Back to the day in the rehearsal room, what I was going to write about was that in the short space of 3 hours, 3 meetings in a row, for 3 different parts of the project, the 3 outcomes were awesome, my skype call with a spoken word / slam poet crew member from Youth Speaks Hawai’i laid foundations for them to come over and be part of Te Aho Tū Roa – Kōtuia! later on in the year, the meeting with our graphics man bounced up some good design concepts that are developing the visual identity for the Jam and the crew, and the meeting hooked up with Hector at Te Whariki put into place a meeting the next week to develop an evaluation process for the year.. so feeling good…

Youth Speaks Hawai’i Crew – Kaona

One of the key things I am focusing on is respecting myself, respecting my body and respecting my limits, so to keep true to my focus, I’m going to sleep.

Mauri ora ki a koutou katoa!

Te Rawhitiroa

The welcoming in of 2010 was a significant milestone in the history of Youthline as we celebrate our 40th anniversary of Youthline supporting young people in New Zealand communities. As the organisation has grown and diversified, I remember that at the heart of what we do is our volunteer led helpline, and an ethos of the community taking responsibility for others in the community.

Youthline house has had a makeover! Gone is the distinct Yellow, and now we are the big blue building in Ponsonby! Plus we have a hole in our carpark… The Youthline Manukau Development Centre resource consent was processed, and the portable building was moved to the site on the 22nd of January 2010!

That was just in time to make space to erect a marquee for Prime Minister John Key’s  visit to unveil a commemorative 40th Birthday plaque. At this special occasion Prime Minister spoke about the work we do at Youthline as potentially the last port of call for those who need support, guidance and help. These were significant words considering the governments funding cuts that have left our volunteer training programmes in need of $40K, a shaky position.

The Mentor Strategy session at the end of January was a landmark moment for my project. This team of passionate Youthline volunteers came together to reflect on how we have grown and how we can sustain the work beyond my WOD year. The outpouring of ideas attested to the power of the group and that this group will always be moving and changing as the need of our clients and our service evolve.

Pulling the pieces of the project pie together. ..We finished off 2009 with some visits to the Manukau and Auckland Central Youth Advisory Groups to excite and connect our younger people with the opportunities for them to volunteer on the helpline. This is paving the way for our TEXT training programme which will be piloted this year. I am working alongside the Youth Workers to strengthen the ways in which we develop leadership and connect young people in positions across the organisation. The text medium has provided us with new chance to engage young people in serving their peers in the community.

Enjoy the summer!
Tiffany

Since I last reported it has been extremely busy times. Lots of young people partied in and around the Nelson area over the summer period. Our services, workers and volunteers have been at full capacity, which is great but has meant we have had to turn down some event organisers who required our services. The media portrayed young people in quite a negative light over the New Year’s period but our experiences were that the overwhelming majority of young people were in good spirits and behaving like responsible citizens.

I have been supporting the YOUTHTRAIN young people to volunteer on our recreation and beach contracts and they have really stepped up to the job. I have been Coordinating HYPE-GS’s involvement in the Nelson Tasman Skatepark tour which is 7 skate park competitions throughout January in a variety of locations. These events are really popular with both competitors and spectators and I love working these events because of the positive vibes. I have also coordinated workers at a number of other events throughout the region such as the Takaka Mardi Gras and the beach ambassador service over the Christmas and New Year period.

Unfortunately I have has to deal with some situations which are the less desirable parts of my job like being a witness at a parole hearing in Christchurch and spending time de-briefing staff after serious incidents relating to violence, alcohol and other drug use and mental health. However, we learn and we grow individually and as and organisation from such interventions.

I am now in reporting, planning, funding and WOD wind down mode while factoring in some well deserved rest, recuperation and dog walking! This means not being tempted to work many shifts on our services and upcoming events. This is hard as my passion is getting out there and working with young people and communities but if I do the paperwork just won’t get done!