This month has been focussed mainly on collaboration with other youth agencies in Porirua. We have brokered a deal with Pacific Health Services here in Porirua and a similar youth agency known as Hope City that have a group of 50 young people that they service. This is significant in Porirua as I believe it to be a first as the agencies can be quite competitive at times.
Apart from being invited to present I have been busy refining the project and looking at alternatives to deliver the best service we can for our young people. I am hopeful that we will have an awesome model that can be rolled out in other communities in the near future. We already have a huge interest from all over the nation that consistently ask us to develop the programme nationally.
Our young people have now stayed away from joining gangs and the reduction in youth offending from the young people we work with has decreased in a huge way.
This is due to the people we have committed to the Streets Ahead 237 initiative.
The tailor made course required for our young people has now been discussed with our local tertiary institution and will begin in February 2009. This is also a huge development as young people are now looking to educate themselves in youth work that will eventually see them involved in a higher level of leadership roles within the programme.
I hope you are all well and look forward to seeing you all at Involve 08 Relate
I am getting increasingly alarmed at the rapid pace that this year seems to be zooming by. I can imagine that a lot of people have that experience at this time of the year. It feels a bit like I am constantly gearing myself up to do more and more- I trust that I will get it done but as several people have pointed out to me recently it is a bit like I am traversing a very large mountain range! Not something I want to be doing on my own. So I am working on getting more people on board and working with me. I sometimes have the tendency to want to do everything myself but that is not always the most useful or efficient approach!
So my work at the moment is focussed on peopling the programme- unpaid at the moment but hopefully some paid positions next year. One of the many things that have struck me throughout my WOD year is that many people are very generous with their knowledge and time- something I have appreciated a lot. And I hope that they get something out of putting their energy into working with me.
This diary feels like quite a reflective one. There’ll be some more updates on what I have been up to in the next one.
And a very well deserved congratulations to the WOD NZ Foundation for receiving the Prime Minister’s Social Heroes Award!
Well it’s been a bit quiet this month. I’ve been busy sorting out inhouse stuff with my board and all is looking very positive. We have been doing a lot of evaluating of the current programs and how things have been going this year. We are currently in the process of looking at how we can continue to improve our current programs for the young people we work in partnership with as well as planning for next year.
We have a lot of exciting changes that we are looking at making and improvements that we believe will encourage the young people we serve to take more leadership opportunities and be more active in their communities especially in regards to decision making that directly impacts them.
Also with the end of the year approaching it’s been awesome to see a lot of the young people we have the privillage to work with doing better at school and that being relected in them attending school more consistently and achieving the credits that they need to pass. I also would like to personally thank the parents for their continued support to their children and also helping us out voluntarily at our programs from cooking to providing free resources and also last but not least our current youth leadership team for all their behind the scenes work and commitment to making their communities a safer place.
The month kicked off with the World of Difference hui which was a great experience. The last time I sat that long was at school and I’m sure I had to have been on something to be still that long, as it goes against my personality. The Involve event in Wellington that followed had great atmosphere, and great speakers. Both events were really encouraging to see how committed other people are in their fields, and I’m very keen to help the Vodafone Foundation in any way possible if they would like my assistance for World of Difference 2009.
Early in the month we had the first tournament in the Naenae Community Hall since 1963. It was once a very popular venue. People came from Christchurch, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Taupo, and all the Wellington clubs. It was a freezing cold night and it was the first test between NZ and South Africa in Wellington, but it didn’t stop the people that were keen to see an event at Naenae from coming along. It was a really successful tournament. Two of our boys got a standing ovation, and I think the hit of the night was the free massive bowls of soup for those that wanted it! Everyone raved about what a great night it was, and that they would endorse what we are doing with these young people and be there for next year’s event.
It’s really exciting being right next door to the boxing gym now. We shifted here this month and we can’t believe we’ve got everything into this little place. We’ve got the builders still working here helping us to make the most of the premises and the boxing boys are giving us enough space to breathe which is good. Everyone is very excited about us being here. David, my youngest son recently said “dad there are three policemen at the door” and when I came to see them they were all smiling and came in for a cup of tea. It was a courtesy call really. They are
rapt I’m here and asking for my assistance with some C.A.C.T.U.S. kids (at risk children) they’re involved with.
I am writing regular articles for the local Hutt Alive city magazine, and our gym is getting more coverage with them now that we are living in the area, which is helping with our profile.
I am so grateful for Vodafone’s support this year. They have educated, enthused and empowered me, which has really equipped me for what lies ahead. We were very grateful for the help we received this month from a Vodafone Hands Up Volunteer who visited us here in Wellington to help us set up a Naenae Boxing Academy website. He has given us lots of work and ideas to get on with, and we plan to include a promotion of the World of Difference programme on that site.
The website address is www.naenaeboxingacademy.co.nz so watch this space!
I’ve been every where man! July has been a monster month; it started in Wellington with the WoD Hui that Vodafone Foundation generously hosted for us followed by the Involve Youth conference.
The conference was great; I particularly enjoyed the keynote speakers Pahia Turia from Whanganui, and Lloyd Martin from Porirua, who shared their quiet enthusiasm, passion, and youthwork practice ideas with the audience. Shelley Fraser our SKIP Coordinator presented at Involve, her presentation Working alongside young mothers - the support needs of adolescent motherswas based on her MSW research and drew on her work with young parents at the Women’s Centre. Shelley’s presentation was awesome - she had excellent suggestions for the youth sector and got great feedback from those that attended including a young mum!
My month included four training day which I facilitated up & down the country with the SKIP national team & Jean Ellerby from Barnardos. With my first day of August (being on the Friday) I fly to Wellington with two young mums with two generous babies in arms to film the Good Morning show about the myths of teenage parenthood. Thanks so much to our young mums Jodie & Kerry Lee for their performance - their enthusiasm, honesty and great tips for other young mothers were so genuine and useful. I forgot how exhausting travelling with little babies can be, the mums were pros. we would get some where and the mums would have themselves and their babies sorted and all I had to do is get myself ready - I take my hat off to them. Thanks also to Victoria Parson from MSD for setting this up and supporting our involvement - it was wonderful to have young mothers talking for themselves.
In the mix I’ve did do some office work this month mainly writing reports and starting a funding application; but this month has been a real boast to learning and being inspired by others.
So at the end of the month; one WoD Hui, one conference, four training days, four accountability reports and a funding application later I feel inspired.
Another big month with a great start - my first week was spent in Wellington where we combined the Involve Conference with a WOD hui.
I might be just a little biased but I do believe for someone like myself the WOD hui was more worthwile than Involve.
The sharing of information and ideas is vital in our area of work and to be able to do that with like-minded people is a joy.
A lot of this month was spent preparing a presentation of my few months work for the board of the VodafoneNZ Foundation. I don’t mind telling you that I was quite nervous, but I worried for nothing, things turned out well and I walked away with a little more confidence having done something else for the very first time.
I had the pleasure of spending time with Richard Aston of Big Buddy - and a previous WOD recipient.
Richard and the team do great work and I found the concept of mentoring very interesting, so much so that it’s an area I’d very much like to work in in the future.
A very talented group from Aorere College in Manukau, Stretch, asked me to MC the launch of their product which they’d entered into the Young Enterprise Scheme. They were so professional to deal with and had great ideas and work ethic. As a bonus they decided to contribute a percentage of their profit to a youth charity to try to encourage other young people to stay out of gangs - our Community Foundation was very pleased to be able to aid them in their giving and they’ve set up a donor-advised fund with us that will continue to benefit Manukau and it’s people for a long time.
Till next month..
July and we are still raining.
This month was great to go to the World of a difference Hui in Wellington followed by the INVOLVE conference in Wellington. Was a really good day and I enjoyed catching up with everyone, such a good idea as it re-energises you and it is great to be with like minded people.
Kirsty Weir and I took with us three young people from WAVES to the INVOLVE conference. They filmed the entire conference and charged NZAAHD for the diting of this. They had a great time and as the five of us shared a bunk room for three nights we had a lot of laughs.
We continue to support ETown in Eltham. They are trying to set up a smaller version of WAVES in the church hall. They have a great space and our youth peers are helping them with art work and ideas.
WAVES has now a new board that governs us. This needed to happen as we transition into a more sustainable year. They are a great bunch and bring a lot of experience and expertise to the table. A bit of education needs to happen around youth development though. Many still do not see the value in the youth voice. I think it so important that young people can speak up on issues that are important to them. It makes them feel valued as members of the community and they often get involved in more proactive and positive things. Exciting times for WAVES, but also a lot more work with meetings and advocating for the youth.
July saw Braeden Turner come down from Vodafone, he was brilliant. He fitted into the WAVES team with ease. He worked hard for us and had loads of fun. He made a great impact on all, especially Avalon one of the young people that attend’s WAVES programmes.
I am now going into Waitara High school once a week to do clinics. This is also improving access to health services for young people in this area
Ok here we go…… the group programme “It’s my Life” begins on Friday 22nd August at the Youth Transition Service in Henderson. We have registered 11 young women between the ages of 16 and 19 to attend. The programme aims to address the effects of abuse and trauma by enabling the girls to develop the skills needed to effectively engage in their life. Many of the young women engage in avoidant behaviours by either entering into high risk behaviours, difficult interpersonal relationships or low mood and isolation. The group is interactive and dynamic, skills are taught through doing activities that engage all the senses as well as cognitive processes. I am hoping to develop this programme further and a component the current programme is a focus group so that the young women participating are able to have in put into the future format.
I realised last month at the Vodafone Hui what amazing people were participating in the WOD and it makes sense that we work together, so I have discussed the development of the “It’s my Life” programme with Veronica Marwitz from Rape Prevention Education and a briefly talked through my ideas with my wonderful “Vodafone Buddy” Michael Stanley. I met with Wayne and Jennifer Poutoa and hope to be able to take the programme to Porirua, before the year is over and work with the girls participating in the “Streets Ahead 237′ programme. I have also been invited to run the programme in South Auckland and will keep you posted on the development there. Billie Paea a last year’s recipient is so talented that I am hoping to collaborate with him in order to develop the programme in its next stage. All these great ideas, but for the next 9 weeks I need to keep focused on the job at hand, running the initial group.
I met with Judith Tizard, Labour MP for Auckland Central last week due to her interest in women’s issues and the effects of abuse on mental health. Ms Tizard kindly offered to meet with me on a monthly basis to discuss opportunities for collaboration and support. I have been accepted to participate in the Family Therapy Conference in Brisbane in mid-October and a conference on the effects of violence on mothering in Canada at the end of October so I am currently weighing the most valuable option. I love my work …I continue to meet weekly with my clients and their families who are no doubt benefiting in my renewed enthusiasm.
Finally congratulations to the “World of Difference Programme” in receiving the “Prime Ministers Hero Award” for the sponsorship they provide to Youth Programmes that work with young people experiencing very challenging problems, those of us who were able to attend the awards ceremony were very proud of the Vodafone Foundation team.
June ….The Vodafone Hui in Wellington was truly the highlight of the month followed by the Involve ‘08 Conference. I did not stop talking for four days returning home with a nasty cough from gulping the arctic air between sentences. I was inspired and re-energised by the conversations at the Hui and the work that the current and past WOD recipients continue to do.
I have been talking a lot about multi systemic interventions when working with adolescents who experience sexual abuse and this month I have gone out to the community and sourced activities that the young women participating in the Adolescent Resilience Programme can access. I hope to be teaming up with Waitakere Youth Transition Service in Henderson, who provide an all encompassing service for young people who are struggling at school and are looking for alternative options and guidance. Together with Liesel and Avril from the YTS team we are planning to run a component of the Adolescent Resilience Programme from the YTS premises (which are very groovy).
A group open to both WATCS and YTS clients will focus on assisting young women to recognise their abilities to cope and bounce back following adversity and to build on these skills of resilience. Young women frequently tell me that they do not feel like they are in charge of their lives and are pulled from one life situation to another. Young woman who have experienced sexual abuse often lose their sense of self-efficacy and state that they are frustrated by the overwhelming emotions, both highs and lows that dictate their actions. They talk of their distress, or being sick of themselves, stuck in the same old patterns of behaviour that leave them feeling empty. These young women describe poor relationships with both friends and family due to misunderstandings and mis-communication. The group aims to address the issues raised by the young woman and create support, connection, skill development and options.
The other thing going on in Waitakere is organising “Celebrating Fathers Week”, occurring in the week before Fathers Day. I have thought a lot about the essential role of fathers in adolescent women’s development. Father’s often pull back from their daughters when they start to become teenagers and yet many of the young women I speak with talk about missing the relationship that they have had with their fathers. Many talk about their fathers as the consistent parent or the parent that does not get caught up in the day to emotional highs and lows, the person that they can have a laugh with, who can tease them when they are low. Several young women have talked about their fathers as the ones who notice them, who understand where they are coming from. These young women appear to forgive their fathers over protectiveness and seem to feel safe and loved by their fathers limit setting (even if they argue against it). As you can imagine for young woman who have experienced sexual abuse a good relationship with their father can help build resilience against further risk of abuse.
