Category: Announcement

Personal Development Leadership Camp

Recently a group of young women from the Porirua Colleges were selected to participate in a Personal Development Programme.

The purpose of the programme was to provide a developmental experience for growing healthy relationships within themselves and others, leadership skills and encourage confidence, based on a holistic view of wellbeing.

With support from Mana Community Grants Foundation, the group were able to go on a three day camp in Taupo.

Using Adventure Based Learning, the group worked on team building, trust, communication and problem solving while at the same time experiencing new activities and gaining valuable skills facing and overcoming their fears.

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In the evening the group would take the experiences of the day, reflect on them and discuss the fears and challenges that they faced and how they felt when they overcame them.  Here is some of the feedback from the group – “M” – “being in the face of one of my biggest fears, I overcame my fear by keeping calm and trusting my leader to guide me”; “T” – “I overcame my fear by keeping my mind positive”; “B” – “If I push myself, I can do it – even if I am not comfortable with it”, “H” – I learned that my capabilities are not limited”.

Amazing Race Holiday Fun!!

In the October holidays Challenge 2000 and some young people saw the return of the Amazing Race, held around the Wellington CBD!  Participants started out at the Botanical Gardens and worked their way down to Waitangi Park via Parliament, Frank Kitts Park, the Waterfront, Civic Square and Te Papa.

Along the way they had to complete a variety of challenges and activities.

It was an incredible day with participants managing to complete the entire race on foot!!

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This is what some of the young people had to say:

“B”, 15, (Lower Hutt) – “Enjoyed getting around Wellington because I don’t live in the area”; “L”, 15, (Porirua) – “I liked the fact that it wasn’t just in one place (eg Botanical Gardens and Wellington CBD)”; “H”, 14, (Naenae) – “I enjoyed meeting new people and the food”

Youth Justice Camp – August 2015

DSC_0008In August we headed off on another week long, Youth Justice camp. The group included two young men, 3 staff and 2 gap year students. This camp took us on a journey of self-discovery, thinking about who we are, what’s important to us and who we want to be in the future.

The camp allowed everyone to try new things, explore and develop their thinking and be involved in things we wouldn’t normally do. It also allowed for the group to explore and discover new and different parts of New Zealand and visit places that reminded the young men of many special stories and memories. Along with this the young people were exposed to a range of pro social activities and exercises including bungee swing, white water rafting, cooking and bone carving.

Throughout our camp journey many laughs, stories and memories were created and it was great to watch the two young men explore who they are and who they want to be.

With the experiences and relationships built during camp we look forward to watching the boys continue to grow at Challenge 2000, with their whanau and in their own communities.CS Camp Aug 2015 (2)

Careers Expo – Mana College – Thursday 17th September 2015

 

 

In association with Foundation for Youth Development – Career Navigator, Mana College will be hosting a Careers Expo for their Junior and Senior students on Thursday 17th September 2015 and also to selected students from other local colleges.

Career Navigator is a ready-for-work programme that’s designed to help secondary school students in need of direction and supports teens in their decision-making around future employment.

Where:           Mana College, Awarua St, Takapuwahia, PORIRUA

When:             17th September 2015

Time:              9am – 12:40pm

Cost:               No cost to providers

Objectives of the day are to:

¨     Encourage students to look at a range of possible career pathways

¨     Promote a wide range of industries with a positive adult experience

¨     Motivate students to continue their education with clear career goals

¨     Let students know what they need to achieve to gain entry to an  industry

¨     Have greater awareness of what is expected of them in the workplace

Kathleen Frost
Office Manager
The Learning Shop – Whitireia NZ
Ph: 2377422
Fax: 042377416

7 Serlby Place
PO Box 50453
Porirua
kathleen@thelearningshop.co.nz

STREET DAY APPEAL – TODAY – 4TH SEPTEMBER 2015

IMG_0966Challenge 2000’s Street Day Appeal is today – Friday 4th September 2015.

We are out and about in Johnsonville and on the streets in Wellington City all day!  Please give generously if you see one of our collectors – “Give a little, so we can give A LOT”!

Thank you so much for your generosity and support.

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New Youth Initiative!!! We need YOU!

Calling any Senior College or University students who want to get involved in our new youth initiative!!!
We need you – to get involved in tutoring junior students, helping out with homework or offering your services as a reader-writer for different Colleges around the Wellington region at exam time.  This month our youth volunteers and leaders are already booked in for 80 hours worth of reader-writing at different Wellington Colleges.   If you are interested in being a reader-writer, a tutor or helping out with homework, please contact Courtney at Challenge 2000 on 477 0045.  There will be an induction process and training given.

Holiday Leadership Programme

During the last school holidays 12 amazing young people from five different Colleges and Youth organisations accepted the Challenge to participate in a Challenge Leadership Programme.  This year we remember Kiwis landing at Gallipoli.  The leadership focus was on service and sacrifice.

Initially as our base was the Home of Compassion we studied Suzanne Aubert and the leadership model she lived as she supported and served the poor, needy and outcasts of our society. We looked at how challenging it must have been for her to come to Aotearoa New Zealand, learn to understand and work in Te Ao Maori and then to create a Congregation and community who would carry on her work.

We focussed on the importance of courage, trust, communication, getting to know others in your team and looked at the individual strengths and areas of development for each of the participants.  Each participant presented and discussed their chosen symbols which represented leadership for them.

We had the privilege of a visit and input from the Acting Chief of Defence, Brigadier Peter Kelly.  He spoke of his story and how he got to where he is now.  For many, this was the highlight of the training event.  Brigadier Kelly talked about the times that he didn’t succeed the first time, but because he had a goal he tried again and the second or third time he succeeded. He also talked to us about the sacrifices that he needed to make, missing significant events while away serving New Zealand in other parts of the world. One of the main things that everyone took from what he said was him saying that he is just a normal human being and that this is what makes us all equal – no-one is higher than others and all deserve respect.

We did some service like supporting Challenge and collecting for the Home of Compassion.

 

Below is some feedback from participants on the programme:

“I have learnt to focus on what I do have, and what I am able to share rather than worry about what I don’t have.”

“ I am really thinking about how I can develop my leadership skills and make a difference not just staying in my comfort zone and doing what I’m happy doing ”.

“Brigadier Kelly was awesome – I am keen to join the army and serve my country if I can. I think it would be a great career”.

WISE UP Conference

Four members of our staff who are working in Wellington Colleges were able to attend the WISE UP conference in Auckland during the last school holidays.  WISE UP, which is an acronym for “Workers In Schools Educate and Unlock Potential”, was a two day event that facilitated seminars and workshops from various professionals around New Zealand, including the Minister of Social Development,  Hon. Anne Tolley and other key note speakers.  The conference, which was attended by many Social Workers and Youth Workers in schools, was also a great opportunity to network with other organisations and share ideas about ways we can “educate and unlock potential” with our rangatahi in Wellington.

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Holiday Programmes – Winter 2015

Day 1 – On a cold but great Wellington day, fourteen 5 to 9 year olds braved the weather and attended a great holiday programme.  We started the day with games and then went onto some great art activities, designing police badges which they would wear to the police museum that we visited later in the day.

The Police museum was great and we had so much fun, solving murders and finding out about the history of the New Zealand police.  We then went out to Aotea Lagoon to have a play and some lunch.  We ended the day at Battle hill, playing a game of soccer. All in all it was great day of fun, adventure and new friends made.

Day 2-  our young people aged between 14-18 year old went out to Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.  After setting ground rules, doing ice breakers and discovering the different strengths of the group (and making sure everyone could swim!!) we headed out to the pool.  Great fun was had by all especially in the never ending river and the wave pool. After the swim, we drove to Eastbourne and went on a bush walk.  This was a great experience for some of the young people who had never been to Eastbourne before.

Day 3 –  We facilitated sports games such as basketball, futsal, ultimate frisbee and even some intense (but basic) cross-fit exercises at ASB stadium.

We were treated to some delicious bacon-hock soup provided by staff member Oke Time and his lovely wife, Liza Time. The young people really enjoyed the day and have asked for more events to be run during the break. We’ll see how well the staff recover from this one!

A huge thank you to the volunteers who came and supported us on these holiday programmes, who made lunches and provided baking for us all to enjoy.  A big thank you also to Pelorus Trust for a grant that enabled us to provide the holiday programme, giving the young people opportunities to connect with other young people within the local community, develop new friendships and participate in a variety of recreational and developmental activities.

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