World Suicide Prevention Day

On September 10th, members of the Challenge whānau, joined together to commemorate World suicide prevention day. A small group of staff organised the event and invited family, friends and staff who had been changed by the effects of suicide in recent years.

The organising group chose to plant three trees as a focus of hope, growth and shelter. All our whānau met, Harley lead karakia and Kitty spoke of the dignity and importance of each and every person and how we all had an essential mission in life to love others and to support each other. Then our missions team lead the planting and each person touched the trees, giving a blessing , remembering the losses and committing to be people of hope and love. It was a very moving and special time.

Read below for comments from our whānau.

Sara – Gap Year Student
In September the Challenge whānau marked international suicide awareness and prevention week. To me Suicide awareness is about making an active effort to normalise discussions around suicide and take away the stigma we have around suicide in Aotearoa. Support from people who care, connection with one’s sense of culture, purpose and identity all play huge roles in suicide prevention. It is a discussion with the aim of understanding and hope that – Things will get better and it all starts with the first korero.
At Challenge we chose this week as an opportunity to celebrate life. Three trees were planted to commemorate and show love to those that have been lost in our community. These trees also signify hope and a better future for our families and communities. Following this was a chance for every-one to sing waiata and have a chat to one another with tea and kai.  Suicide awareness week is a great place to begin to get the conversations going, however, it is important to remember that we need to have these conversations not just this week – but every week.

Mapihi – Youth Worker
It was so special to have a time where our whānau and friends could come together and Be. I felt unified, loved, graced and just really appreciated every single person that came.

Heath – Intern Psychologist
When we gathered together it was difficult sitting in the same place where my late friend lay the year before. Being together made it a bit easier. It made me think that we need to take the opportunities to remind each other how much we value each other and show our interest in each other’s life.

Viv – Youth Services Manager
I was appreciative and grateful to be a part of planting hope. The sincerity of those who turned up from our wider whanau was moving and showed me how much we love and cared for those who we lost. One word sums it up: Serenity – a state of being calm and peaceful.

In honour of world suicide prevention day on Tuesday 10th September we are having a whanau gathering at Challenge 2000 at 5pm.

Please wear something KOWHAI YELLOW if possible as this is the ribbon colour for youth suicide.

During the gathering we will plant 3 trees to represent those who have passed on and to symbolise PLANTING HOPE! The floor is open to those who wish to say, sing, read, express something. Whai muri tena!

Following that we will wrap up with a afternoon cuppa tea and biscuits!

A healthy relationships programme for secondary school students.

Aidan Ritchie

Challenge 2000 is one of several partner agencies currently providing the Mates & Dates programme to secondary schools in the Wellington region, helping young people to have healthy and happy relationships.

Mates and dates is going to be hugely important for not only the secondary school students we teach, but for all of the relationships they have or make further down the line. I feel incredibly lucky to be in a position to facilitate such awesome growth opportunities to the nation’s young people.

As a 20 year old bloke, after going to high school parties, pubs, and out to town, spending time in football club rooms and even just in everyday life with people I know, I wish that these Mates & Dates programmes could have rolled out sooner. The notion that EVERY secondary school student will be taught about what consent is and how to recognize it really excites me. If we could teach every young person what a healthy relationship looks like, how to respect their own mana and their partners, about the different types of sexual orientations and gender identities, and how to help both the survivor and perpetrator of abuse, I am confident we could make a change within New Zealand society that is so desperately needed. 

We have some of the highest rates of domestic violence in the world, and as a responsible society we have to acknowledge that so many of our young people are exposed to sexually violent behaviors and toxic relationships, be that through their own boyfriend/girlfriends or by witnessing it in their own whānau. 

It is incredibly exciting to be a part of such a wide-spread, prevention-based program. This transcends “Not being abusive” but dives into the realms of self-care, self-help and all the different ways we can make relationships as positive and beneficial for ourselves, not only in romantic relationships but in our relationships friends and family, and how to help them with theirs in a safe way. There is infinite room for improvement in how we treat each other and how we behave in an open-minded way in an inclusive manner. People love who they love, are who they are and want what they want. That is true within everyone, and the differences in between are quite minor in comparison to this overwhelming common ground. 

For information visit the ACC Mates & Dates initiative page here…

Aidan Ritchie is a Youth Worker and Mates & Dates facilitator for Challenge 2000.

Ko te Aroha te hoe ue e whakatere ana te waka ki uta.

Love is the steering paddle directing the waka to shore.

Love will take us to where we should be.

A documentary looking at the 30 year history of Challenge 2000 is set to premiere on Māori Television this Sunday 21st July at 7.30pm.

The documentary, Aroha Noa, directed by Dr Sinead Donnelly, traces the history and growth of, what was then, Challenge ’89. The vision back then was the image of a house where those who have enough will come through the back door and those with nothing will come through the front door. Inside they will meet and help each other.

In the documentary, people who have been helped by Challenge 2000 over the years up to the present day tell their unique and moving stories. It is a beautiful documentary and a wonderful chance to see so many of the people who have made Challenge what it is today, and so many of the success stories that we have been able to contribute to. This year Challenge 2000 cares for 6,000 young people with 14 social workers, 15 youth workers, with involvement in 6 secondary schools in Porirua and the Hutt Valley, running 5 residential youth houses.

Aroha Noa screens at 7.30pm this Sunday, 21st July, on Māori Television.

On Friday we had a large turnout of young people as we hosted a few of the Hurricanes’ boys as part of our ongoing community partnership 2019 here at Challenge 2000.

The morning started off with a Q&A session led by the lads; Peter Umaga-Jensen, Fraser Armstrong and Wes Goosen. The guys were very engaging and, after some initial shyness, the questions were coming in thick and fast around goal setting, overcoming difficulties and getting ready for upcoming games, proving more informative than an episode of The Breakdown!

The boys then put our young people through their paces in a skills and training session across the road at Alex Moore Park, where we uncovered some local talent – both known and some surprises!

Our thanks go out again to the Hurricanes for choosing us as community partners, and taking time out of their very busy schedules to spend time with our staff and young leaders (and putting them through their paces on the turf!).

Bishop Viard’s newly established girls rugby team had the opportunity last week to train with some of the Hurricanes, as part of Challenge 2000’s community partnership with the Canes. The girls are motivated and excited to see their season get underway, so training in the school holidays was an important part of their team preparation. James Marshall, Wes Goosen and Salesi Rayasi came to their training session and participated in their drills, played some touch and finished off with a Q&A. The Canes noted the girls improved in just one training! Admiring their hard work with set pieces and understanding the game.

The BVC girls’ rugby team then had the opportunity to form the Guard of Honour for the Hurricanes vs Chiefs game the following night. The excitement levels were off the chart and the Canes performed very well to take home the win! Wes and Salesi’s tries were welcomed and the girls reflected they picked up some tips for running out on the wing! For a lot of the young people it was their first time to the stadium and to watch the Hurricanes live.

Following the game James and Salesi came over to the stands to thank the girls for their support – a very welcomed surprise. This highlighted the inspiring partnership Challenge 2000 has with the Hurricanes, encouraging young people to enjoy rugby, get out of their comfort zones and most importantly have fun!

On Friday 22nd March we gathered to share 2 minutes silence with the rest of NZ. We remembered those who were affected by the horrific attacks on Muslim community in Christchurch. We reflected on our feelings of grief, solidarity and love.

We are one.

Last Friday 8 March the Hurricanes had their first home game of the season! We were given the opportunity to provide young people to form the Guard of Honour as the Canes and Highlanders ran on the field! Our tamariki were so excited, despite the wind and rain! They waved their flags furiously and cheered as the players ran on the field. Our resident artist Jacob Bang designed a Hurricanes inspired Challenge logo, also acknowledging International Women’s Day.

Our partnership with the Hurricanes this season is very exciting and we hope this will lead us to the championship final!

Prior to the game last Friday we also had an opportunity to take young people aged 13-16 from Bishop Viard College, Mana College, Porirua College and Aotea College to Rugby League Park for a 2 hour training session with 3 of the Hurricanes. The young men thoroughly enjoyed their time with the inspiring Ardie Savea, Ben Lam and James Blackwell. The session focused on some skills training, some touch, a tour of the Hurricanes base and some photo ops & signing at the end! The young men left RLP absolutely buzzing, especially when Dane Coles showed up right at the end just in time for some photos! We can’t wait to host the Hurricanes whānau at our whare next time!

Challenge 2000 is an agency committed to honouring the Treaty of Waitangi and working in a bicultural way. Our team and some of our young people are going to spend time together at 11am this Waitangi Day at the church of St Peter and Paul’s in Johnsonville. We will reflect on what the treaty calls us to be in our communities, families, schools, churches and organisations. Our focus will be on understanding the past and working in the present to make a more just and equitable country. We know that we are better off together. He waka eke noa.

Please join us.