Happy New Year from Challenge 2000! 2019 will be another big year for us and we are looking forward to all that it brings… hope, love, challenges, inspiration and change.
We have got lots of exciting things on the go, including our school holiday programmes which are in full swing with our young people having a ball!
Love works is a motto you will often hear at Challenge 2000. We believe in going the extra mile to support young people, families and communities who are struggling. Our people and financial resources have been stretched this year, as our team worked with people struggling because of financial difficulties and mental health distress. The increased number of youth suicides impacted particular communities in which we work. So as we reached Christmas we were feeling pretty exhausted. 
Then we were all overwhelmed by the tidal wave of support, love and generosity provided by Wellingtonians. THANK YOU… for the food, the meat, the vegetables, the essentials, the toys and the money that you generously donated. Thank you for those who helped with the wrapping, the messages and the drop offs to our families. You have lifted our spirits and perhaps unknowingly brought a sense of hope not only to our families, young people and children who needed it but also to us.
Particular heart shots for us – the pensioner who donated hams for our hampers, the little girl who shared her dummy with baby Jesus, the Wellington Police who came with presents and Police puppies to share and to entertain, the family who had saved pocket money to buy healthy juices, the Catholic Priest who dropped off a $1000 cheque, the companies who deposited to our bank account and to the families who sponsored less well off families. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You probably have no idea the impact you have had on both Challenge 2000 and those whom we serve. When the end of the year was a matter of survival, you helped us celebrate and relax. 
We wish you a very happy, safe and loving Christmas. Be careful on the roads, respect yourself and others and take a few moments to reflect on how love works.
Our Hurricanes balls are all pumped up and ready to go out in our Christmas hampers!! These guys are a bit past it to make it in the rugby world but our young ones aren’t! They will be working on their skills all summer ☀️ If you would like to sponsor a ball OR sponsor a family pass for the Hurricanes season so our young ones can make the games, make a donation to 01 0519 0057660 00 – reference Xmas rugby 
We are hugely grateful for all the donations we have already received this Christmas! Hams, cookies, yummy Christmas treats, clothes, money and presents for our young people. You really will be putting huge smiles on their faces come Christmas Day! We will be delivering Sunday 23rd and Monday 24th of December so there’s still a bit of time to donate if this weather kept you home today! Get in touch
On Sunday 23rd of December we will be delivering 120 hampers filled with fresh produce, meat, and gifts that our children and young people really need and will enjoy. If you would like to sponsor a young person or family and make a direct difference, then please donate by selecting an item off the tree. The trees represent the Christmas wish list for our families. ‘Tis the season of joy and giving. If you would like to donate for us to purchase on your behalf please reference “Xmas action” 01 – 0519 – 0057660 – 00 💜🎁✨Donations can be dropped off to our premises at 1 Wanaka Street Johnsonville or call Megan on 044776827 and we will come and collect them!
Come join us on Saturday 17 November!
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World War One – The Home FrontVarious Times Wednesday 25 to Sunday 28 October The events includes festivities of songs, drama, show and tell of historic memorabilia, picnic lunch, games for children, NZ World War songs, and a chance to have a go at traditional spinning and hand knitting. First World War poetry readings – 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm Wednesday 24 & Friday 26 October  WW1 Poetry reading
 WW1 Poetry reading Come join us at The Halfway House, together we will read, reflect and enjoy poetry from the First World War. Bring your favourite poem to read aloud or enjoy some of our favourites including Katherine Mansfield’s ode “To L. H. B. (1894-1915 )”.
Spinners and Knitters- 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturday 27 October. Traditional spinning and hand knitting by women of the Onslow Fibrecraft Guild and Tawa Fibrecrafts. Honouring the women and school children who knitted scarves and socks for the troops at war. Have a go at spinning and/or knitting. Handcrafts for sale. Free entry. Cup of tea and Anzac biscuit available (koha/donation to cover costs). A Peace Celebration – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday 28th October. Stories, song and drama about life on the home front during the War. Free entry. Old style children’s games. First World War sing-along; “Show and tell” your WWI memorabilia; Heritage Gardeners plant stall. Twigland Gardeners World – pot up an heirloom tomato. Historic house tours (koha/donation entry). Food and drinks of the WWI era available to purchase. For more information Click here |
HopeWalk Wellington 2018 suicide awareness and prevention walk is a free event hosted by Samaritans Wellington.
The aim of HopeWalk Wellington 2018 is to raise awareness of the devastating effect suicide has on families in our community and to raise awareness of suicide prevention support available. Last year 668 people in NZ died by suicide. It’s time to take a stand. No one person or group has the solution to suicide prevention, but we are #StrongerTogether.
This year, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, join us at HopeWalk Wellington. The theme for Mental Health Awareness Week this year is “Let nature in – strengthen your well-being.” What better way to strengthen your well-being than by getting together with family and friends, wearing yellow (the colour of hope) and joining the HopeWalk march to raise awareness for suicide prevention in the beautiful natural setting of the Wellington Botanic Gardens.
Challenge 2000 is playing a part in the Government’s review of New Zealand’s criminal justice system.
Staff members Tina Wilkins, Damian Dempsey and Heath Hutton attended the Hāpaitia te Oranga Tangata summit held 20th-22nd August in Wellington. Politicians, academics, activists, and dozens of frontline workers discussed various issues pertaining to the complex task of trying to make New Zealand a safer and more just society for all its citizens.
Recurring themes throughout the summit included:
It was heartening to hear an experienced District Court advocate for more community-based sentencing options, the likes of which we here at Challenge 2000 have been offering with pleasing results.
There was also a strong call for the development of a strategy by Māori, for Māori. Several speakers noted that devolution of resources to hapū and iwi is badly needed if we are to create a criminal justice system that is both fairer and more effective.
For those interested, there are a number of resources – mostly articles and published research – on the website www.safeandeffectivejustice.govt.nz.
In the last weekend of July, six young people from Challenge attended Festival for the Future. Festival for the Future is a conference held every year which gathers young people from all around New Zealand for a weekend exploring what the future will look like, the issues which may arise and ways of combatting these issues. The festival was based on the waterfront, and each day started with a panel of speakers at TSB arena. This was followed by workshops and panels delivered by leaders from within New Zealand, and were held at different locations on the waterfront such as Macs Brewbar and the Wharewaka. A wide range of topics were covered during the weekend including housing accessibility, child poverty, mental health and environmental sustainability. The panels offered a chance for listeners to gain deeper insight into these issues including their causes and implications. The workshops were more interactive, and allowed attendees to develop skills to help them in their attempts to tackle the problems facing the future. Overall the festival was a fantastic experience and everyone came away inspired. We would especially like to thank Oranga Tamariki for their huge support over the weekend. –
– Gabrielle Lawson
One of our gap participants, Fiona, has just returned from Switzerland. Read on to hear about her journey.
“I was fortunate enough to have opportunity to attend the Caux Peace and Leadership Program earlier this month in Caux, Switzerland. Nestled high in the Swiss mountains lies a Palace where true magic happens. Imagine spending one month completely free of worries and concerns. One month where every moment, every opportunity for dialogue and discussion leaves you completely in awe of the potential we have as humans to build cohesive societies when given the space to do so.
The Caux Forum run by the organisation Initiatives Of Change is a series of conferences and programs run every summer bringing together people from all over the globe with the aim to empower and equip participants with tools to build trust across cultural, religious, political and economic divides. Born after WWII where citizens of a war-torn Europe wanted to create a safe space for reconciliation this network has spread all over the world aiming to build common ground across divides and thus a more just, peaceful, sustainable world.
The experience completely blew me away. Not for the fact that each day was filled attending 
training sessions, keeping the conference centre running as well having time for self-reflection. The biggest takeaway is of all the people I met and got to know. 40+ countries were represented amongst the 80 young people on my program. Each of us with our own story coming together to contribute ideas, experiences and for all our differences creating a global family of love, respect, trust and honesty toward another. After 30 days together I can safely say each and every person had wormed their way into my heart and given me so much hope for humanity. I am so grateful for this experience and opportunity to represent our small nation on the world stage. I will remember it for many years to come”