Category: Challenge 2000

ANZAC DAY

As we celebrated 99 years of the battle of ANZAC cove, we had the opportunity to be involved with 3 Anzac day mass reflections and attend a memorial celebration in Havelock North.
Each year on ANZAC day we are reminded that we are all called to be people of love and peace and to remember and honour those who have gone before us.

ANZAC 1 (2)
This day gives us a chance for our younger generation to remember alongside past war veterans. In Havelock North we had an opportunity to meet 3 war veterans, the oldest being 97 and our youngest being 5.
Over the ANZAC weekend three masses took place, one in Hawkes Bay and two in Wellington, Eastbourne and Johnsonville.
Our staff, Gap year students and young people from both Wellington and Hawkes bay presented a drama at all 3 masses. This drama was a time when we reflected on the many lives lost, the suffering and pain experienced by our small country. We remembered the great sacrifice our soldiers and their families made so that the generations that followed could live in peace.

 

ANZAC 4 (2) ANZAC 5 (2)

We are each called to remember those who served for our country and acknowledge those who continue to serve today.
We will remember them

 

Hui Aranga

Tu Hono
A huge thank you to all Challenge 2000 staff, rangatahi, Bridget Roche and Kitty McKinley for supporting the Hui Aranga which was held in Wellington this year. To Dempsey and Karen Broad from Tu Hono as well as Turei Thompson for welcoming our Challenge 2000 whanau to join your ropu this year arohanui ki a koutou.  For those of you who don’t know the Hui Aranga, is it is a national event where Maori together with the catholic faith celebrate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Easter Mass
The first Hui Aranga was held at Pukekaraka in Otaki in 1946 and our dear friends the Marist fathers from the society of Mary played a big part in how the Hui Aranga came to be with their early work with the Maori Misssion. What an amazing legacy Marists have started and continue to support.
This year over 1,200 people gathered at St Patrick’s College in Silverstream to celebrate the Hui Aranga over the easter period and what a great experience it was indeed.  The Hui Aranga is made up of many events throughout the duration of the hui which include kapa haka, religious questions, sacred solo, sports day, choir competition, religious march and all the traditional catholic ceremonies in between all the fun and whanaungatanga.
Hui Aranga
A special congratulations to Mereawatea who sang ‘He Honore’ wrapped in her nana Kitty McKinley’s korowai and was placed 3rd for the Senior Sacred Solo you made us all so very proud.
Getting food ready
Challenge 2000 you served well in the kitchen as kai mahi and ensured that all 1,200 plus people at the hui were fed.  Thank you for honouring the living treaty of Waitangi by this generous act I stand proud of each and everyone of you who showed up and played your part.
Nga mihi,
Le Bernadette Faifua Afemata. (Bernie)

Holiday Activity Day 2

Our second holiday programme activity day focused on Teamwork and the various skills and strengths that each person brings to a team!

We gathered at Challenge 2000 where we were separated into teams and came up with a team name, chant and created a team flag. We went down to St Brigid’s school where we competed in old school games like: three legged relay race, sack race and rob the nest. The young people and staff had a great time running around!

After lunch we started with a game of Cat and mouse before settle the group in for our last two activities – Spoken word and Canvas painting. Our lead staff member, Victor shared his passion for spoken word and then took the young people through basic steps of putting together their own group’s spoken word.

Our final activity for the day was to paint on a canvas the word ‘Team Work’ and then their hand print which they wrote around what they bring to a team. Such a fun day with the young people and staff and congratulations to Team Bananas for your win!!

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We Remember…

A time gone past, we remember when,

a war was fought by many great men.

A land of peace, where love can grow

all of this, because we know

You walked, you ran, you took aim

you fought a war to uphold our name

New Zealand and Australia combined

Courage, endurance and mateship refined.

On scarred earth you laid down your lives

never to return to child or wife

our lives owed to you and to you we yeild

May you rest in peace, in Flanders Field.

~ by Ivan 

On Wednesday 23rd we had an ANZAC Commemoration Activity Day and gathered together at Newlands Community Centre where we explored the significance of ANZAC day through various activities.

The day started with a power point that had photos and facts from 1914-1916 which assisted the young people to start reflecting on ANZAC day and why New Zealand stop to commemorate it and the soldiers. From there the young people were split into groups and we did various activities; baking ANZAC biscuits, writing a response (see poem above) to the poem In Flanders Field, making a canvas “wreath” to honour the fallen and group discussions about War and Peace and what that looks like today.

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IMAG0470After we had lunch and sampling a few of the biscuits, we packaged our ANZAC biscuits and went out into the Johnsonville community and gave them to some of those who serve our community; Police, Fire Station, Johnsonvale Rest Home and Challenge 2000 Administration. The young people enjoyed giving the biscuits away – some saying that seeing the smile and joy on the elderly people’s faces really made their day!

PackagingCanvas

Our final activity was to head to Karori Cemetery to the Servicemen’s section. The young people walked around the graves taking in the names of those that had served our country. It was a day of reflection and most of the young people were grateful for the day and felt they had learnt much.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Karori Grave Karori Grave 2 Karori Cemetery

24 Hour Caritas Challenge

It often takes just one experience to help open our eyes and make a difference for ourselves and others. It really was one day of difference for a life time of change.

As we began the Caritas Challenge, no one really knew what to expect or how everyone would react. The young people at first were both excited and nervous about sleeping in a box. They took time creating their homes for the night and everyone pitched in to help set up our “Challenge City”

On Friday night one of the youngest participants said:   To send for caritas 4

 

‘It’s easier when we don’t see people living in poverty, when we don’t see what others don’t have. Once we do see, we have to do something. I need to open my eyes to see what’s really going on around me.’ Aisling, 12

 

 

To send for caritas 1

 

 

To our surprise no one was up early, everyone slept in and began to rise just before 8am. Some people woke up surprised how well they slept and some wish they had made bigger houses or designed it differently but overall everyone was in good spirits.

 

 

 

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We had the opportunity to experience and learn about the issues of the Solomon’s. Geoff and his family came and shared his story with the young people about his time living in the Solomon Islands. It was a moment where all the issues became real and was life changing.

Angela Murray who is a Caritas champion came along also and shared her experience of working in the Solomon Islands with the deaf community and everyone learnt to sign “one day of difference for a lifetime of change”.

 

 

 

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Kalyb, 16, from the local area and student at St. Patrick’s College Wellington, said:

“The Challenge is helping us to realise how fortunate we are, and how serious the situation is for the people in the Solomon Islands. There’s no easy fix, and it won’t be solved over night, but we can do our bit to help. We’re experiencing a tiny portion of what the people of the Solomon Islands face, through our sleeping in the cardboard boxes overnight. We often turn a blind eye to what people are experiencing. There’s something we can do, and so we must.”

 

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On Saturday afternoon, Archbishop John Dew and Julianne Hickey, Director of Caritas, came to visit and as we sat around the fire. The young people all shared about their experience. Here are what a few of them had to say.

 

 

 

“Not making a change, but being a change”

An awareness of the Solomon Islands, but also of our own families and communities

Change: the opportunity to support someone else to change their life, and changing my own life

We’ve made a change in the Soloman Islands, but I’ve also changed myself.

Inspiring, and made me think about what I really need – I have a choice

Inspiring – the real challenge starts when we leave this place. I expect we’ll be people of change.

Hearing stories and things I wasn’t necessarily aware of – I’ve learnt a lot from seeing people together, and learnt more about myself.

How grateful I am to be going from here to my home, with food on the table, and a bed to sleep in, and running water – it’s been really eye opening.

We need to change ourselves to help others to be able to change their lives, too.

One of the leaders, Jacob (an ex-Challenge 2000 Gap Year student) wrote brilliantly about his experience on CathNews:

http://cathnews.co.nz/2014/04/11/one-day-difference-lifetime-change/

 

We just want to say a big thank you to everyone who helped out, we are truly grateful.

 

Check out other articles about the challenge.

Independent Herald, Wednesday – April 9th 2014: http://issuu.com/the.star/docs/214099ih?e=0

Article on stuff for Dom post: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/9913282/Spending-a-night-in-a-box

 

To send for caritas 12

Happy Easter

Challenge 2000 Staff and whanau would like to wish everyone a wonderful happy Easter!

We hope you all have a lovely time with family and friends. If you are travelling, please be safe out on the roads!

Easter Bunny

April Holiday Activity Days

Challenge 2000 will be holding holiday activity days these April school holidays. Spaces will be limited so please make sure you book in fast.

Wednesday 23rd April – ANZAC Commemoration Activity Day. This day will start off at Newlands Community Centre where we will bake some ANZAC biscuits to share with people, learn more about ANZAC and the significance it has to us today and then we will visit the War Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown solider. The day will begin at 9am and finish at 4pm. Spaces are limited to 25 young people aged from 10 – 18 years old.

Wednesday 30th April – Team Challenge Day. In teams we will have to face different challenges to see which team comes out on top! The day will begin here at Challenge 2000 at 9am and ends at 5pm. Spaces are limited to 30 young people aged from 10 – 18 years old.

If you would like more information or would like to register your young person, please contact Bridget Masoe on 477 0045.

Caritas 24-Hour Challenge – Supporting the Soloman Islands

Caritas-Challenge-banner

This year’s Caritas Lenten appeal is focused on the Solomon Islands. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand is an agency for justice, peace and development.

Water activity – Leaders testing out the activities for the day

Water activity – Leaders testing out the activities for the day

Money raised will support caritas intheir programmes to help provide clean water, food and health care to communities in the Solomon Islands.

Challenge 2000 will be running a 24 hour non-stop event which will incorporate the four aspects of the challenge which are Live it, Sweat it, Stop it, Move it

This event will held from 5pm Friday 4th April finishing at 5pm Saturday 5th of April at Challenge 2000, 27 Dr Taylor Terrace Johnsonville.

LIVE IT our young people will experience what it feels like to live without a home. Come along and live in our temporary housing made from cardboard boxes, newspapers and tarpaulins.

SWEAT IT our young people experience what it feels like to work in shifts making items that help you earn a living.

Leaders and team captains practicing activities

Leaders and team captains practicing activities

MOVE IT our young people will work together with other young people to make a difference.

STOP IT our young people will move out of their comfort zone to try something new without the normal accessories and comfort.

If you are interested in being part of this or supporting it, please contact Heath on 0273293270 or Nicole 021655697, Challenge 2000 4770045 or heathhutton@challenge2000.org.nz.      

If you would like to send details of this event you can download a poster here

 

Leaders planning the event

Leaders planning the event

 

Caritas

Youth Justice Camp

From the 24th-28th February Challenge 2000 took a Youth Justice Camp away. The group included two young men referred from the Lower Hutt Youth Court, two youth leaders and three staff.

For our two young men the focus of the camp was to develop empathy and self-esteem. The camp hoped to broaden the horizons of these young men and expose them to a range of pro social activities and exercises including camping, abseiling, fishing, white water rafting, hiking and woodworking. These activities along with a number of therapeutic exercises provided a wide range of physical and emotional challenges.

This was an amazing week for all involved and we were spoilt with beautiful whether as we travelled through the Wairarapa to Taupo and down the Kapiti Coast. It was great to see our young men growing in confidence, including our two youth leaders continuing to build their knowledge and skills in order to support others in future.

 

CSCamp

 

Blindfold Walk

 

Fishing exhibition