A sobering read about the challenges many face in these difficult times. Thanks to our very own Kitty McKinley for contributing to this report on Challenge 2000’s behalf. Click here to read the stuff article about the report…
Or read the Johnsonville State of our Community report below…
Challenge 2000 has a well-established Gap Year and Intern programme that caters for up to eight young people.
Since 2007 the Society of Mary and Challenge 2000 have offered a full time gap year programme based in Wellington. Each year, eight young people accept the challenge to say “yes” and spend a year at Challenge 2000 developing, growing and serving others in our community.
It provides an opportunity for recent secondary school and/or university graduates to:
Grow personally and professionally
Attain a range of life skills
Get a wider experience of Aotearoa-New Zealand, its peoples and cultures
Gain a qualification in Youth Work
Explore and prepare for future careers
If you are under 20 years of age and want more life experience, an opportunity to serve and to be part of a positive active community, then contact us and apply for our Gap Year! Each year, there are ONLY 8 PLACES AVAILABLE for gap students and interns.
Challenge 2000 is a Wellington-based youth development agency which has served young people and their families for 32 years. We seek to help young people grow into their best selves through a variety of services and programmes, including education, youth justice, personal mentoring, and leadership development. We have significant contracts with a number of partner agencies.
We are seeking an experienced youth worker to join our team.
Applicants must be:
An experienced youth worker
Familiar with strengths-based principles
Solution-focused and goal-oriented
Experienced in working alongside adolescents and their families
Familiar with working in justice, education and/or community sectors
Able to work collaboratively as part of a team
Experienced in working with Māori and Pacific communities
An effective communicator, both written and oral
Organised, punctual and responsible
Able to keep up with case notes, assessments and administrative requirements
Willing to learn and develop new skills
Willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends
Applicants must also have:
New Zealand residency or a valid New Zealand work visa
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Challenge 2000 continued supporting young people and their families, helped by the generosity of friends and partner agencies. One of those agencies was the Ministry of Primary Agencies (MPI).
Last week, a group from MPI visited Challenge 2000 to hear about some of the work done earlier this year. Our local newspaper covered the visit.
It has been our privilege (and hopefully theirs!) to be the Hurricanes chosen Community Partner last year and this.
At their next home game on 8th August we will be collecting donations towards our work. If you are at the game and see us, please come and see us and drop something in the bucket.
The sun is shining today, but wasn’t that some southerly blast that blew through earlier in the week! Some of us were fortunate to be tucked up warm and dry these past few cold nights. However, this winter, some of the young people we work with are struggling to keep warm.
Every winter, we ask friends of Challenge to send any spare blankets and pyjamas our way. Today, a friend dropped in some winter supplies. Thank you very much for your thoughtful generosity! And to all those who help us support others. You’re great!
Challenge 2000 is a youth development agency that has served young people and their families in the Wellington Region for 30 years. We seek to help young people grow into their best selves through a variety of services and programmes, including education, youth justice, personal mentoring, leadership development and family growth and wellbeing.
We have significant relationships and work contracts with a number of partner agencies.
We are seeking two experienced social workers to join our team.
Applicants must be:
A qualified and experienced social worker
Experienced in working alongside adolescents and their families
Experienced in adolescent mental health and well-being
Familiar with strengths-based principles
Solution-focused and goal-oriented
Familiar with working in community and/or education sectors
Able to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
Experienced in working with Māori and Pacific communities
Able to self-manage a demanding caseload
Able to consult appropriately with family and other professionals to enhance positive outcomes for young people
Able to network and build effective working relationships with other agencies
Able to develop and/or facilitate group intervention programmes for adolescents
Able to communicate effectively, both written and orally
Experienced in facilitating professional, restorative family meetings and groups
Able to supervise other staff or give evidence of the ability to develop skills in this area
Applicants must also have:
New Zealand residency or a valid New Zealand work visa
Registration with the SWRB or be eligible for registration
Mates & Dates is a Healthy Relationships program for Secondary Students Years 9 to Years 13. The program aims to reduce sexual and dating violence by helping young people acquire the knowledge and skills to engage in safe, respectful and healthy relationships based on the personal dignity of all people. We also focus on healthy relationships with peers, whānau, and society in general.
Just some of the Challenge 2000 Mates & Dates team
This term, we’ve continued the modules that we started in Term I, pre-COVID-19. Next term, we hope to be busy again delivering more modules in secondary schools in the Wellington Region. It’s a privilege to be a part of students’ lives, serving them and their families via this really important program.
Straight off the press from a couple of our facilitators…
“After COVID-19 forced a break in our Mates & Dates curriculum, we have finally been able to ease back into the schools to finish old, and begin new, modules. The situation that lockdown forced us into has created an excellent point to stop and reflect, and to look forward with new learning. Having discussions with the rangatahi in schools in regards to how lockdown affected their well-being and communication styles has allowed us to have great conversations around relationships and how we will communicate going forward.“ Aidan Ritchie is a Challenge 2000 Youth Worker and Mates & Dates Facilitator
“It’s so good to be back in the colleges delivering such an important program. One of the things that I really enjoy about being a Mates & Dates facilitator is being able to be part of creating an environment where the rangatahi we’re engaging with feel safe and supported enough to fully participate and as a result, we have some really awesome group discussions. Every class is unique and I like how that keeps us facilitators on our toes!“ Anh-Dao Pham is a Challenge 2000 Youth Worker and Mates & Dates Facilitator
Challenge 2000 is a Wellington-based youth development agency which has served young people and their families for over 30 years. We seek to help young people grow into their best selves through a variety of services and programmes, including education, youth justice, personal mentoring, and leadership development. We have significant contracts with a number of partner agencies.
We are looking for a professional, organised yet flexible person with a loving, can-do attitude, who, in a dynamic environment at the Marist-Challenge Centre in Johnsonville, can juggle the following tasks:
Administrative support of our leadership and financial teams
Experience of financial systems (preferably Xero) a must
Funding applications and reports
Managing ‘front of house’ interaction
Supporting public relations and communications
Coordinating special projects and events
Facilitating volunteer engagement
Great location, an awesome workspace with a truly diverse team, a carpark and opportunity for flexible hours.
To apply or to find out more, please contact John Robinson before 26th June: (04) 477 6827 / info@challenge2000.org.nz
After a couple of months out of school the majority of students are returning back to see friends and catch up on the latest gossip.
Hand sanitizers adorn every house and no breakfast in schools programmes are running to meet level 2 criteria, but apart from this much has stayed the same.
Many students have said they had missed the structure of school and are glad to be back, as they had found it difficult to be online during set times with the distractions of home life.
Most have reintegrated back well and seniors are excited about the reduced credits required for NCEA achievement.
When asked about their experience of lockdown most students respond with ‘boring’. The common feel is that everyone is glad to be back at school and are waiting for sports to start back up again!