A new year, a new Caritas Challenge for the year 2017. And many many new tasks and challenges for us in our daily life to help saving our planet.
Over 80 people from Challenge, our Youth Houses and from all around Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt took part of the “Sleep in a cardboard house”-challenge and enjoyed talks, activities, authentic food and workshops about climate change. This year’s main project is the support of Kiribati: Due to the higher and higher rising sea level, it becomes almost impossible for them to stay on their land. But we want to keep up their spirit and culture, their communities and families and became part of the Caritas Challenge 2017 with this weekend’s big event. Sleeping in cardboard houses and learning heaps about how WE can save OUR planet.
With schools back in action, Challenge 2000 offers breakfast and lunch clubs at a few colleges in Porirua. All students from the schools are welcome and encouraged to join us for food, conversation and healthy eating tips.
These programmes began with a hope that they would address various needs for each student that participates. It’s a great time to socialise outside of the classroom and be nourished with a healthy meal in the process!
Last week at the lunch club we had 20 students come and enjoy some delicious chicken curry with rice and fruit salad on the side. The menu each week is different, scrumptious and an assortment of goodness! The students seem to really like the variety and it gives them something unique, fun and fulfilling to look forward to each week.
If you would like to contribute towards the breakfast and lunch clubs, please contact Challenge 2000 – 04 477 0045. Any contribution is appreciated.
Challenge 2000 attended the Naenae College Tabloid sports day last week. The Hutt put on a hot sunny day – great for sports!!
Our staff got involved with the sports and helping out in true Challenge style – especially on the BBQ!!An exhilarating, fun day was had by all staff, students and volunteers – aching muscles a testament to this!!!!
In November, Year 7 students of St Benedict’s had a retreat day facilitated by Challenge 2000, in preparation for their role as leaders in 2017.
The day with a prayer and a song about social justice, before warming up with icebreakers. The theme of leadership was exp[lored, and the Challenge staff talked about people who are leaders in their lives. The students then broke up into small groups to brainstorm about what it means to be a leader, and what makes Jesus the model leader. The major themes of service, care and compassion came through strongly.
The students then had an opportunity to put this theory into practice with team activities, and we all quickly realised that this stuff is easier said than done! Communication was seen to be the key, and listening as one of the key components to this! After a full-on day of discussion and activities we wound down with a reflection exercise and a liturgy, and we referred to the fact that “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate [but] that we are powerful beyond measure”.
The students left inspired and energised to lead their school in a compassionate and considered Christian way in the year ahead. We look forward to watching their progress and success!
Being a Year 12 student, I’ve had my fair share of retreats, many being run by Challenge 2000. To help out at the St Benedict’s transition day, as part of an amazing Challenge team, was awesome. It gave me the opportunity to be on the other side of my usual position in retreats. Instead of being a keen student to learn, I had to be a keen “teacher” to the Year 7s, and help them to become the best leaders they can possibly be!
Throughout the day, the Year 7s were able to find out more about themselves, what is needed to work better as a team, and, ultimately, what is needed to become better leaders. Different activities stretched their minds, forcing them to think as leaders in what they did and what they could have done to have smoother experiences in each activity.
As a student who has experienced these activities in the past, it was amazing to see how these Year 7s mirror so much of what I would have been like when I was a Year 7 (a bit frustrated at times, but always keen for activities and challenges), and it was my privilege to be in a position to help shape each of the student’s characters. It was awesome to see the Year 7s grow and learn so much by the end of the day, and I am excited to see what they become in the future.
During the last week of the school holidays, Challenge 2000 staff had the opportunity to take a few young people on an intensive activities based learning camp. For 4 days and 3 nights we travelled to Otaki, Kuratau and Taupo. Part of the purpose of this camp was to take the young people into new environments and allow them to learn new skills, build relationships and take courage in challenging situations.
The first day of the camp we were fortunate to experience blacksmithing, first hand!! A short workshop was given on how to heat metal safely and then bend it into something useful. The young people got to make their own designer toasting fork. They followed the instructions carefully and what they created was impressive!
The scenery was beautiful, including a small lake nearby, where some went for a glide.
The following day, we drove to Kuratau and gathered together that night to play some card games and rest from the long day of travel.
A big day was ahead for the young people. Visiting the bungee jump was on the day’s schedule! While the young people were both hesitant to go for the big jump, it was only a matter of time that, with bravery and boldness, both made the jump together! The rest of us watched as they dropped down towards the beautiful river below them.
Overall, the intensive 4 day camp adventure was a great learning experience for everyone involved and we came away from the trip knowing each other a bit better, having developed new skills and achieving more than we had hoped for.
One of our Senior Youth Workers, Oke, another youth worker, Junior and two of our Gaps students – Jared and Dylan have been working with this team. The young men have gone from strength to strength and have had some great wins!! They have grown in their attitude, commitment, skill levels and as a team of brothers.
A big thank you to the Four Winds Foundation for their generous donation that has enabled us to purchase training tops and rugby balls for the team.
What a season – congratulations to the players, supporters, family, coaches and the College.
“If you keep doing what you’ve done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got” – Anthony Robbins
Young men from Colleges in the Porirua region participated in the various courses at Adrenaline Forest in Wellington as a reward for their progress in school. The course also aimed to encourage the young men to step out of their comfort zones and face the challenge as a team.
By the end of the day, the young men were exhausted from the physically demanding courses but were grinning from ear to ear about what they had achieved. For some, it was a fear of heights while for others, it was the struggle of working as a team. All in all, it was a great learning experience with a bit of fun added!!!
Rugby 101: Passing, Tackling and the Breakdown
“I don’t believe in magic. I believe in hard work” – Richie McCaw
Peeling it back to the very basics of passing, tackling and the breakdown, students attending the rugby clinic learnt the art of mastery. The small technicalities involved in making a good pass to the timing and positioning of a tackle were examined in the sessions.
The students enjoyed the sessions and have the ability to teach their respective teams or work on the drills themselves. As one student summed it up: “you don’t have to get paid like a professional to train like a professional”!
H2O Extreme and We are ANZAC’s
As the children arrived, they were all filled with excitement for the days ahead. The first day was spent at H20 Extreme in Upper Hutt. We enjoyed riding the lazy river, cruising down the slides, practicing our swimming and having lots of fun. As the day went on we saw the children grow in confidence ready to take on new challenges.
On the second day, the children came back with big smiles on their faces ready to experience an Anzac filled day. We started by reading stories, learning about our soldiers, teddies, dogs and nurses that had been to war. The children had a chance to try on different army gear. This was definitely a highlight for many of our boys. We then headed to the city for a tour to look at the sights, the kids were full of questions and even managed a game of nonstop tag before we headed back to the Challenge House.
Thank you to all the children, parents and people who provided baking and volunteers who helped out on these days. Your support is so appreciated and make these days possible.
Challenge 2000 are back at Newlands Community Centre every Tuesday 3pm-5pm.
We had a few champion planes in our plane building competition today and we have a lot of exciting activities planned every Tuesday afternoon for the rest of 2016!!
If you and your friends are interested in checking it out – come along on a Tuesday after school!! It’s free!
