Kia ora. My name is Pip Dorn, I am the MASSISS social worker based at Mana College in Porirua, I have been working in this role since the beginning of 2022.

Before I joined the Challenge 2000 whanau I worked as a Whanau Worker at Wesley Community Action, I was a part of the Family Start and Mana Whanau team for four years. I have been a qualified Social Worker for seven and half years and I have been registered for two. I have three children and I live in Paraparaumu Beach. I was born in Palmerston North and am from a big catholic family. I have six siblings and I grew up on a dairy farm in a rural community called Rangiotu.

I became a social worker because I grew up very isolated and found my teenage years extremely hard. My dream job was to work with teenagers. I love that I get to encourage, guide and walk alongside young people to dream big and work hard. I love when I see young people achieve their goals and become the best versions of themselves.

The work we do at Challenge2000 isn’t always easy but it is very rewarding when we walk alongside young people and see them do so well at the end of our time working with them.