Gap Year 2021 Applications Open Now!

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.

Applications for next year’s programme are now open!
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE AND APPLY!

Click the link above, or contact us at info@challenge2000.org.nz for more information

Recruiting: Experienced Youth Worker

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
  • A formal qualification relevant to the position
  • A current full clean drivers licence

Salary is negotiable for the right applicant.

Applications close Wednesday 23rd September 2020.

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to info@challenge2000.org.nz.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Damian Dempsey on 04 477 6827 or via info@challenge2000.org.nz.

See our vacancies page here for more information.

Hurricanes Home Game – 8th August

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.

Go the ‘Canes!

Hurricanes Community Partner
Flying the flag

Winter Donation

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!

Recruiting: Experienced Social Workers

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
  • A current full clean drivers licence

Salaries are negotiable for the right applicants.

Applications close 3rd July 2020.

To apply, please address your CV and covering letter to Nina Ness (Practice Manager) and send to info@challenge2000.org.nz.

If you have any questions about these roles, feel free to contact Nina on 04 477 6827 or at  info@challenge2000.org.nz.

See our vacancies page here for more information.

Challenge 2000 Mates & Dates Post-Lockdown!

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

Recruiting: Executive Business Assistant

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

See our vacancies page here to download a copy of the position description.

Back to School in Level 2

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!

Keeping cool with HireMaster!

A BIG THANK YOU to Richard Johnson of Hiremaster Wellington, who kindly loaned our Food Distribution Centre a freezer to store our meat for our family deliveries.

This was great timing as we were also fortunate enough to receive lots of pork from Kiwi Harvest via Primary Industries for our food boxes.

Great gesture Richard. Thanks for helping us to help others!

Get in touch with Richard below to discuss your next hiring needs!

Richard Johnson
Phone: 021 272 6128
email: richard@hiremaster.co.nz