Celebrating the voice of RangatahI in Tamaki Nui a Rua

Giles Lewis, Mes Falealii, Caleb Johnson and Primo McLaren who all volunteered their services to develop and distribute Kaipai to the young and old during lockdown.

There's been much happening in our Rangatahi worlds here at Tararua Community Youth Services with a range of amazing activities, programmes, connections that have formed great relationships leading to youth development at many levels.

Our youth workers and leadership teams have been active in their communities – supporting local school events including school athletic days, swimming sports being a positive role model, encouraging and motivating in their roles as time keepers and support people.

Our team has also been a part of the development of the Child Youth Wellbeing Strategy through a kanohi ki te kanohi process in Wellington and made a submission to the Tararua District Council on the development of a youth hub.

Our youth leadership team has been working extremely hard through their Youth Work Level 3 papers – four have now gained their NZ Certificate in Youth Work! They have trained in Code of Ethics, Mana Taiohi, Youth Mentoring (Quality Relationships), First Aid, Mental Health, Social media and Ethics, Te tiriti o Waitangi and Sexual Diversity.

Completing these have been a big journey of realisation for some and a stepping stone for others who want to peruse other journeys in life such as becoming a police officer or moving on to doing youth work level 4 papers and continuing to be a positive influence in the lives of our communities, young people and peers who we may come across in our journeys as youth workers.

We have had some amazing programmes but have decided to share two projects that have now eventuated from activities, to programmes and now community projects.

KI O RAHI Success

Over the last year we have forged a team together to play Ki o Rahi with remarkable success nationally. Read our story next week.

KAI PAI

TCYS have joined a food recovery organisation in Hawke's Bay through some ideas and hard work from our Rangatahi team.

We travel once a fortnight to Hastings and collect a large van full of kai that we then bring home and deliver to our people the same day.

Our marae freezers are full and we have connected with all our local food banks around the Tararua and churches to fill their freezers.

But most of all, every fortnight our young people meet to pack and distribute kai to their peers, whānau and kaumātua.

They take much pleasure in ensuring that our people are not hungry by supplying them with healthy food choices.

Freezers have been gained through local whānau and kept at the youth centres so young people can come and take whatever they need for their hungry bellies or just have a kai at the youth centre!

MOVING FORWARD!

Our youth centre in Pahiatua has been a little under-utilised over the past few months with two of our youth workers moving into different areas of work.

We are on the look out for someone from the Pahiatua district who has a passion for young people and are wanting to build an amazing youth development team in Pahiatua for the young people of Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna.

If you are keen to pursue youth work and live in this community please let us know via Facebook or give us a call on 06 374 9214 or 027 248 1566. We would love to hear from you!