The inaugural Taitoko Vibes youth event kicked off Wednesday afternoon on the Village Green and will be on there every week until Christmas. Photo / Nikki Carroll
The inaugural Taitoko Vibes youth event kicked off Wednesday afternoon on the Village Green and will be on there every week until Christmas. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Recognising a need for a safe place for Horowhenua youth to just 'hang out' led to eight youth-focused organisations coming together to set up the first Taitoko Vibes event on Wednesday, November 10.
Members of Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Rangatahi 4 Waiora, Te Whaioro Trust, HLC, Life to the Max, UCOL, Raukawa Whānau Ora and Onboard Skate gathered at the Village Green with the Horowhenua District Council to provide a range of activities to suit all ages.
Michelle Rogerson, HDC's community and social development manager, said the concept of Taitoko Vibes began with observations of issues happening at the Paul Ireland skate park.
Free food and cool sounds - the perfect way to attract youth to the first Taitoko Vibes event at the Village Green on Wednesday. Photo / Nikki Carroll
"Earlier this year it was noticed that a number of rangatahi were hanging around [there] with nothing to do and the area was becoming a trouble spot."
But the original idea of providing some focus to these youth was instigated by a conversation held with a disengaged 12-year-old local boy.
Celeste Littek, a Levin based school learning support co-ordinator, said various social workers and educators were struggling to help this student reconnect when a surprise conversation provided the hook.
"One day he told us he had cleaned up some broken glass at the skate park ... when we asked him why he said 'Because if someone gets hurt, they might close the skate park and we don't want that'."
Taitoko Vibes was all about whanau - even the littlest people could have a go at the giant chess game. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Speaking to various youth organisations in the area, Littek realised that no one agency could take on the full responsibility of providing solutions so, along with others in the community, began to set up hui across relevant support networks.
Local youth support, parents, schools, iwi, council and police came together to discuss a programme promoting positive connections and experiences for young people.
One of the people Littek reached out to was Steve Hodges, owner of OnBoard Skate, a Palmerston North based business who were already providing regular skateboarding sessions at a couple of Levin schools to help re-engage some of their senior students.
Hodges was super keen to get involved with the planned youth events, even going so far as sourcing funding so local capability in terms of skateboarding equipment and staff would be available.
Levin youth getting ready to hit the Paul Ireland skate park during the Taitoko Vibes event at the Village Green. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Planning and discussion began back in term two, with the aim of being ready to produce an event for the October school holidays being scuttled by the latest Covid outbreak.
"We just wanted to get out there and be present for our rangatahi, so we had to set a date and make it happen," said Kelly Tahiwi, Rangatahi 4 Wairoa Project Lead for Muaūpoko Tribal Authority and Raukawa Whanau Ora.
Tahiwi said they realised that rangatahi voice, an important part of the planning process, was missing, "[the event] was also about giving them space to kōrero."
The target age group for Taitoko Vibes is 10–18-year-olds and Wednesday's event had the skateboard programme happening, as well as basketball, badminton, a giant chess game, cool sounds and free food.
A little bit of basketball for all ages happening at the Taitoko Vibes event on Wednesday afternoon. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Rogerson said the youth event series was in a co-design phase as it was essential that young people's opinions and ideas helped to shape the programme.
"We want to offer young people positive connections and a sense of pride of place and belonging in our community," Rogerson said, "... to create a fun youth friendly environment [which will enable organisations] to engage with our rangatahi and share information about their youth services."
The organisations involved are sharing the load as all have other demands on their time as well - this period will also provide an opportunity to strengthen relationships between different service providers.
