Christmas Appeal 2023: How locals can help Northland Impact Trust

Linda and John Tiatoa, Brian and Michelle Hoani-Heihei, and Jessica Pearson from Impact Northland Trust. Photo / Jenny Ling

To celebrate Christmas, every day for 12 days the Advocate is sharing with readers a Northland charity or organisation that supports those within the community. In turn, you can learn how best to help them this festive season. Today we speak to the Northland Impact Trust.

Teens in Kerikeri who may have fallen out of the schooling system are been given a new lease on life thanks to the Northland Impact Trust.

The trust began in 2016 to address educational disengagement among 13- to 15-year-olds in Kerikeri. However, over the years it has evolved to help grow future leaders and to equip young people with vital life skills.

For six years, the trust successfully ran its first Alternative Education Programme before expanding in 2022 to include Rangatahi Taunga Rangatira (RTR) initiatives that aimed to help young people flourish into leaders.

Impact Northland Trust operations manager Linda Tiatoa said the initial endeavour, the Rangatahi Taunga Rangatira – Teina Programme, is a mentoring scheme for 11- to 15-year-olds.

“[The programme is] designed to broaden young people’s social horizons, build resilience and self-belief, and connect them with positive role models through activity-based engagements.”

According to the trust, finding enriching opportunities beyond school and family can be a challenge but the RTR Teina Programme helps to foster personal growth, develop social skills, and teach essential life skills in a supportive community setting.

Tiatoa said their mission to provide diverse and empowering experiences for youth had been greatly enriched by partnerships with organisations such as the police-run youth charity Blue Light, the R. Tucker Thompson Sailing Trust, E Tu Whanau, Te Rūnanga O Whaingaroa, and People Potential.

In addition, the trust introduced the RTR Tuakana Programme for young adults aged 15-24, which offers comprehensive life coaching services to facilitate sustainable transitions into employment, education, or training.

“Our life coaches, alongside their young person, set aspirational goals and facilitate the availability of the necessary resources for their success. We also maintain a minimum of six months of post-transition pastoral care to support both the individuals and their employers or educators,” Tiatoa said.

While donations to the trust are always appreciated, a great Christmas present would be for volunteer mentors to join their team.

“Those with experience in youth work, education, industry or coaching would be incredibly valuable,” Tiatoa said.

However, for those unable to mentor, donations of educational materials, sports equipment, or art supplies to be used in the trust’s programmes would also be greatly beneficial.

Tiatoa said they were also scouting for partnerships with employers able to provide work opportunities, apprenticeships, work experience, or mentorship for young adults as part of next year’s micro-credential two-week block course that is being piloted within their RTR Tuakana Programme. The programme aims to equip young adults with essential civil and trade skills.

“We’re also seeking financial sponsorship to support the ongoing success of our RTR Teina Programme, which has significantly impacted over 60 young people in the mid-north region as we have aspirations of expanding this programme to include more young people.”

For more information, people can visit the trust’s website at impactnorthland.com