Volunteer to career for pupils moving on

THINKING: Jessica Kay saw poverty and inequality on a daily basis in the Philippines.

The third annual Moving On conference attracted 150 South Wairarapa primary school pupils to Kuranui College on Monday.

Wairarapa REAP schools liaison Trudy Sears said members of the South Wairarapa Principals' Cluster, including Greytown School principal Kevin Mackay, Kahutara School principal Clare Crawford and South End & Montessori School principal Alastair Kay, had organised the event, which attracted pupils from 13 schools in the South Wairarapa district.

Wairarapa REAP had helped co-ordinate and provide administrative support and Kuranui College had hosted the conference and presented two workshops, while also helping with administration.

Ms Sears said the conference aimed to "open the students' eyes to what's available educationally and socially" and to open views to a career and show how they can become involved in their community.

Keynote speaker was Jessica Kay, who has worked with Save the Children and Oxfam for the past four years.

Ms Kay said she had travelled with the humanitarian agencies to south Sudan, Turkey, Jordan and the Philippines, where she received her early schooling and was first interested to volunteer after witnessing poverty and inequality daily.

"Being raised in the Philippines had a huge influence on my choosing this line of work. We would pass slums and kids running around and not going to school with nothing to eat every day," Ms Kay said.

"That had such an impact on me, I volunteered with a local Philippines NGO (non-government organisation) and started building houses and working with kids."

She went on to study for a BA in development studies and international relations and is now based in Auckland and working with Oxfam New Zealand as programmes co-ordinator helping design development and humanitarian projects in the Pacific region.

"I wanted to talk to the kids today to tell them to make the most of the opportunities that come their way, and I wanted to highlight the importance of volunteering, which made such a difference for me from an early age.

"Volunteering really is a key thing to do, no matter how young or old you are, and that can be volunteering locally with elderly or the disabled perhaps makes a huge difference to what you may then go on to do with your life."

Mr Mackay took a lead role in the Get On Ya Bike Greytown Cycle Trail workshop, and took a small cavalcade of cyclists for a five-kilometre jaunt to Woodside and back, which was a journey he took after completing the 160km Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge on Saturday.

Other conference workshops included Portrait Silhouettes with Masterton artist Tina Rae Carter, Studying Science with Victoria University senior tutor and former Wairarapa man James "Elf" Eldridge, creating a tantalising custard slice with UCOL Wairarapa head chef lecturer Kiri Macdonald and Stacey Puddy, Scratch the programming software with Bryan Butler and Join the Circus with Kuranui College drama teacher Juanita McLellan.

Returning workshops included the NZ Defence Force, Masterton Fire Service, Paora Ammunson, sharing his knowledge of Papawai Marae, Kuranui College dance teacher Sharyne Lewis, drummer Jordan Tredray with Making Sum Noise.