Whanganui Intermediate School students making the most of the Forest School programme to learn new skills.
Whanganui Intermediate School students making the most of the Forest School programme to learn new skills.
Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa is a partnership between Sport NZ and Regional Sports Trusts that aims to support programmes or projects that focus on play, active recreation, and sport experiences for tamariki and rangatahi.
On behalf of Sport NZ, it is managed by Sport Whanganui in the Whanganui region. Tū Manawa is in its second year and has already ignited sport, active recreation, and play for tamariki and rangatahi. Sport Whanganui recently caught up with one of dozens of funding recipients to hear their story as we head towards another Tū Manawa funding round, which will be open from April 6-30.
The past two years have taught us all the value of resilience and the importance of finding more holistic ways to build resilience in our children. Dr Kenneth Ginsburg, a human development expert, proposes there are seven components to resilience: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control. Research tells us that sport, active recreation, and play can help our tamariki and rangatahi develop resilience.
Sport Whanganui approved an application for Whanganui Intermediate School late last year to provide funding to increase participation in forest schooling for their students. Forest schooling, provided through the ECO School in Okoia, provides a perfect environment in a play setting for learning and building resilience. Managing activities in all kinds of weather, working together as a team to solve problems, and learning about how to work with the environment is incredibly valuable to our tamariki and rangatahi.
The Forest School programme is helping to build resilience in Whanganui Intermediate students.
Kathie Ellery, principal at Whanganui Intermediate School, shared her thoughts on the positive outcomes that the Tū Manawa funding has given the students.
"Tū Manawa funding that the school received late last year has meant the Forest School programme, which had been available for a small group of Intermediate students, is now available for all 550 students for a full year. Each student visits the school twice a term, which covers all the seasons. That's important because the learnings change according to the season. I can now say that the Forest School is one of our most valuable programmes. The students love it, attendance is great, and they are learning so much, including the regular curriculum, like mathematics and English. For example, the students create zip lines as one of the activities. To create a zip line the students must work with mathematics to determine load bearing. It's trial and error of course and what's hugely valuable is the collective problem solving in real situations."
Forest schooling provides a perfect environment in a play setting for learning and building resilience.
When it comes to problem solving, the staff needed to find a solution to transport the group of students in one trip to make the most of the Forest School time, which runs from 9.30am to 2pm. The school applied to Four Regions Trust for transport funding and now has an additional van, which has added benefits for the school in general.
It's easy to understand how the Forest School programme can make a positive impact on individual students, and how it takes a community to open opportunities for our tamariki and rangatahi, from the school community to the funding community, Tū Manawa, and Four Regions Trust.
Sport Whanganui encourages schools, organisations, and sport and active recreation clubs to apply for the next round of funding and make a difference for their community.
Tu Manawa Active Aotearoa information We welcome applications from a wide range of organisations that provide play, active recreation, and sport opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi, particularly: ● Children and young people in higher-deprivation communities ● Girls and young women (5-24) ● Disabled children and young people (5-18) This is an activation fund, and it is intended to help cover programme or service delivery costs. We are interested in receiving applications that take innovative and collaborative approaches to engaging our priority groups in quality play, active recreation, and sport experiences that meet their needs.
This includes costs of: ● Project or programme delivery (e.g. venue or equipment hire, transport to event). ● Equipment (as part of a project or programme). ● Officials, where these are required for the delivery of the opportunity (as part of a project or programme). ● Support for volunteers or activity delivery staff ● Costs associated with developing and promoting your activity. Our next funding round will be open to applications of any amount. The round will open on April 6, closing on April 30. For more information, contact Aidan O'Connor, Sport and Club Partnership Lead - aidan@sportwhanganui.co.nz.
