30 minute read
AGE School
Preparing for a sustainable world
AGE School takes a truly future-focused approach to learning by helping prepare students to engage in the world around them. We develop skills that will enable students to understand the people and environment they will be interacting with. AGE School is for any child (or the parents of any child) who want to equip themselves for the future by expressing themselves in the present.
The Journey of an AGE Learner
These traits are critical for the world our children will live in, where innovation and an awareness of the environment go hand in hand. Our learning model provides a framework to help students build their knowledge and make an impact on the world around them. AGE School learners spend around a third of their time outside of the classroom, exploring, understanding and contributing to our communities.
Sea Week
Each year in Term 1 our AGE wonders spend a dedicated week down at Takapuna beach for Sea Week. The annual tradition of SeaWeek sees our learners diving (literally!) into our coastal marine systems and discovering our local marine environment, exploring our impact on the
ecosystem, participating in a community beach clean up, and creatively sharing the message with our community to protect our taonga.
Plant Boxes
Out in our AGE garden spaces you will find plant boxes and seedling beds that our students are working hard to maintain. Our wonders have begun planting some edibles in the plant boxes such as mesclun, tomatoes, and herbs. The children set up the planters with coconut fibre and soil and then chose which seeds they wanted to plant. The children are now eagerly watching as we water them and “turn on the sun” each day to see if the seeds have begun to sprout. Their goal is to grow various vegetables and plants to help support our nourishing plant based lunches each week.
Plant Based Lunches
Our Nourish to Flourish plant-based meals cause a flurry of great excitement at lunchtimes. Our families know that 3-days a week our wonders will enjoy fresh ‘home cooked’ meals made in our fully equipped kitchen with sustainable ingredients. Each meal is made up of completely plant based ingredients. Nachos are a great hit with some students unable to believe that it is all veggies! Plates are more often than not licked clean with students queuing up for more. This year, we launched AGE Outdoors to focus on student’s outdoor wellness by engaging with the natural environment at our 80-acre farm on the Mahurangi River. The purpose of AGE Outdoors is to provide an alternative learning opportunity based in nature, where individuals can learn more about the world around them and focus on purposeful projects in sustainability. Learners are encouraged to develop new skills and knowledge, take risks, and put their ideas into action to have a positive impact on the environment. This purposeful day in nature will see learners working on real-world, hands-on projects in sustainability, seed to forest regeneration, a seed to table programme to feed our community, and riparian planting to regenerate our waterways.
When students complete AGE School, they’ll leave empowered to build further on their learning. They’ll feel connected to their community, conscious of the environment, and have developed fundamental skills for the world they are moving into.
If you would like to find out more about AGE School, please contact
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Breakfast, leather and a taste of Italy in September!
September is a busy month for the North Harbour Club, with three charity events held through the month – a fantastic business breakfast, another after-5 innovation event and a wonderful Viva L’Italia charity dinner.
Mike Bush for Breakfast – Sept 6th
The first of these events is the Business Excellence Network (BEN) Breakfast with the guest speaker being Mike Bush CNZM, Takapuna local and former New Zealand Commissioner of Police. Mike had a career of over 40 years in the New Zealand Police and finished with a role leading the operational arm of the Covid-19 all-of-government response group. Since retiring from the force he has been working in governance, leadership and risk management via his own business, Bush Consultancy.
The North Harbour Club’s BEN Breakfast series is sponsored by Westpac, Schnauer & Co Lawyers, BDO, Continental Cars BMW and Regatta Bar & Eatery. Regatta is also the fantastic venue for the breakfasts.
This breakfast event is being held on Tuesday September 6th, starting from 7am. Tickets are just $65 plus GST per person. Visit www.northharbourclub.co.nz or email: events@northharbourclub.co.nz to order your tickets.
Mike Bush.
Jessie Wong.
The Yu Mei story with Jessie Wong – Sept 22nd
Jessie Wong, entrepreneur and founder of luxury leather goods brand Yu Mei, will be the guest speaker at the North Harbour Club’s informative evening for business and emerging leaders being held in The B:HIVE at Smales Farms on Thursday September 22nd.
This is a free event, with one free beverage on arrival, for local business people who wish to network with like-minded people who are keen on innovation and learning from like-minded entrepreneurs.
The Yu Mei brand is an extension of Jessie Wong’s desire to simplify life through functional, utilitarian design. With her impressive strategic outlook and vision for the future of regenerative leathercraft, Jessie is as dedicated to business as she is to design. She is set on international expansion of the brand after establishing three flagship NZ stores and getting Yu Mei into 30-40 stores across Australasia. Jessie was awarded the Women of Influence Business Enterprise Award earlier this year.
This FREE after-5 business innovation event is being held from 5:30pm – 6:30pm at The B:Hive, Smales Farm, followed by networking at the Fantail & Turtle Bar. Numbers are limited so you must register. Visit www.northharbourclub.co.nz or email: events@northharbourclub.co.nz to secure your spot. All local business people are welcome.
Viva L’Italia at Regatta Bar & Eatery
– Sept 28th
Regatta Bar & Eatery will be the venue for the North Harbour Club Viva L’Italia Charity Dinner being held on Wednesday September 28th. This will be a memorable culinary evening with Italy at the heart! Mixing great food from Italy with quality wines and other refreshments.
This fun-filled Italian themed night will include live entertainment, and fundraising fun, with attendees encouraged to dress up Italian-style!
Bookings are essential as this event will sell-out. Tickets are $180 per person. Visit www.northharbourclub.co.nz or email events@northharbourclub.co.nz to book your tickets or table.
Accountancy with Mike Atkinson of Bellingham Wallace.
Tips when purchasing a business
Mike Atkinson.
Being your own boss may be an investment or career opportunity which may appeal to you. Like any opportunity, it is always good to do some homework before hitting the go button.
This homework will help save you time, heartache, and even save your house by ensuring you are making a well-informed decision. Below are some key considerations when embarking on this journey:
Complete your due diligence
When completed by a competent advisor, financial and legal due diligence engagements will give you an idea of how the business currently operates, identify any internal or external risks or issues you may need to be aware of, assess the likely impact of those risks, and ideally provide you with a road map or comments on what you may expect in the future as a result of purchasing this business. Examples of the areas which will likely be looked at include existing registered securities over the assets of the business, quality of the assets, staff remuneration and whether these are aligned to market expectations, financial performance compared to prior trends, and then applying those historical indicators as an indicator of future performance. In addition, a due diligence review should also be able to comment on the cash cycle and funding requirements and/or general market comparison of the business’s performance measured against its peers.
A due diligence report will also help when applying for any funding requirements to enable a purchase to be settled, along with setting the business and banking facilities required to operate from day to day, including potential seasonality risk or foreign exchange risk.
Ultimately a due diligence report should be clear on the type of business you are acquiring, the risks associated with that business along with demonstrating how your own knowledge and expertise will help mitigate any risks and what the next chapter for the business will look like.
Prepare a business plan
A business plan will help map out the journey you are about to take. You should take an objective approach to this, thinking about what you want to achieve, and how you are going to achieve it, what resources and support you will need to achieve this, and the likely timeframes. The existing vendor is often the starting point as a great source of knowledge to tap into to help shape your initial plan. However, remember to remain objective and mindful of what they are telling you as they are wanting to complete the transaction as much as you do. Test any messages to ensure you can implement and deliver on them. Trust your gut instinct; do your own research or to come up with your own plan B.
Alongside a business plan, you will also need to complete a cash flow forecast as part of this process as it will help formulate some key performance indicators for you post-settlement. The cash flow forecast will also demonstrate that you are able to afford and fund this deal going forward. It's vital that you have a well-built threeway forecast presenting on a month-by-month basis, a profit and loss, balance sheet and statement of cashflows. It's critical that any new acquisition can be funded from future cash flows, and that as a purchaser, you are aware of the cash cycles. A buyer certainly doesn’t want to be in a position of having to go back to their funder requesting more cash after only just settling on a purchase.
How much is too much?
Obtaining advice on the valuation of the business would help assist you in determining whether the asking price by the vendor is reasonable and how this value compares against similar businesses. A higher price is often still worth pursuing if there are some intellectual property, resources, or customer contracts which you value and which provide synergies for you as a buyer to unlock.
Typically, there will be a gap in expectations of what a business is worth between a seller and a buyer. To mitigate this, using an a cash up front plus an earnout provision can be used to bridge any valuation gap. The earnout provision will be payable at a future date on the basis that the ongoing business achieves one or more measures post-settlement. Examples of this may include the business reaching a certain level of sales, staff retention, and/or key customer retention. The benefit of an earnout provision may also assist with cash flow management by providing staggered payment terms.
Provisions/warranties in the Sale and Purchase Agreement helps
It is common practice to include some warranties and provisions in the Sale and Purchase Agreement as this will give a buyer a level of comfort or recourse if something pops up down the track. Fundamentally these provisions/warranties exist to protect the buyer to ensure that as much as possible the business remains consistent under the buyer’s ownership and true to what has been presented and communicated by the vendor during due diligence. Examples include the vendor continuing to operate the business as per usual up until the settlement date, vendor guaranteeing and paying for any warranty claims on existing products, or having the vendor available post-settlement to address any questions or queries to assist with a smoother business ownership transition.
Pre-settlement planning
Often, the hardest part of purchasing a business is getting everything sorted before settlement date. It would be good to sit down with your trusted advisor to create a to-do list. Tasks may include incorporating a company and registering it for all relevant tax types with the Inland Revenue Department, contacting all suppliers and setting up a trade account with them so that you can commence ordering supplies on day one, entering into any premises lease agreements, arranging for appropriate insurance cover, and creating a handover road map with the vendors. This to-do list will ensure you are taking proactive steps to ensure a less turbulent start to owning your own business.
The journey of purchasing your own business can be full of challenges. Often these challenges may seem daunting but is nothing new. This journey is often easiest travelled alongside your trusted advisor.
For more information about this process, or if you don’t have a trusted advisor, reach out to the team at Bellingham Wallace.
Visit: www.bellinghamwallace.co.nz
Anna graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Laws and Arts at the end of 2021. She has since been admitted to the Bar and is excited to begin the next stages of her legal career in the family law team at Schnauer and Co.
Anna Graham. Relocation – what happens when guardians disagree?
If you are separated and have children and you want to move with them outside the area you currently live in, this is called relocation. Deciding where a child lives is a guardianship issue which means the guardians must consult and agree when making this decision. Disputes can arise when one parent objects to the proposed relocation, often citing the significant impact on their contact with the child as reason for their objection.
Decisions such as those related to relocation must be made in accordance with the Care of Children Act 2004 (“the Act”). Particular care should be taken to ensure the welfare and best interests of the child are the first and paramount consideration, in accordance with section 4 of the Act.
There are two actions that can be taken to resolve a relocation dispute. You can apply to the Family Court for a guardianship direction and for a parenting order. If you already have a parenting order, you can apply for a variation to this order.
The Court will look at the principles relating to the child’s welfare and best interests as enshrined in the Act. The kinds of principles considered include the safety of the child, continuity in arrangements etc.
The individual circumstances of the child or children affected will be at the heart of the decision. There are a great number of factors that may be considered. For example, the following factors in a proposed location that may enhance the child’s wellbeing include: • Strong network of extended family support. • Clear plan of how the relationship with the parent left behind will be continued. • A parent who is supportive of the children’s relationship with the parent left behind. Whereas examples of factors which go against the proposed relocation may include: • Negative/hostile attitude to the other parent. • Children already well settled in the status quo. • Heavy burden of travel. • The attitude that you will leave either way i.e. without the children.
It is important to take a child-centric approach, making decisions that are in the best interest of the children. Relocation may or may not be harmful depending on a combination of risk and protective factors. It is important to consider all these different factors when making a proposal of relocation.
It can also be helpful to ‘reality test’ what is being proposed. This involves questioning whether what is being proposed is realistic. For example, proposing that a very young child travels a long distance weekly would be unlikely to work in reality. What may be more appropriate is daily online contact and monthly visits.
A big move can be stressful and overwhelming for children, but can also present exciting opportunities. What is key, is thinking about your children and deciding what is genuinely best for them.
If you have any questions about relocation or guardianship issues generally, please do not hesitate to reach out to our family law team at Schnauer and Co.
By Anna Graham
Schnauer & Co, 1 Shea Terrace, Takapuna 09 486 0177, www.schnauer.com
School sports in decline
David Boardman. While many of us are aware of the impact that the past two years has had on schools and the academic achievement of some students, an area often overlooked is how sport and participation in sport has been affected.
School Sport New Zealand reported in 2020 that the overall number of students participating in school sport declined to 48%, the first time it had dropped below 50% in over a decade. Teacher participation had dropped to 29%.
Many students, staff and volunteers persevered though, and ensured that sport continued as best as possible during this time. While traditional team sports show a decrease in participation, these are being replaced by newer disciplines, such as skateboarding, surfing, sport climbing and snowsports. As the sports that students are exposed to in events such as the Olympics change, their interests also change. Regardless of this change, the important thing is to get students and teachers supporting sport wherever and whenever they can.
Sport not only enables students to build fitness and maintain their health, but also to develop skills, establish identity and provide balance to the demands of academic work. Sports help teach various skills such as leadership, patience, team working and social skills. They encourage students to drive themselves to not only improve and chase the win, but also to be humble and accepting when they lose.
Sports and the interaction between player and coaches or parents, encourage students to develop a positive mindset. This in turn boosts emotional fitness, as players enjoy the interaction with others, celebrate their successes and get a feeling of happiness, reducing stress and maintaining mental health.
Regular exercise and having a routine assists in developing focus, which supports the academic studies of students and combining this with being able to see the improvement that comes with regular training, boosts self-esteem and confidence.
Students in Auckland have access to a wide range of sports, with our easy access to the water, mountain biking trails, well supported sports centres, Snowplanet, a growing range of climbing and bouldering centres and skateparks, all of which supplement the parks where it is possible to practise touch, football and often basketball or netball.
Sports play a central role in student life at Kristin and their benefits stretch far beyond the enjoyment of competing with friends and colleagues. These benefits can be seen in the classroom and will help support and provide our students with skills needed to make the most of their abilities after they leave Kristin. I implore any student who is not currently involved in a sport to talk to their sports department or investigate what is available to them locally, find out what is available, get out there and have some fun. It’s definitely worth it.
Do you have this pest plant in your backyard?
SEPTEMBER PEST PLANT OF THE MONTH: English Ivy
Pest plants, such as ivy and moth plant, are invading Auckland’s North Shore – your gardens and your nearby bush reserves. Controlling them when they are small is easy and cheap. If they are left to grow, they can spread across your property onto your neighbours’ gardens and to nearby reserves.
Auckland Council has recently introduced new rules that require people in some areas to remove some pest plants from their property, in order to protect our native biodiversity.
English ivy is a fast-growing, creeping vine with hairless, dark green or green/white leaves. Roots and stems can reach up to 30 metres, strangling and killing host trees, smothering the forest understory and preventing native forest regeneration. Ivy is spread by birds dispersing the seeds as well as by dumping of garden waste, as it can regrow from stems.
If you notice English ivy on your property, take action as soon as possible:
• Dig out small infestations, trying to remove all parts of the root system – ivy can regrow from stem fragments that are left in the ground. • Hand release off native trees where possible. Make a cut at the base of the stem and apply a thin film of Met Gel to both ends of the cut stem – can be purchased from most garden centres and hardware stores. • Large vines can be left on the tree after applying Met Gel to both ends of the cut stem. • For large infestations and ground cover, spray the leaves with 0.5g/L metsulfuron with glyphosate (15ml/L) plus 2 ml/L penetrant.
Always wear appropriate personal protection equipment and read the manufacturer’s label for guidelines and recommendations. • Follow up in three months to reapply herbicide and ensure all regrowth has died. • Dispose of any seeds, roots and stem fragments in your rubbish bin to go to landfill, securely tied inside a plastic bag - to stop it spreading to other areas. • Stop pest plants invading again by replanting with non-pest plants (preferably native plants) once regrowth is no longer a problem. • Talk to your neighbours and encourage them to take action too!
There are several environmental networks across Auckland’s North Shore that support communities to recognise, report and remove pest plants and restore our native wildlife.
East Coast Bays and Hibiscus Coast, Restore Hibiscus & Bays info@restorehb.org.nz, restorehb.org.nz/resources-pest-plants/ Facebook.com/RestoreHB
Kaipātiki, Pest Free Kaipātiki (PFK), enquiries@pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz https://www.pfk.org.nz/pest-plant-resources Facebook.com/pestfreekaipatiki/
Takapuna, Pupuke Birdsong Project, enviro@takapunatrust.org.nz Facebook.com/pupukebirdsongproject
Devonport Peninsula, Restoring Takarunga Hauraki pestfreedevonport@gmail.com, Facebook.com/restoringtakarungahauraki/
Upper Harbour, Upper Waitematā Ecology Network (UWEN) info@upperharbourecologynetwork.org Facebook.com/ @upperwaitemataecologynetwork
For advice on chemical-free alternatives, Kaipātiki Project community@kaipatiki.org.nz kaipatiki.org.nz Facebook.com/kaipatikiproject
This monthly feature is a collaborative initiative between Restore Hibiscus & Bays, Pest Free Kaipātiki Restoration Society, Pupuke Birdsong Project, Restoring Takarunga Hauraki, the Upper Waitematā Ecology Network and Kaipātiki Project. Building on Te Ao Māori principles of kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga, these environmental networks bring our communities together to foster guardianship, care and respect towards our whenua, natural world and indigenous wildlife.
with Lindsay Knight Purple patch for Takapuna’s outstanding women’s bowlers
Capped by a sterling effort by the club’s Black Jack Selina Goddard in securing two bronze medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Takapuna’s outstanding women’s bowlers have enjoyed a purple patch of success in the past few weeks.
Selina played an influential role as lead in the New Zealand fours team which gained a bronze in that discipline, then was just as effective in the pairs leading for her close friend, Queensland-based Cantabrian Katelyn Inch, to secure another bronze. This added to the national title won together two seasons ago and added to the bronze Selina won at Glasgow in 2014.
Earlier, in late July, a Takapuna four of skip Lisa Dickson, three Lauren Mills, two Robyne Walker and lead Anne Dorreen, won the national champion of champion fours title in Hastings.
And just as Selina had in winning her medals, the four also had to overcome considerable hurdles to achieve their success.
A harsh critic might suggest that Selina’s double might have been more deserving of celebration had the medals’ colour been gold or silver. But that has to be balanced against the problems faced by the New Zealand bowlers in Birmingham.
The greens were much slower than New Zealanders are used to and required a large degree of readjustment. The playing standard, too, was much higher than it has been in even the recent past, due largely to the spectacular rise of nations like Malaysia and India.
Though different, the obstacles confronting the Takapuna four in Hastings were just as formidable. Anne and Robyne had only just recovered from Covid and on the tournament’s second day, one which thankfully they weren’t required to play having already qualified for post-section on the first day, Lauren was unwell.
And the tight schedule of games imposed by Bowls New Zealand meant another major challenge on the final day. With nine qualifiers for post-section there had to be a play-off to decide the eighth spot for the quarter-finals.
Byes were allocated to seven of the teams and it was Takapuna’s
luck to be one of those drawn for the play-off game. That meant a start at 8am so that by the time they had played two more games to reach the final the Takapuna ladies were still playing at 7.30pm. The short gaps between each round were an added difficulty for Lisa, who is a type one diabectic and therefore needs to be careful in Selina played an influential role maintaining her sugar levels. So it was a remarkable feat of stamina, composure and mental as lead in the New Zealand fours team which gained a strength for Takapuna to prevail so impressively by winning seven games on the trot. The play-off game was won against Taranaki’s Paritutu 19-2, a staggering effort as this was a team which had won a bronze in that discipline… national title. Then followed wins over Hunua (Counties), Palmerston North and finally over Waikato’s Pirongia, another worthy opponent which earlier had ousted Auckland’s Carlton-Cornwall, the defending champion. For all four players it was their first national title, and especially satisfying for Lisa and Anne, who while much-decorated at centre levels, had previously come tantalisingly close to national honours without success. Just the year before, indeed, Anne had finished runner-up in this event in another Takapuna four of Wendy Jensen, Trish Hardy and Skye Renes. For Takapuna board chairman and North Harbour life member Graham Dorreen it was another feather in his coaching cap. He orchestrated the four’s win in Hastings, then soon after departed for Britain and as her personal coach gave her the utmost support, albeit as a spectator.
Visit: www.bowlsnorthharbour.com
Selina Goddard (left) with Katelyn Inch after receiving their bronze medal in the pairs at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Greetings from Sunnynook Community Centre
Bronwyn Bound.
We were thrilled to hear that Parklane Village did a food drive during August for the Community Food Pantry. I collected lots of wonderful items from the lovely staff and residents.
Thanks to Patsy Fisher for listening and spreading the word “Charity Begins at Home! There really are a lot of folk who are struggling out there. At Parklane we could have a ‘food drive’ and show them that we care! So spread the word to others and encourage them to ‘chip in’. Let’s all help to make a difference and do it with a grin!”We have had some really interesting workshops happening at the Community Centre. A public meeting was held on Thursday 4th August about ‘intensification’. From that we then ran a ‘Submission Writing’ Workshop on Monday 29th August. Thanks to everyone that was involved and allowed our Community to ‘have a voice’.
Don’t forget we have the CAB pop up Clinics on the second and fourth Thursday of the month – 1.30pm to 4.00pm – mandarin speaker available.
We also run a monthly Crimewatch Meeting at the Community Centre, this is run by our Community Constable Brent Stewart, who is just coming to terms with how busy this community is! Meetings are on the first Tuesday of the month, 7pm start.
Have you joined our Walking Group? A wonderful group of locals meet at the Centre on a Wednesday morning at 9.25am, they then walk for an hour and come back to the Centre for a cuppa and a chat. Sometimes they catch a bus to a surrounding area and have a cuppa at a local café. If you are interested in joining them please email: snook.com.cen@xtra.co.nz and we will pass your details on the Sheryl.
Please check out our website for up to date information about all of the classes that are run at the Community Centre. If you would like to put your children on the Waiting List for the Sunnynook Holiday Programme or Kennedy Park Youth Programme, please email: snook. com.cen@xtra.co.nz
If you would like to go on the online mailing list to receive our Community Newsletters please email: office@sunnynookcomcentre. co.nz or click on the ‘contact us’ link on our website.
We hope you are all enjoying doing the ‘September Marathon’ throughout the month of September 2022, for more info: www.sunnynookcommunity.org.nz/marathon
Kind regards
Bronwyn Bound, Centre Manager, Sunnynook Community Centre
Check out www.sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz where you will find more information about the classes that are being run at the Centre. Email: office@sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz for more information.
Harbour Hospice to benefit from Devonport homes tour
The Homes of Devonport Tour is a popular fundraiser run by the Devonport Rotary Club in association with Bayleys Devonport – and this year, for the first time, Harbour Hospice is one of its beneficiaries.
The home owners who graciously open their homes to the public for the bi-annual tour rarely say no when asked to participate, organiser Lynda Betts reveals. “And the reason is the causes we fundraise for resonate with them. With Harbour Hospice, it’s a place that most of us have had dealings with and we’ve very much appreciated what hospice has done for us.”
Such is the case for Devonport couple Annie O’Donnell and David McQueen, who are showing their transitional bungalow/villa, which they renovated a year after purchasing it.
Both lost their spouses to cancer in 2013. David’s family was supported by hospice in Australia and Annie’s family by Harbour Hospice. Annie says, “I was a nurse and cared for Gordon at home, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the Hospice nurses. They were amazing. I had such an incredible relationship with them. They were so supportive and would come in behind me to allow me and my children to look after Gordon.”
Annie admits it has been “a bit of work” getting their home to “open home level presentation” for the tour. “But for hospice it’s absolutely worth it. We agreed that we really wanted to do this.”
As a real estate agent for Bayleys, Lynda has been responsible for sourcing the homes since the tour’s inception in 2013. However, she was so taken by the idea when Bayleys was first approached to sponsor it she joined the Devonport Rotary Club and has been an enthusiastic member ever since.
Rotary has long supported Harbour Hospice and when it heard that only $600,000 is still needed to be raised of its original $10 million fundraising target to complete its North Shore redevelopment project, members were unanimous in their decision to make it a beneficiary, Lynda says.
For $80 a ticket you can spend the day on November 4th making your way around 10 of Devonport’s most interesting homes. The tour map includes great cafés, and stalls are set up at the homes selling baked goods, Christmas puddings and decorations, and highly sought-after goody bags.
Homes of Devonport Tour, 4 November 2022 – to purchase tickets go to eventfinda.co.nz
Lynda Betts Bayleys Devonport. Annie and David with Annie's son Barnaby.
By Sonia Thursby, CEO, Yes Disability The Empowered programme
Sonia Thursby.
With winter coming to an end and spring just around the corner, the team at Yes has been on the move around Auckland and the country. The Empowered programme that Yes has been providing with the extraordinary partnership of Cam Calkoen, completed its second workshop in Queenstown.
The views and scenery were breathtaking, but it was Cam’s enthusiasm and passion during the workshop that was the highlight of the trip. ‘Bending perception and eliminating assumption’ was the theme of the workshop and the trip, wiith participants exploring places they have never been to before, exploring their fears and testing their limits. The workshop was all about looking at your own life journey and turning it into a story, with life’s ups and down’s and being able to structure your story for the listener to relate to and understand.
While some members of the I.Lead team were at the Empowered programme, some of the Yes team were at King’s College presenting the second launch of our Future Ready website to young people and adults in the South Auckland region. Future Ready is a platform for young people to use as a supporting tool during their transition from high school to their future endeavours. The team held a workshop for the participants with fun robotics and Lego activities, which was a great way for our team to engage with the young people and get their creativity flowing. The team then presented the Future Ready website, discussing in more detail what Future Ready is and how it can help individualise a plan for that all-important time of post-schooling transition. The platform is a tool to be used continuously and help ease the pressure of finding services and support that are needed to be able to make informed decisions independently. If you are wanting to check out Future Ready, you can visit the website on www. futureready.org.nz.
In our last article we discussed the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. Yes is an accredited provider of this scheme and, having successfully completed our Adventurous Journey, our participants had their sights set on completing their sections and achieving their Bronze Awards. With support from our team and regular catch-ups they are well on their way. The major Auckland award ceremony is in November, and we are excited to be able to hold a smaller, individualised, award ceremonies for our group to acknowledge the hard work and commitment they have displayed. This is also an opportunity for the participants to recognise how far they have come from when we started and provide them the motivation to continue in their process as they progress to the Silver Award. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in participating in this scheme we’d love to hear from you!
Stay updated with our programmes and events through our social media and websites: https://yesdisability.org.nz/ https://www.ilead.org.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ileadconferencenz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.leadnz/
Younite hosting ‘Meet the Candidates’ event
Genevieve Lai.
Kia Ora everyone,
Spicy September is here with Younite and we’re inviting you to come along to our Younite x Hot Ones show. It's a show with hot questions and even hotter wings for spicy talks with our special guests: local North Shore candidates. That’s right, Younite will be co-hosting, with Devonport Community House, the ‘Meet the Candidates’ event set to be held on Thursday evening (5.30-8pm) 8th September at the Devonport Community House. This is a great opportunity for you, as part of our local community, to meet and learn more about the candidates and what values they represent, all while receiving golden entertainment as North Shore local candidates burn through hot wings (in the promotion video) and any questions you fire away at them.
As politi-cool as Younite gets, we are also ecstatic to share our social initiatives and grants set for the upcoming months. Just as we announced in our previous column, Younite will be holding a rangatahi creatives gala later in October, with further details to be confirmed. This will be Younite’s very first live youth-oriented creatives-music event and is open to our local youth, 12-24, of the Takapuna-Devonport community. We encourage our youth to showcase their creative talents so keep a close eye out for applications!
With the same focus of young creatives, Younite has also created Rangatahi Creatives grants. These grants aim to be used as a financial backing for a creative project that a local youth individual or group wishes to create. The only requirements are that a portion of the money is spent within three months, and that the project is undertaken within, or in collaboration with people/ organisations within, the DevonportTakapuna region. There are two $700 grants for solo artists and one $1400 grant for a group project. The form to apply can be accessed through the QR code below! We encourage you to get involved with this awesome opportunity if this is right up your alley!
