Junior Neighbourhood Support

Junior Neighbourhood Support - Christchurch Area

If I break down the outcomes of the Junior Neighbourhood Support programme, I can simply use two categories: looking after yourself and looking after your community.

I would say there is an even balance in what the students choose, but most think wider than themselves and want to do good for their community.

They apply the messages of safety, taking action, reporting and preparing for emergencies, but also to those of belonging, respect, taking notice, volunteering and having pride.

Here are some fun examples.

Belfast School - Firewise programme - the younger students learnt about getting out of a smoke-filled house, then, helped by the JNS leaders, they had to crawl through a dark inflatable maze, which simulated a smoke-filled house. St. Teresa’s - Students measured and divided a thin rose garden into seven even areas and planted flowers in the colours of a rainbow; perhaps a link to Noah’s Ark story, or a lesson in the colour wheel.

It has added bright colours to beautify the front of the school and to welcome visitors, and the children are proud of their work.

Waltham School - Leaders set up an experience game. First, they painted stones with each having an action like, fly like a butterfly or sing,”Ring a ring o’ roses”. These were hidden just before morning break and then the leaders got to watch and hear the laughter as the action unfolded. Notes were taken on how to make it work better next time, like writing on stones to re-hide them as some children ran around collecting them all!

Angus Edwards

Managing Director

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To access the learning guides go to https://sustainableliving.org.nz/ Navigate to the “Access the Guides” tab, enter your email address, select “South Island” and scroll down to click Waimakariri, then “Continue to learning Guides”

Shirley Intermediate - Getting recycling right - to make it really clear what the council can recycle through their systems and sell on to recycling businesses. Students had to re-collage posters to make them specific to Christchurch and that is a big help to save the world!

Knights Stream School - Is in a new suburb, landmarks are just forming and the identity of the community is still developing. Teeshirts to advertise their area, like the Eiffel Tower would for Paris, were designed with local trees, buildings and birds, and a whole school assembly unveiling was planned.

Belfast School - The Big Day Out was able to happen again, this time with Fire and Emergency NZ and NZ Police attending. It was a tightly timed process but we got over 600 children through a talk, and the vehicles within an hour and a half. Awards were also given out with one of the youngest recipients Cara from Addington Te

Kura Taumatua.

There was also the wonderful opportunity to nominate a group of children from Beckenham Te Kura o Pūroto School for a Keep Christchurch Beautiful Award. This was for their work protecting the plants and wildlife at the ponds adjacent to the school.

The award was presented on behalf of the larger group, to four specific students who are weeding the area in their own time and reaping the benefits of working with nature, talking about how relaxed they feel when they are there, and the extra bits of nature they are noticing.

All the best for the summer.

Enjoy time with friends, family and neighbours.

Regards