GRAEME DINGLE EXPANDS YOUTH SUPPORT IN MARLBOROUGH
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Marlborough youth charity has managed to bridge the gap between primary school aged children and school leavers thanks to support from the community. The Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough recently introduced a new programme, Stars, designed for secondary school aged children. Regional manager Kelvin Watt says the programme will bridge the gap which currently sits between their primary school programme, Kiwi Can, and that aimed at school leavers, Career Navigator. “It means that across the board there is the support,” he says. “We’re pretty proud, [our programmes] now touch on young people throughout all those difficult transition points in their life.” Half of Marlborough’s primary schoolaged kids participate in Kiwi Can programmes each week, while Career Navigator helps students transition into their chosen career paths following secondary school. “From five years through to 18 years there’s this whole transformational journey, and we were missing that [support] in the middle,” Kelvin says. “We’re really excited to get that going.” Set to kick off at Marlborough Girls’ College in 2020, Stars will ensure all Year 9 students are provided with a mentor in Year 12 or Year 13. Fifty senior students undertake training to become mentors, and will join the junior students at a 3 day Stars Camp at Outward Bound. “It’s about building those relationships so that there is someone to talk to throughout the year,” Kelvin says.
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November 2019
LISA DUNCAN The Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough board and regional manager Kelvin Watt celebrate winning the Community Impact Award at the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Awards last month.
Moving forward, the students would meet on a weekly basis to discuss relevant issues around health and wellbeing, and for ongoing support.
of the evening, and a volunteer committee pulled it all together.
“If we can connect people, they feel connected and that is really important for wellbeing; for anxiety and all that space that seems to be getting quite prevalent.”
To add to an already successful year, the organisation also recently won the Community Impact Award at the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards.
With 99 percent of funding for Graeme Dingle Marlborough coming from within the region, 40 percent comes from local sponsorship. The foundation recently held their major annual fundraiser, Dazzle Marlborough, featuring a fashion show, live auction and a five course degustation dinner. Funds raised from the evening amounted to over $100,000, Kelvin says. “[That] is amazing, all of that goes into our programmes in Marlborough and the community support is really cool.” More than 100 businesses and individuals contributed toward the smooth running
“We had an outstanding result, with some really good feedback,” Kelvin says.
It was the second consecutive year the organisation had taken out the award. “We applied again because we are growing what we are doing,” Kelvin says. “A lot of the businesses in that room [at the awards] are actually supporting us as well … so it was nice to have that recognition and be surrounded by people who are supportive of us.”
