Foundation for Youth Development (FYD) Southland is a charitable trust formed in 2003 as Bluff / Invercargill Kiwi Can Charitable Trust.

In 2009, the Kiwi Can and Project K Southland Trusts merged in order to grow their programmes in Southland. The Trust receives its funding form charitable grants and donations, contracts for services and sponsorship.

We currently work with over 1,440 young people each week of the school year delivering both Kiwi Can and Project K programmes and working to introduce the Stars programme in 2012. We also have a Community Development Strategy in place for the Mataura community within Southland which sequences the FYD programmes and measures the long term impact on not only our young people but our community as well.

The FYD Southland team is made up of four full time Kiwi Can leaders, a programmes coordinator and regional manager ably supported by a great Board of Trustees.

To build a strong Southland region by helping to grow great Southland kids!

To coordinate and deliver identified programmes that are proven to benefit children and young people!

We have a can do attitude with self belief, self motivation, optimism and a problem solving approach to our work.

We show respect and care for ourselves, for others, for the environment and the communities we work with.

Our approach with communities is long term whilst acknowledging the importance of self determination.

We acknowledge the reach and value that each new person and organisation brings and seek to utilise these to benefit our young people.

We start our next programme at Gore School in April and we need you as a mentor.

Are you a great listener and communicator with loads of common sense plus a sense of fun? If you are, we would love to hear from you. Being a Project K Mentor is a wonderfully rewarding and supported 12 month journey with a student as they work towards achieving their own goals

Pleae contact Nicole Taylor for more information.

Kiwi Can has been at Stewart Island’s Halfmoon Bay School since its inception in Southland back in 2004. Because of the geographical distance and location of Halfmoon Bay, the usual 30-45 minute sessions that a class would normally have for a Kiwi Can lesson is structured quite differently. Once a fortnight, the leaders take the 20min flight over to the island and spend the whole day with the kids. Therefore every second Friday is a whole Kiwi Can day for its 20 plus students!

The day starts off with welcomes and catch ups, each student has an opportunity to share highlights from their past fortnight – stories of catching star fish and frogs, seeing kiwis, riding motorbikes and fishing for blue cod all come out in the open....not your average week!  After catch ups are done, its time for energisers.  Our Kiwi Can kids LOVE the energisers, it starts their day with fun, energy and enthusiasm.  Today it was musical paper - On went the music and out came the dance moves - break dancing, the robot, a bit of krumping, the scissors and the ever favourite Michael Jackson moonwalk!

After morning tea, the two classes explore the module for the day.  At the moment the students are looking at what conflict means and developing some strategieson conflist resolution.  As an activity, the students were broken into groups and given materials such as sellotape, fishing wire, plastic bag and blue tack.  Each group then had to devise a way, using their materials, to safeguard their egg when it was dropped approx five-six metres from the top of their playground stand.    The group had to communicate and share ideas, they also had to compromise with each other and find solutions to their problems.  There were some successes and then some that were not!

In the afternoon, the leaders have devised a unique way to challenge the senior students whilst still involving the juniors.  It’s called leadership groups.  The senior leadership team are taken away and taught an activity by the Kiwi Can leaders, then two students are identified to then teach that activity to the junior students.  At the end of the activity, the senior students then debrief with our leaders with feedback from their senior peers, self reflections and also feedback from Kiwi Can leaders.  This has been very well received from both students and teachers alike and provides a pathway for junior to senior students on the island.  There are some very impressive up and coming leaders coming our way!

Stephanie was one of 12 students from Gore High School, Southland who have recently returned from their three week Wilderness Adventure.  This included activities such as rock climbing, cave exploration, abseiling, sea kayaking, rafting and an 11 day journey through the Western Southland area. 

Over the course of their Wilderness Adventure, the students were challenged to step outside of their comfort zone as individuals and as part of the team.  Darren McCauley, Programmes Coordinator says, “By exposing young people to real life challenges, they become more aware of their capabilities and develop new skills for everyday life”.

During the Wilderness Adventure, 15 year old Stephanie was challenged by many things and at times was ready to give up.  Stephanie writes, “Being away from home was quite challenging, but my group helped by cheering me on and helping me to be positive.  I was also challenged to ride a mountain bike because I had never learnt how to ride a bike before.  But I did overcome that fear and tried my best and now I can ride a bike.  In fact, I biked close to 28km on a mountain bike during the journey.  I did lots of outdoor activities that I never thought I would be ever able to do.  The group was my encouragement and the instructors gave great advice.  I could also hear my mum’s voice in the back of my head encouraging me.”

Stephanie admits that her thinking has changed as a result of the Wilderness Adventure.  “I am now socialising more with different people.  I have had a boost in myself, in my confidence.  I will use what I have learnt in the future by giving things a go, having confidence in myself and believing that I can do it.  I have also learned how to trust other people.”

The Gore High Project K group have recently started their 10 day Community Challenge with an Amazing Race.  Students were placed into groups to race around their community visiting various organisations, services and icons for points.  The activity is designed to introduce as many community organisations to the group as possible as a platform to discuss what community is and why its important.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this programme available.  We acknowledge all of our wonderful sponsors who enable us to work alongside our young people for the benefit of their future.

Sanford Ltd
New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited
Open Country Dairy
EIS
WHK
Newfield Autos
ANZ
Bidvest
Sport Southland

The Community Trust of Southland
ILT Foundation
Invercargill Licensing Trust
Venture Southland
HEHA Community Grant

Friedlander Foundation
Lion Foundation
Olive Hutchins Charitable Trust
NZ Lotteries
NZ Community Organisation Grants
W Duncan Bickley Trust
Auckland Airport Christmas Fund

Ministry of Education
Ministry of Youth Development