Due to the tough economic climate, the Kiwi Can programme is currently on hold in the Wellington region.

In time, this amazing programme will be reintroduced to the area but it is reliant on funding, which the FYD team is working very hard to achieve.

The Trust is working towards alignment with FYD's Community Development Strategy, which sees the Foundation's three school based programmes sequenced in areas of most need. This strategy is proven and ensures that young people are supported from the time they start primary school right through to the end of high school.

When Kiwi Can is introduced back into the region, hopefully within the next two years, it will be working in tandem with Stars and Project K, to achieve the best outcomes for local young people.

If you would like to help, please contact Programme Director, Warrick Sue.

Bishop Viard College Stars Adventure Camp 2013
By Kamaia Renata

On Monday 11 March the Bishop Viard College Stars group headed off on their Stars Adventure Camp to YMCA Camp Kaitoke for the week.  It was a new venue this year and we didn’t really know what to expect.  What made it even more mysterious was that the buses dropped us off to finish our journey to camp, through the bush, on foot.  Finally we arrived to begin a week of adventures. 

The activities included:  Archery, Horse-riding, Kayaking, High Ropes, Crate Stack and Bush Skills.  The boys and girls each had a night out in the bush in bivouacs that they created.  The girl’s bivy night inspired a vigorous spontaneous singing ‘battle’ around the campfire, with two groups challenging each other back and forth with all kinds of songs!  It was a magical night!  “We’re a family” said Year 9 student.

The last night was a time to celebrate with a concert.  The four Stars groups and their Peer Mentors performed the items they had planned and practised throughout the week.  The items include singing, dancing, drama, comedy and accurate portrayals of some highly embarrassed staff members!  The staff item was a hilarious rendition of YMCA.  The night was rounded off with an acknowledgement of all of the hard work that the Peer Mentors had put into the camp and they were presented with their Peer Mentor badges. 

A great start to the year for Stars and a wonderful way to establish new relationships and deepen existing ones!  Congratulations to everyone involved!

St Bernard’s College Project K
By Kamaia Renata

Twelve Year 10 students From St Bernard’s College were selected to participate in Project K for the duration of the 14 month programme.  The first stage was an amazing 18 day outdoor experience based at Wairarapa Outdoor Pursuits base camp, Arorangi, just outside of Masterton.  This stage is designed to take the students outside of their comfort zone and provide challenges to increase confidence and self-efficacy.  The students completed a range of activities including mountain biking, abseiling, white-water rafting and lots of tramping including a five day expedition across the Tararua Mountain Range.  The boys returned home exhilarated at having stepped up to the challenges presented to them and ready for the Christmas break. 

Before school started for the 2013 year the students took part the second stage, the Community Challenge.  This was based at Secret Level youth centre in central Lower Hutt for two weeks.  It was planned to assist the boys to adapt the lessons learnt during the Wilderness Adventure to their own urban environment.  The students planned an Urban Journey to investigate career and study options for when they finish school and competed in teams to complete a Community Adventure (Amazing Race) to identify and collectively access local facilities.  They spent ten days exploring the resources in their community including sport and recreation, health and social support.  Some of the activities the boys participated in were a group fitness session at Les Mills Lower Hutt, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu training session at The Combat Room, health promotion discussions with FPA and Vibe, visits to Massey University, Weltec, NZ Defence recruitment office, Work and Income NZ. 

The group also planned and executed a Community Project to ‘give back’ to the community.  The project required them to coordinate with local retailers for a street clean up on High St, in the vicinity of Secret Level.  The Community Project was a huge success with feedback from the retailers, Hutt City Council and an article in the Hutt News about the project’s positive impact on the relationship between retailers and local youth. 

The final and longest stage of the programme is the mentoring phase.  As part of the Community Project the students and their potential mentors met again with the intention of getting to know each other better.  At the end of the two weeks the students were matched with the trained, volunteer adult that they will work with for the next 12 months.  The mentoring partnerships are a powerful source of support for the students and give them an adult to work with to achieve their goals.  Just over one month into the mentoring process the mentors and students report a positive start to the relationships.  Good luck and all the best for the remaining months!

Mentor Training

Please contact the Trust if you'd like more information about mentor training

Ministry of Social Development
The Southern Trust
Pak N Save Lower Hutt and Petone
Tai Shan Foundation
The Lion Foundation
Pharazyn Trust
Nikau Foundation

With thanks to:
Hutt Mana Charitable Trust
Winton and Margaret Bear Charitable Trust
McCarthy Trust
ANZ Staff Foundation
Community Trust of Wellington
Mana Community Grants Foundation
Lottery Community Grants
NZ Community Trust
Porirua City Council
Pub Charity
Muter Trust
COGS
Information Power
Infinity Foundation
John Ilott Charitable Trust

In Kind Support From: 
Ricoh
Safeway Self Storage
Kendons Chartered Accountants
Talent2 recruitment
Zealandia