5 April 2012

New youth initiative uses collaboration to create change

An innovative new youth initiative involving strong collaboration across several sectors, including business, education, community groups, not-for-profits and local government, was launched in the Manurewa community today.

The Foundation for Youth Development’s (FYD) community development strategy is a holistic approach that sees FYD’s school-based youth programmes – Kiwi Can, Stars and Project K – sequenced to ensure that young people are supported from the start of primary school right through to the end of high school.

The Manurewa strategy also involves the HIPPY pre-school programme, run by Great Potentials, and the business and tertiary sector in the development of a transitions programme for young people leaving high school and moving into further education or gainful employment.

FYD co-founder and executive trustee, Graeme Dingle, says that this collaborative and flexible approach has been developed following a successful four-year-pilot in Kaikohe that saw school results go from the lowest in the country to the highest in Northland and some of the highest nationwide. Key to this success was working together with several, effective organisations.

“New Zealand has tragically led the developed world in negative youth statistics for many years. It’s an incredibly serious situation and not something that one organisation or entity can fix by standing alone,” he says.

“The community development strategy is about all sectors – not-for-profit, community, business, education and government – working together to ensure a healthy, happy, engaged and positive youth population that have opportunities and hope for the future. We plan to roll out this approach in several of our FYD regions across the country.”

FYD states that critical to the success of strategy is the creation of a Community Development Advisory Group, made up of key representatives from the local community, who advise on local needs and practice as well as identifying areas for programme development and potential collaboration partners.

“In order for our community development strategy to work, it must be community led. Robust discussion with and absolute involvement of the local community is imperative. This ensures that the specific needs of each region are met,” says Graeme.

The Manurewa Local Board is right behind the initiative with Chair, Daniel Newman, saying that “being part of this initiative fits with Manurewa Local Board’s plan of empowering its young people to find their voice and build inspiring productive futures so they are able to stay in and contribute to their community.”

“The holistic approach from an early age will help our young people find and stay on the pathway to full employment. This is one of the most powerful things we as a board can do to realise the enormous potential Manurewa has,” he says.

Key sponsor of the initiative in Manurewa, Leighton Contractors, has also lent its support. The Managing Director of Leighton Contractors, Craig Laslett, said the partnership with FYD was a great way for the company to make a meaningful contribution to the Manurewa community.

"Leighton Contractors is committed to enhancing people's everyday lives in a way that generates sustainable community outcomes," he said.

"We are proud to support FYD and its important work to help more young people meet their full potential."

FYD’s primary school programme, Kiwi Can, and its youth offender programme, MYND, have operated in the Manurewa area for over 10 years and more recently its Stars and Project K programmes have been introduced to Manurewa High School as part of the community development strategy.

Following the launch today, the next steps will see the Community Development Advisory Group in Manurewa formalised along with a Transitions Advisory Group which will focus on developing pathways for young people from high school into tertiary education or gainful employment.

Who is FYD?

FYD programmes – Kiwi Can, Stars, Project K and MYND – use the great outdoors, inspirational classroom leaders and world class mentors to help kids from age 5 to 18 keep on track, develop confidence and self-belief and create goals for the future.

Programmes focus on leadership skills, building confidence, developing life skills and teambuilding to help kids discover possibility and motivation, creating a youth population with a positive outlook and eyes open to the future.

FYD’s programmes are run in 17 regions across New Zealand by licensed community trusts, together reaching almost 18 000 young people every year including over 5000 in the Manurewa area. www.fyd.org.nz

What is the Manurewa Local Board?

The Manurewa Local Board is the voice of local government in Manurewa. Its members are elected every three years and are responsible for advocating for the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of the wider community.

The Manurewa Local Board has produced a three-year plan to move Manurewa to become a stronger, wealthier and more self-reliant community. The Board’s focus is to move Manurewa away from overreliance on social services and state-funded welfare programmes in favour on outcomes that enable young people to succeed at school and in other forms of vocational training, and into long-term employment.

The evolving partnership between the Manurewa Local Board and FYD reflects a common view that self-reliance and resilience starts with being motivated, curious and confident about the future.

Who are Leighton Contractors?
Leighton Contractors, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Limited (ASX:LEI), is one of Australia’s leading contracting and project development groups with approximately $10.8 billion work in hand, and employing more than 10,000 people across Australia and New Zealand. The company services clients across a range of industries and sectors including resources, construction, telecommunications, energy, infrastructure and facility management.

ENDS

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