Child And Youth Charity Marks 21 Years

Child And Youth Charity Marks 21 Years with Its Own Transformation

A respected child and youth organisation known for transforming the lives of thousands of Kiwi kids will officially pay tribute and take on the name of its co-founder in Wellington next week. The Foundation for Youth Development is now known as the Graeme Dingle Foundation in recognition of philanthropist and adventurer Graeme Dingle (ONZM).

Business leaders and Members of Parliament from across the country will gather for the official launch hosted by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Bill English at the Beehive on Tuesday 5th April. This occasion marks the charity’s 21st birthday by recognising its students, mentors and supporters and celebrates its coming of age.

Formerly known as the Foundation for Youth Development (FYD), the Graeme Dingle Foundation continues to ‘transform young lives forever’ through the well-known programmes Kiwi Can, Stars, Career Navigator, Project K and MYND, the Auckland based youth offenders programme.

Graeme Dingle Foundation Chair, Brian Corban (CNZM, QSO) says while the organisation has a new name, the people, purpose and programmes will remain the same.

“Graeme has dedicated the last 45 years of his life to serving our young people [having established the Outdoor Pursuits Centre of New Zealand in 1972] and this is our way of acknowledging Graeme’s incredible contribution to New Zealand in a significant year.”

“Twenty-one years is a huge milestone for our organisation and we will now look to the future by pledging to redouble our efforts to change the lives of 50,000 young people every year by 2025,” Corban adds.

Together with his partner Jo-anne Wilkinson (MNZM), Graeme had a vision for New Zealand youth that led to the creation of Project K in 1995 later becoming Foundation for Youth Development. To this day, they continue to be relentless campaigners, supporters, fundraisers and champions of New Zealand youth. Their goal remains unchanged, to help young New Zealanders to be more confident, find purpose and direction and achieve success.

“It all started when Jo-anne and I addressed a group of 100 iconic New Zealanders on Maungakiekie, pledging our lives to the effort of reducing negative outcomes for young people and asking for their support.”

“We then travelled from Nelson to Auckland by kayak, tramping and mountain bike gathering feedback from communities about the state of New Zealand’s negative child and youth statistics and what they thought could be done to improve these.”

“I am very proud of what we have achieved as an organisation, but there is still much work to be done to reduce intergenerational vulnerability,” Dingle adds.

Since its inception in 1995, the organisation has helped nearly 200,000 young people through their programmes in over 40 communities across New Zealand. All Graeme Dingle Foundation programmes build on young people’s talents through physical and mental challenges; developing the core life skills that help them succeed in life.

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