InZone Education Foundation Acknowledges National Volunteer Week

InZone Education Foundation went above and beyond through the COVID-19 lockdown period to ensure their rangatahi did not get left behind. Critical to this was the support and assistance of volunteers whose generosity we acknowledge this National Volunteer Week.

The InZone Education Foundation is a New Zealand registered charitable trust that aims to inspire and support Māori and Pasifika youth to take their place in the cultural, economic and civic leadership of Aotearoa New Zealand.

InZone provides a ‘home away from home’ with two kāinga (hostels) accommodating 80 Māori and Pasifika students who attend Auckland Boys Grammar and Epsom Girls. Selection of the students is not based on their prior academic ability but rather by their willingness to embrace all that InZone provides in terms of educational, leadership, personal, academic, cultural, community and transitional opportunities. Therefore, majority have a steep learning curve and significant adjustments to make in order to achieve within the high performing partner schools.

COVID-19 had a dramatic impact on InZone as an organisation, it’s rangatahi and whānau. With the kāinga doors shut until Level 2, online learning was critical to keeping the rangatahi on track. Being away from the support of InZone coupled with pressures faced by whānau due to job uncertainty and loss of income made this an extremely challenging time for many of the InZone students. Many of whom potentially faced greater challenges than most to reintegrate back into school.

To minimize the negative impact of isolation, the team at InZone made the decision to do whatever it took to ensure no-one got left behind. InZone provided students with laptops, calculators and in some cases, covered the cost of internet connections to ensure rangatahi had all the resources they needed. They also provided extra support via tutoring and regular health and well-being check-ins. 15 tutors volunteered their time throughout lockdown to support students one-to-one via zoom. InZone’s Academic Pathways Manager Joy Williams says “this extra support gave our rangatahi comfort”. She can see the confidence in the rangatahi as they returned to school with exams looming.

And the results speak for themselves as over 70% of InZone Form 3 boys attending Auckland Boys Grammar have either have gone up or stayed in the same class following their recent reclassification testing.

The one-to-one help benefits the students greatly as volunteer Elizabeth Towns explains “they are more confident to ask questions than they would be in a classroom and far more time can be given to help students individually”. She says this way they are not judged by their peers and are proud to share successes with the tutor.

Elizabeth chose to tutor because she believes many of the students have not had the same opportunities in their education at previous schools they have attended. “The students blossom at InZone and strive for higher levels of academic attainment. InZone inspires students and offers them wonderful opportunities. It helps them become more confident, motivated young women with immense pride in their heritage. I benefit from the girls, respect, trust and friendship”.

InZone is grateful for the support of volunteers like Elizabeth and funders who help make their vision a reality.

If you would like to volunteer and provide tutoring for students please contact Joy Williams – jwilliams@inzoneeducation.org.nz

For more information on InZone Education Foundation and how you can support them, visit www.inzoneeducation.org.nz

More About InZone Education Foundation

TE WHAKAKITENGA (VISION)

InZone’s vision is Māori & Pasifika who are confident and competent in the two worlds of Te Aō Māori and Te Aō Pakeha and carry themselves like rangatira.

TE UARATANGA (MISSION)

InZone’s mission is to inspire and support Māori & Pasifika to excel through access to highly effective schools, whilst living in a whānau environment with a Māori and Christian kaupapa.

NGĀ UARA (VALUES)

• Manaakitanga – Generosity, Aroha and Loyalty.
• Kia Tika, Kia Pono – Respect, Integrity, Fairness, Tautoko.
• Kia Māia – Courage, Determination, Striving for Excellence.
• Kotahitanga – Unity, Solidarity, Common purpose.

INZONE’S WHAKATAUĀKĪ: ME RANGATIRA TE TŪ (CARRY YOURSELF LIKE A LEADER)

INZONE’S KAUPAPA

• Access to Academic Opportunities. An academic environment in school and kāinga that fosters the personal aspirations of our rangatahi with a focus on learning and achievement.
• A Cultural Incubator. InZone’s kāinga and wānanga build tino rangatiratanga by grounding their rangatahi in their culture, language and InZone’s values.
• Transition Support. An environment that extends InZone’s whānaungatanga to actively support their rangatahi into successful tertiary study or employment.

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