It's nearly Easter!
Time for a well deserved long weekend, baked hot cross buns with slabs of butter melting on top, chocolate eggs and no doubt family traditions to throw in the mix.
For many Easter is simply a holiday and an opportunity for family time. But there is a deeper meaning to Easter.
This term we have seen young people engage in programmes that are teaching them to drive, to make tables, to go fishing, to add and subtract, to read and write. They're learning how to communicate, and be focussed, and to set and achieve goals. All really good stuff.
Easy to miss the deeper stuff though. We can be caught up with success markers that are easy to identify. But what about that young person that offered manaakitanga and welcomed a new kid into the programme, or the one that tried something out that they had failed at before and this time felt the pride of victory, or the young person that simply told someone their story and opened up to get help so that they didn't feel so stuck. Brave!
This Easter when you dig below the obvious markers of this well needed and deserved holiday break, I pray that you find hope, meaning, belief and purpose... all the success markers we are wanting our young people to experience... as well as CHOCOLATE!!
- Dan
Impact Alternative Education
Just this week, five of our 13-15 year old young men came to Dan’s office to have a kōrero about their upcoming numeracy and literacy tests. They brought with them all their fear.
"What if I fail?"
"I can’t do it"
"I'm dumb"
"I'm not doing it."
Along with those feelings, they felt the challenge of the task: to test their ability in an area where they feel they have no ability, or a perspective that it's not important.
Just a couple of weeks earlier, we took these young men camping at a local beach and DOC campground accessible only by boat or by walking over a hill. Walking access includes a tidal river, crossable 2 hours either side of low tide.
The water is not deep, and fear of drowning may seem irrational to most. However to a young person who has a deep fear of drowning, crossing a shallow body of water can be paralysing.
"The camping adventure at Te Muri pushed them to their limits and helped them break down personal barriers without even realising it."
You might remember reading about James in our December news. With a fear of water that has kept him high up on the shore for every surf lesson, James crossed the river. It's a bit hard to communicate just what an awesome achievement this is! Like the rafting adventure last year, every time our kids face a fear and overcome it, they gain more confidence for next time.
This is why these real life experiences are crucial for all our kids; it's a physical way to break some mental barriers. The students were asked to carry their own tents, sleeping bags, food and cooking gear, to a campground that has long drop toilets, no power, and one tap with potable water.
"For many, the idea of crossing the river seemed impossible. Some hesitated at first, but with the support and encouragement of their peers, they decided to give it a try."
The conversation in Dan’s office about literacy and numeracy testing has gone the same way, with our kids joining together to face the fear in another part of their learning journey.
Re-writing the narrative may take a physical adventure like crossing a river that seems just too big, or explaining that diagnostic testing is simply finding out where you're at so we know how to move you forward.
Whatever the tools we use for re-writing narrative, in the end it's the young person's choice to engage.
Whether they're looking back at the other side of the river they just crossed, or looking back at their literacy journey across a year, they don’t do it alone.
"I got 14 out of 34 in my maths test!"
"I got 19 out of 30 in literacy."
"I didn't think I could do it, but I did, and it feels good."
There are no quick wins. It's hard work that our kids continually put in that creates the change in their world. We continue to challenge them in all areas. They'll often face things that seem too hard, but building the confidence to face them is key to a healthy future.
“The trip to Te Muri showed our kids that no obstacle is too big when you have the support of friends, and that sometimes, the biggest barriers are the ones we create in our minds.”
A Mua Ake
Employment Preparation
"This programme changed my life because I could see that I can work and I now have some experience."
We debated whether to use this young person's feedback in our stories, because "this programme changed my life" is a really big statement to put to an 8-week employment preparation course.
We teach soft skills like personal presentation and communication, alongside practical skills our young people can add to their CVs and feel confident in discussing with an employer.
This doesn't seem 'life-changing' in itself.
The young people referred (by MSD) to A Mua Ake are usually those who have been job-seeking for a long period of time.
They often have low self-esteem, poor mental and/or physical wellbeing, sometimes a lack of motivation. Entering A Mua Ake they are met with encouragement, expectations, purposed experiences and a sense of belonging.
We've recently spent time consolidating our Theory of Change. This theory consists of what we believe about how we work, and the impact it has. It has been an important exercise in linking each of the goals of our programmes to the overarching goals of the organisation. Each member of the staff knows how their role contributes to the outcomes we are aiming for across the whole.
Theory of Change Model
Here's how our Theory of Change works in A Mua Ake:
We welcome these young people and connect them with their programme mentor and the rest of the staff on our first day together with shared kai.
They're with us 3 days a week, where we get to know each other and spend time learning about ourselves and each other, sharing our skills and our life experiences.
We then introduce purposed experiences where our young people learn new skills as a team. For our latest cohort, one of the experiences was building outdoor picnic tables.
This project taught our young people about working together, staying safe around tools and machinery, use of PPE, use of carpentry tools, design and maths, all while creating beautiful tables for those that come for lunch at the café.
"Building the tables and working on the farm was a great experience."
"This programme changed my life" is a true statement because the programme actually changed the young person's life through shifting their perspective of themselves and their ability. We know that a change in perspective can open up a whole new world!
If you'd like to order a custom, handcrafted Springboard picnic table contact our A Mua Ake tutor jonkaho@springboard.org.nz
Amy's turnaround
Kerbeigh (Springboard Youth Coach) shares this story that we reckon is worth celebrating! (The name of the young person has been changed, and she does not appear in any photos.)
"When I met Amy last year, she was consistently wagging school and was on the cusp of being expelled due to her poor attendance. Amy missed the majority of Year 10, sadly due to her nan's passing, so when I met her in Year 11 she was very far behind and unmotivated to learn.
Near the end of 2024, Amy started to really enjoy school and it seemed to trigger a switch in her self-esteem. Despite her mum trying to influence her to exit school to find a job instead of returning, Amy decided she would return to school in 2025 with high hopes to gain her Level 2 qualification.
This year, I have seen massive growth in Amy's commitment to her schoolwork. Her attendance has improved significantly and this has shocked her teachers.
The only class Amy is really struggling with this year is Maths, which is the only class that her attendance is dropping in. However, she has not let this stop her. After reaching out to the school, I found there is a Maths tutor available after school on Tuesdays. Amy has been attending this tutoring every week on her own! Not only that, but she willingly accepted a Maths textbook that was donated, to help her with her studies, and is using it more and more.
Amy is thriving at school! Not only has her attendance improved dramatically, but I have also witnessed her taking on new levels of leadership and cultural confidence. This year, Amy is the co-leader of the school's Kapa Haka group and has become more and more proud to represent her culture.
Furthermore, after job searching for the past 4 months, she has recently secured a part-time job trial at a local ice-cream shop.
I'm super stoked for Amy. Things have really started to turn. We are proud of the changes she has made in herself, for herself."
Easter on the farm
Supporting Sheepworld is a great way to support Springboard! All Sheepworld Farm Park, Cafe & Campground profits go directly to supporting Springboard programmes.
If you're looking for great fun over the Easter break, come and join us for:
- face painting
- real fruit ice cream
- easter egg hunts
and more!
New: You can pre-order a picnic hamper!
These delicious hampers include all you need for lunch, and the cost includes farm entry!
If you loved reading about our kids as much as we love writing about them, why not share the love and forward this newsletter to a friend?
If you donated last year: Our finance team is currently wrapping up the end of financial year. Donations receipts will be issued shortly.
We're always keen to welcome new supporters to the Springboard family!
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