Inglewood Primary School pupils with their mentors. Photo/ Supplied
Inglewood Primary School pupils with their mentors. Photo/ Supplied
A mentoring programme is giving rangatahi the right tools to learn how to build structures, and gain confidence.
By learning how to build, the children are developing skills that can lead into a future career, and gaining self-esteem while they learn, says New Horizons Aotearoa founder Kere Ell.
The charitabletrust works with years 7 and 8 children who fit their criteria.
"We work with children who may not have the same opportunities as other children. The programmes are run at the school with a selection of elders and others providing guidance, praise and encouragement to our rangatahi. All mentors are police vetted and inducted into our programme."
This year New Horizons Aotearoa is working with four schools. One of them is Inglewood Primary School.
"This is our second year working with them. We are also working with Coastal Taranaki School, Puketapu School, and Manukorihi Intermediate School. "
Kere says the mentors for Inglewood are from Inglewood Rotary Club, Inglewood Lions Club, and other people of the community.
"The mentorship programme is as beneficial for the mentors as it is for the rangatahi. It's a great opportunity for them to work side by side and for the mentors to pass on their knowledge."
So far the mentors and the children have made buddy benches with timber supplied by New Zealand Red Cross.
"The concept for these benches is to provide children who feel lonely or have trouble interacting at school a place to sit. The whole school is educated on including anyone sitting on a bench in whatever activity they're doing."
The pupils and their mentors building the buddy benches. Photo/ Supplied
They are also building pest traps, Kere says.
"We work with the Taranaki Mounga project in building predator eradication traps. Our rangatahi are involved in the beginning phase (building traps) through to placing and setting their traps, while learning valuable lessons on the important part they are playing in bringing back native birdlife to our mountain and environment."
This month the children were taken to the WITT campus.
"They were given a tour of the trades department and under close supervision they used the basic tools in the workshops. It's all about introducing them to future options early and building that connection."
Kere says it's great to see the children benefiting from the programme.
"You see the spark in their eye and can notice the change in their self-esteem. Seeing that reaction makes it worth it."
