Project K celebrates latest graduates
Students share their experiences and future aspirations
Three cohorts of students have spent 2022 year going into the wilderness, travelling for many hours, pushing their boundaries, then helping their community by making kids’ lunches and meals for wha¯nau and undertaking mural projects, and having mentors help them set and achieve goals.
Last week the students from Project K graduated with community members gathering to see them deliver speeches and talk about their future aspirations and what they have achieved through Project K.
The rangatahi put down a hangi to celebrate their achievements with wha¯nau and sponsors of the programme, including the Ministry of Youth Development that helped make it possible to support Te Puke rangatahi.
Zhaiesha Pukeroa, Tanner Gourlay and Mata Puata-biel have all excelled this year, their efforts rewarded with excellence awards.
Next year will see the Graeme Dingle Foundation reaching 38 rangatahi in Project K who all need amazing community role models to help mentor them.
The foundation’s Bay of Plenty manager, Dan Allen-gordon, says the mentor phase is perhaps the most important part of the programme.
Carefully screened and trained mentors are paired with students to support and encourage them in achieving their goals.
He says this stage of Project K provides a young person with a friendly shoulder to lean on.
Mentors need to build trusting, authentic partnerships with their students to help them set and reach their goals.
The first commitment is to attend training for a day before mentors and students are paired up.
Mentor training is built on the principles of experiential learning (learning by doing) and incorporates best practice principles of goal setting, youth development and positive mentor partnerships.
Mentors meet with students once a week and there are also monthly mentor meetings and fun events.
Anyone wanting to find our more about becoming a mentor can contact Leah Nesbit on 027 528 1420 or by emailing her at leah.nesbit@dingle foundation.org.nz or by phoning Dan on 021 992 613.