E te tī, e te tā, kia ora koutou

E te tī, e te tā, kia ora koutou,

Te Kete is alive again with the energy of our rangatahi as the After School Programme is back up and running for the year. It has been awesome to see so many of our boys returning to the hub, reconnecting with each other and settling back into the space like they never left. Te Kete is once again full of life, laughter, and the steady rhythm of rangatahi just being rangatahi together.

These warm afternoons have seen us spending plenty of time down at the Hokitika River. The sounds of laughter carry across the water, manu splashes, back slaps, cheering, and joking with each other. It is simple stuff, but it is the kind of connection and fun that builds strong young people. Being together in a safe space where they feel comfortable and accepted is what Te Kete is all about.

More than anything, the programme is about connection, connection to each other, to positive role models, and to a place where rangatahi know they belong. When rangatahi feel that sense of belonging, they thrive.

E kore te tōtara e tū noa i waenganui pārae, engari ka tū ki te wao nui a Tāne.
The tōtara does not stand alone in the open plains; it stands within the great forest of Tāne.

Our rangatahi grow strong when they are surrounded by their people — supported, encouraged, and connected. Te Kete is that forest, a place where our rangatahi can stand tall together.

It is beautiful to have the hub full again. Te Kete is open, the kai is on, and the door is always open for our rangatahi to come and be part of the space.

Nau mai, haere mai ki Te Kete.