The Te Hono team meet regularly to learn te reo with kaiako, Miriama Mason. Today we learnt about the real place names of Aotearoa.

Our Youth Pathways Service Lead, Jenny Keogan, is thrilled with the progress of one of our young rangatahi, Robert Hotter. With support from the Pathways team, Robert has made tremendous progress, passing his Learners Licence recently after four previous attempts and gaining full time employment. Robert is working full time with well known and reputable local business ‘Henry Adams Contracting’, where he has the opportunity to work on dump trucks and diggers within the goldmining industry. We have great confidence he will show a willingness to take any opportunities this new role may bring. Great work Robert👍

The Te Hono School Holiday programme tamariki were thrilled to have celebrity chef, Jaxx Hamilton, prepare some delicious kai for us. A big welcome to the Coast, Jaxx and ngā mihi for ka rawe kai

Some of the Te Hono team modelling our new jackets. Looking swish team!

Last week, we took 30 tamariki and rangatahi skiing at Porter’s Pass skifield. For many this was their first time ever on the snow so it was a great opportunity for a new experience and to learn new skills. Unfortunately, the ski field was closed on the second day but we made the most of it by heading to Ōtautahi for Mega Air trampolining! On the way home we stopped at Castle Hill and the new ataahua carvings by Fayne Robinson, learning the Pūrakau of this area, Kura Tawhiti.

Maria Mareroa and Andria captivated kaimahi and whānau at Arahura Marae with their korero on the Divine Spark of the Cosmic Vibration: Healing Trauma wānanga on Friday and Saturday. This was a unique opportunity to re-connect to the Aio force within us and our whakapapa. mana and aroha.

Whānau tried out one of Te Hono o Ngā Waka’s new gazebos over the weekend and doesn’t it look great! It’s a girl!

The Te Hono team were thrilled to talk to youth at the West Coast Careers Expo, and it was even more exciting seeing our lovely Dani on a poster promoting Creative Industries!

On Friday the Te Hono team got together for some whakawhanaungatanga and team building at Lazar Park Hokitika. A highlight of the day was identifying our individual strengths that enable us to achieve great outcomes as a team and creating our waka images to capture this…. and the food of course!

Tamariki enjoyed the after school programme at Whare Manaaki on Thursday afternoon We started the new kaupapa for the new term: Marama (the moon). We used torches to explore shadows, and then made Papatūānuku, Marama and Tamanui-te-Rā from modelling clay. We used these models to explore orbits and the length of days, months and years, as well as how the moon appears different shapes on different nights. We also learned a waiata about the moon. 

- Kaiako Naomi Smith

The July school holiday programme was a hit with tamariki who participated in a range of activities including a movie, the swimming pool and an extra special visit to the Shantytown Education Centre.

Davida travelled to Nelson to pick up our very own new car so we can continue to support whānau across our wide range of services. We are grateful to WestREAP for the on-going use of their vehicles that has enabled us to do our mahi.