Season's Greetings from NZYMN
HIGHLIGHTS of 2023
It has been a privilege to meet old friends and make new mates at our youth mentoring workshops this year. 288 mentors came along to our 12 training sessions. Our three on-line workshops were a particular highlight, connected people in the rural areas of Northland, East Coast, Central North Island and the South Island. Mentors commented that they were the most interactive on-line workshops they had ever experienced. It was also great to see the big groups that gathered in Hamilton, Auckland and Palmerston North able to have enriching networking experiences, connecting them to people working in similar situations.
INVOLVE 2023, in Tāmaki Makaurau, was an undoubted highlight. Ann and I enjoyed meeting many people who rocked up to our desk and pinned a name tag onto our map – from Kaitaia to Invercargill we located over 100 organisations supporting young people in Aotearoa. It was also a pleasure to introduce the highly successful REP (Rotary Enrichment Programme)- a literacy programme enhanced by mentoring– to a large breakout group at the conference. The mentor, the students and the coordinator shared their story and demonstrated the power of intergenerational relationships. Click on the link to view a short video which provides a wonderful insight into this unique programme. Link to video
LOOKING FORWARD to 2024
2024 is set to be a busy time for us – we will be offering 2 new workshops alongside our foundational mentoring skills programme (MentorPlus). These new workshops are:
- Strengths-Based Skills for Youth Mentoring: This workshop is all about exploring strengths-based approaches in youth mentoring. We are planning nine of these workshops across the motu in 2024 with both Rod Baxter and Ross McCook taking lead roles in facilitating them. Click on the link to read more about this new workshop. Strengths-based skills flyer
- Upskilling Youth Kaimahi: We are excited to be partnering with MYD and Ara Taiohi on a workshop for young kaimahi as they support peers or younger rangatahi. We look forward to sharing more details on these workshops in the New Year.
In addition to our standard schedule of workshops we welcome the opportunity to run in-house / community based workshops upon request. Last year we ran a couple of these in the central North Island and we already have one scheduled in Northland for early 2024. Please contact us if we can help with your training needs.
2024 training schedule
Click on this link to view our 2024 training schedule. workshop schedule
Finally, we wanted to let you know that NZYMN are moving offices. Since 2018 the University of Auckland's has hosted us at their Epsom Campus. It has been a center of calm that has allowed us to reach out into the youth mentoring community with confidence and energy. It is with a sad heart that we are leaving there but we are truly grateful that the Faculty of Education and Social Work has found space to offer us in 2024 in their new Auckland central city location.
We wish you and your whānau a very special festive season followed by safe and happy summer. We hope that you will have a chance to relax and re-energise for the opportunities and challenges of the year ahead.
Meri kirihimete ngā mihi o te tau hou ki to whānau
Joy Eaton, on behalf of the NZ Youth Mentoring team
New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network
M: 021 468 851
E: joy@youthmentoring.org.nz