Kahu Youth wrapped up our 2022 Summer Holiday Programme last week with some wickedly hot weather.We had such an amazing summer with the youth creating memories and having fun. Thank you to all of our partners and volunteers for making this year's holiday programme magical. Some highlights of the summer were downhill karting up at Cardrona Alpine Resort, waterski and wakeboard lessons at On Edge Waterski school, making terrariums at Mitre 10 Mega Wanaka, scooping gelato at Black Peak Gelato, playing paintball at Paintball Central and slip and sliding at the Kiwi Water Park. Keep an eye out in April for our Fall Holiday Programme schedule, it will not disappoint. Term 1 is here and Kahu Youth couldn't be more excited. We have some amazing programs happening in the next 11 weeks and would love to have you join us.We have four Adventure Clubs, an after school program that will run for 10 weeks during the term from 3:30pm-5:30pm. Cost is $150 and the youth get to choose what activities they would like to do. It fosters friendship building, team work, and overall fun.Mondays - Tui's (Omnigender)Wednesdays - Hoiho's (Girls Club)Thursdays - Piwakawaka's (Boys Club)Fridays - Kaka's (Boys Club)On Tuesdays we'll have two amazing programs. Korimako being the first. Korimako is an adventure club for our additional needs youth in the Upper Clutha community. This venture is run alongside M!NT and we provide fun ways to engage in the community. Korimako is 4 sessions (Feb 8, 15, 22, Mar 1). Cost is $40.For the last 5 weeks of the term (Tuesday March 8th - Tuesday April 5th from 3:30pm-6pm) is Youth Vs. Wild. Youth Vs. Wild is a five week program loosely influenced by the television show ‘Man vs Wild’ and will conclude with a two day camp. Cost is $120 and covers all of the activities plus the two day camp.On Wednesdays from 4pm-5:30pm we also have Hustle. Hustle is an after school program focused on moving our bodies. We try all types of different sports and activities including mountain biking, gymnastics, paddle boarding, volleyball and zorbing. Cost is $75 for 8 weeks. This includes all activities and kai.Please visit our website www.kahuyouth.org for more information and to register for all programmes. You can find our booking system at https://kahu-youth.class4kids.club. They are likely to fill up quickly so get in before they are gone!

Kahu Youth had an epic day at the Northlake Skatejam hosted by Tyler Isherwood, a local skater who wanted to create a fun, community and family friendly skating event as a fundraiser for Kahu Youth! The sunny day attracted families and friends from Wanaka and as far as Christchurch and Queenstown to participate in the many events held. Pump track trials, timed skate sessions and a game of S.K.A.T.E. brought together all ages, showing off their latest and greatest tricks. It was amazing to see generations of skaters laughing and skating together, with participants aged from 3 to 45. Some familiar Kahu Youth faces were spotted in the crowds and competing. Some local Wanaka skaters watching the Mens Open CategoryA HUGE thank you to everyone who got involved and supported at this event, either by volunteering, skating or cheering from the sidelines! All proceeds from the registration fees and sausage sizzle were donated to Kahu Youth, raising over $400. These funds raised will go towards a new van, allowing us to expand our programs within the Upper Clutha community. Check out some of the awesome pictures showcasing the participants that came, skated, and dominated the pavement. Finally, another HUGE thank you to the amazing sponsors for providing epic prizes, this event would not have been the same without your generosity. Sponsors: RAD Skate school, New World Three Parks, Pavement Store Dunedin, Peeps Dunedin, Hire Centre Wanaka, Base Streetwear, Cheapskates Wanaka, Wanakup NZ, Red Star Burger, Cinema Paradiso, Realm and Amigos Wanaka.

Kahu Youth are delighted to introduce Anna Booth, our new Operations Director.  Anna joins the organisation with a wealth of knowledge in the empowerment and delivery of programs for youth, having managed at another charity, Inclusion Foundation for over a decade. Anna started her career in the charity sector starting out in 2009 as a Dance Educator, teaching a small group of kids with Down syndrome. Word spread and classes grew, and the dance program was formalised as a charity called emotion21 (now Inclusion Foundation). During her time at Inclusion Foundation she took on a multitude of roles – often at the same time! As Artistic Director she took great pride in creating meaningful opportunities for those with intellectual disabilities including; International performance tours to India and South Africa, collaborations with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Cira and The Australian Ballet School and new innovative programs to meet the community's needs. More recently as emotion21’s Manager she led the community with care though covid lockdowns, launching virtual classes to allow people with Down Syndrome from across Australia to stay connected and moving. Anna has a Dip. of Leadership and Management.  Anna is a passionate and highly skilled individual that will bring leadership, mentorship, enthusiasm and drive to the Kahu Youth team. We are truly grateful to have Anna onboard at Kahu Youth and can’t wait to see what 2022 brings! Anna can be contacted via [email protected] and looks forward to meeting Kahu Youth's community supporters and partners very soon. 

What a crazy couple weeks it has been at Kahu Youth and the Kahu’s Spring Holiday Programme.The programme kicked-flipped off to a fantabulous start, hanging with the RAD Skatecrew. We enjoyed some up-cycling with our friends at Wānaka Wastebusters.The youth had some good ole’ community work at the newly created Wānaka Community Shed helping build food pantries for the Community Hub. We then met up with our friends at M!NT for a midday fiesta at Amigos before heading to paint an awesome mural at the Wānaka Recreation Centre.This week Kahu Youth mini-putted, lounged at Paradiso, got their creative juices flowing while constructing delicious burger creations at Red Star, climbed high with WildWire and bowled their way into the weekend in Queenstown.It's no surprise the youth will be tired for school on Monday, but man did they have a blast!Keep an eye out for Kahu Youth's Summer Holiday Programme in January 2022 - it won’t disappoint!

Introducing the one and only Rayner Swartz. ‘The Rain Man’ goes by many titles - titles born from the admiration our attending Youth have for him and the respect he garners from his colleagues. It’s not often you find someone with more than one nickname, but then again Rayner is no ordinary man (as the photograph below may suggest). Some common salutatory exclamations that often reverberate within the walls of The Crib (and some of my personal favourites) are: the cool-kid of Kahu; the shoeless strummer and of course, the fire-throwing maestro. Rayner was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa and was raised there for his first 5 years before he made the move to New Zealand; a place he now calls home. Rayner’s strong passion for the outdoors and a penchant for rock climbing has allowed him to settle in Wanaka and he hasn’t thought about leaving since arriving here in 2016.Rayner Swartz, Youth Worker ExtraordinaireAt The Crib, Rayner’s infallible modus operandi when engaging with Youth is beyond reproach. A kind-hearted, warm and genuine soul, Rayner has the ability to produce life-affirming moments regularly and quite possibly, a life-long change for some. Rayner’s project of the moment is a drawing club he runs at MAC during lunchtimes, every week on a Tuesday afternoon. Some of our regulars at The Crib are avid attendees of these sessions but their interest doesn’t stop at the school gates. You can normally find a group of highly focussed Youths huddled around Rayner in the kitchen, each producing artistic marvels of Salvador Dali-esque drawings. We are truly blessed to have Rayner, and we are sure the community feels the same. If you need to contact Rayner regarding his projects or future plans, you can contact him via email at [email protected]. A HUGE THANK YOU to the following funders for their recent generosity:Sargood Bequest and Scotlands Te Kiteroa Trust for supporting the delivery of youth programmes, activities and events in the Upper CluthaMSD community capability and resilience fund and Alexander McMillan Trust for the purchase of new items for The CribCreative Communities Scheme for delivery of Matariki creative workshops and a Radio Skills programme for young peopleYouth Worker Training Scheme for the training of our fantastic Youth Worker Team

Kahu Youth are excited and privileged to introduce Sam Strong, our newest Youth Worker! Sam, who hails from Ontario, Canada has been in Wanaka just over two years where she has been teaching preschool at Wanaexcel before making the plunge and joining our growing team! Sam’s departure from teaching was fuelled by a desire to return to her roots of youth programming and an eagerness to create stronger and meaningful connections to the community. Sam is excited for the change in pace with her new role.Sam began working with the Ontario Camp Association in 2006 which was her first role as a Youth Worker and since then has gone onto work in British Columbia as a Youth Programmer. Her move to Wanaka was propelled as a means to continue her globe trotting and cultural exploration. She soon found herself feeling at home as the landscape and societal tendencies mimic the lifestyle often found back home in Canada.Apart from her passion for Youth Development and Social Work, Sam is a snowboarding enthusiast, a keen football player and also currently plays for Upper Clutha Women’s Hockey Team. As passions normally do, Sam’s sporting interests developed into youth coaching roles in British Columbia and Ontario.‘I am excited for the change in pace and to be challenged on a daily basis. It is a different challenge to teaching young children and I hope to influence and inspire the youth in Wanaka to develop and lead their own path. I hope to inspire respectful rebellion, to help them push the social norms, to be the change and to try new things. I want to teach them that failure is part of the journey but importantly, to always keep going.’If you would like to contact Sam regarding her work at Kahu Youth, you can contact her on 034435880 or [email protected] or you can visit our website here

As we begin a new year with new adventures and many new faces, we also look back to those who have supported us through what was a tumultuous but positive year! We would like to express our gratitude to The Lion Foundation for keeping us comfortable with a brand new heat pump, and for keeping us entertained with a new pool table! The Lion Foundation also supports our operational costs so we can continue providing quality youth and community services to the Upper Clutha. Thank you for your partnership and support!Some of the youth attendees enjoying the new heat pump!If you would like any further details or have any questions about our plans for 2021, you can contact Kahu Youth at [email protected] or call us on 03 443 5880. Kia Kaha!