The 2007 World of Difference recipients

Annalise Myers
Grey Lynn, Auckland
Auckland Women’s Centre – Teen Parent Project

A project co-ordinator at the Auckland Women’s Centre (AWC) for the past two years, Annalise Myers will spend her World of Difference year developing the AWC’s Teen Parent Project (TPP), which she estimates will involve some 600 participants over the next year.

Annalise’s own experience as a teen mother and her passion for helping young women makes her an ideal role model for the young parents she encounters on a daily basis.

“The Auckland Women’s Centre is committed to finding creative solutions to social issues and empowering young parents. My work with them will help to ensure that we are creating long-term changes and are providing real support to the community.”

An important part of Annalise’s role will be to source funding to enable the ongoing provision of TPP, something that her selection as a World of Difference recipient will make easier.

“I feel privileged to be chosen by the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation to represent them in helping to make a difference for our youth.”

Frank Bunce
Papatoetoe, Auckland
Manukau Community Foundation

Former All Black Frank Bunce believes his profile will help open doors and make a difference to the Manukau Community Foundation, assisting to build a bridge between private donors and youth development programmes in South Auckland.

Having grown up in South Auckland, Frank believes he is well placed to conduct this work, which will involve identifying and visiting youth-related organisations to conduct assessments from the perspective of a future donor. He plans to identify the unmet funding needs and present these findings to groups of people who may have the capacity to make significant donations to support youth programmes in Manukau.

A huge part of Frank’s work will involve assessing the youth sector in South Auckland, documenting his findings and encouraging opportunities for collaboration.

“As a youth funding advocate I hope to touch the lives of a significant number of people and motivate them to lend their financial support for youth programmes in Manukau. I’m from South Auckland so I know the deal. I want to see good things happen to the young people there.”

Veronica Marwitz
Kelston, Auckland
Rape Prevention Education

Veronica Marwitz will continue developing the Rape Prevention Education’s (RPE) BodySafe programme, a sexual violence prevention programme for young people. BodySafe, aimed at 13-18 year old males and females, is delivered in schools, alternative education programmes and community groups throughout Auckland.

Veronica’s aims for her World of Difference year include; having Bodysafe assessed by an external evaluator, establishing a youth advisory group to have impact on the content of the programme and increasing the accessibility of the programme to include more low decile schools. She also plans to work on making the programme more relevant and sensitive to an increasing number of cultures, particularly Maori and Pacific Island youth.

“Sexual violence is a huge problem in New Zealand and I believe every young person needs to understand what happens to their body should be in their control. I want to ensure our rangitahi are receiving the most effective sexual violence prevention possible.”

Swanie Nelson
Flatbush, South Auckland
CANOPY Trust

Working in social development (both internationally and nationally) and media for several years, Swanie Nelson is passionate about finding creative ways to enable youth to be all they can be.

Swanie will spend her World of Difference year working with the Care and Nurture of Pacific Youth Trust (CANOPY) to help Pacific youth in the South Auckland region through community events and leadership programmes.

Swanie’s aim is to raise awareness of the Trust in the local community and create relationships with local businesses. Her role will include setting up sustainable office management systems to cater for the Trust’s growing needs, helping to develop a performing arts programme and working directly with the youth she and her husband refer to as ‘their own’.

“The backing of the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation gives me the unique chance to give back to the community I grew up in and do something that I love.”

Louise Roebuck
Taranaki
Taranaki Youth Trust’s WAVES programme

With a Masters degree in Nursing and an additional five post graduate papers in youth health and sexual health, Louise Roebuck has a passion for engaging in youth issues through the Taranaki Youth Health Trust’s WAVES programme.

Since its inception three short months ago, WAVES has registered close to 600 young people and attracted almost 2000 visits. Her vision is to see WAVES become the hub of youth health and development in Taranaki and the greater region.

“Health at WAVES is not just about the physical. We look at all areas of the young persons life, and we reconnect them back to family or to pro-social adults and peers.”

Having already spent three years working with the Taranaki Youth Trust, Louise’s World of Difference year will be the first time that she has been paid for the outstanding work she does.

Fa’amatuainu Wayne Poutoa
Porirua, Wellington
Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic - Streets Ahead 237

As a former member of the Porirua Mongrel Mob who served a prison sentence, Fa’amatuainu Wayne Poutoa can identify with youth at risk. Today, he is a Samoan High Chief with a Diploma in Social Work, a Degree in Bicultural Practice and is enrolled in a Masters in Social Science Research at Victoria University in Wellington.

Wayne’s aim is to create a Youth Services Department within the Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic, stemming from the Streets Ahead 237 youth committee. Wayne has managed to establish and maintain relationships with youth gangs in the Porirua region and is committed to providing alternatives to gang life. The message promoted through this community initiative is “Brothers not Colours”.

“Streets Ahead 237 has fashioned a way that showcases the communities’ ability to meet the demand of young people at risk.”

Nicole Robertson
Grey Lynn
Waitakere Abuse and Trauma Counselling Service

After only six months at the Waitakere Abuse and Trauma Counseling Service (WATCS), where she is currently developing a clinical programme for adolescents and their families, Nicole Robertson’s focus for her World of Difference year is to develop an Adolescent Resilience Programme for young women who have been traumatised by physical or sexual abuse.

Nicole also hopes to develop a programme to provide direction, support and hope to professionals working with sexually abused adolescents and wants to strengthen the inter-agency partnerships and community resources.

“At the end of the year, I hope to see families walk away from the small offices of WATCS knowing that their family has stopped the entrenched cycle of abuse, and that their grandchildren will not one day need abuse and trauma counseling.”

As a World of Difference recipient, Nicole no longer has to juggle two jobs and can focus on her work with youth and their families.

Shirley Allan
Western Springs
Youth Performance Trust

As one of the founders of the Youth Performance Trust, Shirley Allan plans to spend her World of Difference year working to find ways to extend the role of the Trust in her local community.

The Trust, which exists to provide development opportunities for young Maori and Pacific people, uses performing arts and sports as a way to engage and develop disadvantaged youth.

Shirley believes that regardless of a young persons’ environment or background they all have the capacity to succeed, they just need to know that there are adults that will support them and genuinely care about their future.

“Our approach is simple, and strengths based. Our kids don’t need us to fix things for them. They just need room to make their own mistakes and a safe place so they can figure out the best way to fix it themselves. Our job as adults is to provide that safe space.”

Billy Graham
Upper Hutt
Naenae Charitable Trust

As one of the country’s foremost motivational speakers and fitness advisors, Billy Graham is passionate about making a world of difference to the lives of at-risk youth in Naenae and New Zealand.

The Naenae Academy, a fitness and wellness centre for youth at severe risk in the Naenae and the Hutt Valley, is the main tool in this campaign.

Through the work of the Trust the boys are carefully nurtured to become good, upstanding, proud citizens who have the skills and courage to make the right choices in their lives

“The World of Difference programme will allow me to spend much needed time at the Academy so I can develop and execute our programmes, including a plan to improve the facilities for the 120 boys who use the premises.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media