In the last weekend of July, six young people from Challenge attended Festival for the Future. Festival for the Future is a conference held every year which gathers young people from all around New Zealand for a weekend exploring what the future will look like, the issues which may arise and ways of combatting these issues. The festival was based on the waterfront, and each day started with a panel of speakers at TSB arena. This was followed by workshops and panels delivered by leaders from within New Zealand, and were held at different locations on the waterfront such as Macs Brewbar and the Wharewaka. A wide range of topics were covered during the weekend including housing accessibility, child poverty, mental health and environmental sustainability. The panels offered a chance for listeners to gain deeper insight into these issues including their causes and implications. The workshops were more interactive, and allowed attendees to develop skills to help them in their attempts to tackle the problems facing the future. Overall the festival was a fantastic experience and everyone came away inspired. We would especially like to thank Oranga Tamariki for their huge support over the weekend. –

– Gabrielle Lawson

The youth forum on Saturday 28^th July was for the large part blessed with the attendance of the older interfaith community. It started with a number of interfaith (and international) prayers, including some by video from Afghanistan, Armenia, India and Tibet.

The keynote guest was Her Excellency Vuyiswa Tulelo, High Commissioner of South Africa, who set the tone for the forum in very subversive but affirming/fortifying way. She shared very intimately about her own reality, her undiplomatic approach to a career in diplomacy, and to single parenthood, within the context of which she trains both her daughter and her son as feminists. She shared the importance of faith in her own life, and the knowledge that she is cared for and provided for by God, through angels in the form of the people around her.

Joy Dunsheath then introduced us to the sustainable development goals, before we were guided through the He Tohu exhibition, with the whakahaere of Watene and Romany at the National Library.

After lunch we sat back to enjoy the show, with four impressive young women debating the motion, “That we support the rise of online petitioning”. Adjudicators Chris Lahatte and Lagi Tuimavave announced the affirmative as the winning team, and cited the argument “that online and in-person petitioning are not mutually exclusive” as the winning argument.

The juxtaposition of such an adversarial mode of engagement in the context of an interfaith forum was a very interesting, and also useful point of reference, and it reminded us of the nature and value of the dialogue by which we are called to communicate with each other across faith divides. It also cast light on some interesting ideas, around human goodness and the capacity to cause harm, and how best to deal with that. This came up again yesterday in terms of diversity and hate speech, and whether sunlight is the best disinfectant, or whether it is better not to give oxygen to that which is harmful.

In terms of two alternatives not being mutually exclusive, I am wary of this argument, which is a popular one used in support of bills proposed, against any opposition. It strikes me that we live in a finite world of limited time and resources, and an interconnected world of interpersonal relationships. Rights and freedoms do not exist within a vacuum, and the provision for something on the one hand inevitably carries a consequence for that on the other. This is reason, I think, to approach contemporary issues with awareness, patience, sensitivity and compassion.

In the afternoon session the youth gathered by themselves, and we looked more explicitly at some of these contemporary issues, in light of the three themes or aspirations of the forum: global citizenship, gender equality and sustainable development.

We looked at the famous and devastating photo of the starving child and vulture in Sudan, for which Kevin Carter received the Pulitzer Prize, as well as vitriolic criticism, before ultimately committing suicide. We considered the extent to which such unbearable and unbelievable realities of injustice and violence are manifestations of our very human need for meaning, belonging and fulfillment, and our capacity for compulsive, exclusive and destructive action on the basis of these needs.

Finally we broke up into three groups to consider the three ideals, and how we might move towards them. In terms of global citizenship, the feedback pointed to encounter, communication (as a two way exchange) and commitment.

In terms of gender equality, the feedback pointed to celebrating achievement but persisting with the further necessary progress and improvement; acknowledging the positive but calling out the negative for what it is; asserting the rights and dignity of women, but investing in forming men as feminists as well. It also pointed to a broadening of definitions and understanding of gender, in favour of acceptance and love.

In terms of sustainable development, the feedback pointed to starting small, and being conscious of the decisions that we make, the actions that we take, and their consequences; and learning – with sensitivity and compassion – from our mistakes. It also pointed to a reverence for the earth.

A famous moral story in the Christian tradition is that of the Good Samaritan, by which we are called to identify the other in need as our neighbour, and to so respond to their needs. The dialogue that came out of the youth forum makes me think that the call to be a Good Samaritan is actually a call to be a Good Global Citizen – a global, gender equal and sustainable citizen. And that is no easy task.

Now, I am pretty confident that if I were walking down an unsealed road, and came across a beaten traveller, I would have the wherewithal and conscience to respond accordingly. But the call of the Good Global Citizen – and perhaps this is the point of the Good Samaritan after all – is to respond to that person in need even when the constraints of our communities or the pressures of our practical realities tell us not to. The call is, also, not only to respond to the needs of the person who has been beaten, or labeled a loser or outsider, but to engage with and respond to the needs of those who have inflicted injury, and those who have ignored it. Finally, the call is also to transform the road or the environment, and do so lovingly, so as to prevent future harm and suffering.

My sense is that this is exactly what we were doing on Saturday, at the Youth Forum, and again yesterday. My sense is also that this call is not only in the interest of the other, but also of ourselves. It is good for us to do this work, and it is good for us to do so together. So I am deeply grateful for this encounter and experience, and grateful in the anticipation that it will continue.

– Daniel Kleinsman

Challenge 2000 staff recently underwent the first of two professional development days with internationally-renowned health sociologist Barry Taylor.

Barry is a specialist in suicide, a phenomenon which has tragically affected some of the young people and communities with whom Challenge 2000 works.

Held at Challenge 2000 headquarters in Johnsonville, the training day focused on building resilience in young people. A sharing of experiences showed that this is done most effectively by fostering connection, hope, and a sense of meaning and purpose.

Barry warned staff against the dangers inherent in the ‘cult of happiness.’ It is unrealistic, he claimed, for any of us to expect constant happiness. If we want to thrive, we must patiently tend to the garden of our lives during the bleakness of winter as well as the thrill of spring.

Barry also shared candidly about the root causes of the psychic pain that leads some to think of suicide as a solution. Traumas such as childhood abandonment or abuse, rather than suicide itself, are the issues that need to be addressed directly.

Despite the heavy nature of the topic, staff spoke positively about the training. We hope that it has increased our capacity to assist the young people with whom we work, especially those in distress.

Where to get help 

WBSC XII Junior Men’s Softball World Championship

 Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada from July 7th, 2018 to July 15th, 2018.

Whitehorse, Yukon 2014

I was fortunate to be selected from NZ to officiate at this coming WBSC XII Junior Men’s Softball World Championship tournament being held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, starting this Friday 6^th July.

Eighteen umpires from across the globe were selected to work at this prestigious 9 day Championship, with fourteen teams from the 4 corners of the globe all vying for that Championship medal, come the last day 15^th July.

Hamilton Fast Pitch 2015

The selection process began back in January with confirmation of my appointment being announced by the Chief Umpire at WBSC (World Baseball Softball Congress). This will be my 3^rd World Championship that I have attended within the last 4 years and all have been in Canada.

I took up umpiring in 2004, after playing the game for some years. They (players/mates) would say “You’ve turned to the dark side now dick” It was hard at first, I think playing the game and being a student of it has helped but the rules and technical side of umpiring has been and still is continual learning itself. Now, ALL that hard work, perseverance and numerous hours out in the sun for umpiring instead of being at the beach or out on the boat fishing, is starting to pay off.

We have 7 Levels here in NZ for umpiring. We all start on Level 1 for a season at age grade then progress from there. Level 4 is where you sit for your badge at a national age grade tournament. This is normally an assessment followed by a 50 multi question test. If you’re successful, you are presented with your NZ Umpiring Badge which allows you to umpire Snr Men’s/Women’s games. The world is your oyster. From Level 4 – 7 usually takes 6 years and that’s if you pass all your yearly assessments and exams, so 2 years per Level. Level 6 gives you all national tournaments and internal internationals only.

To get to Level 7 you must have successfully completed Level 6 requirements, be nominated to sit your IsF Certification. This certification is normally combined with our Australian colleagues where we share the cost for the UIC (Umpire in Charge) from Canada/USA to attend and run the certification seminar. This seminar is a week-long and very intense programme with both practical and theory assessments going the whole time. However once you achieve your Level 7, lookout……..Every year there are 2 World Championships in play, so you can see there are plenty of opportunities. My goal is to attend the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

— Gavin Shepherd