MASSiSS – Multi Agency Support Services in Secondary Schools
Challenge 2000 has social workers in Aotea, Bishop Viard, Mana, Porirua, Naenae and Taita Colleges. Our social workers work with secondary school students and their families providing support to achieve their goals. We provide a wide range of interventions to improve the achievement and well-being of the students.
This service is community oriented, whanau and community inclusive, culturally responsive and strengths based. Our social workers are committed to early intervention and prevention focused. Outcomes are dependent on individual needs. These can include: attendance improvement, academic success, sporting representation, cultural engagement, developing leadership qualities and community participation.
Our social workers also help facilitate weekly breakfast and lunch clubs, run holiday programmes, provide mentoring, weekend camps, group work and are actively involved in cultural festivals and whanau events.

YWiSS – Youth Workers in Secondary Schools
Challenge 2000 has youth workers at Mana, Porirua, Naenae and Taita Colleges. The aim of this service is to improve engagement and achievement in mainstream education for year 9 and 10 students who are at risk of disengaging from their education journey and school community.
Our youth workers are focused on working with students to improve motivation, provide encouragement, set realistic and achievable goals, support participation and learning within the school environment and improve their overall well-being.

Lano Afutoto

Jared Tofaeono

Kat Birdling

Josh Mills

Pip Dorn

Melisha Isa’ako

Petrina Foaese

Tito Kisona

Fa’afetai Avei

Junior Seumanufagai

Ebony Ngatoko

Sophie Jennings

Lano Afutoto
Youth Worker


Kat Birdling
Social Worker


Josh Mills
Social Worker and Youth Worker
Kia ora, my name is Josh Mills and I am a Social Worker here at Challenge 2000. I completed my Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Otago in 2018.
My journey in Social Work began here in early 2019. I have a passion for working with young people and supporting them to reach their full potential. During this time my role has consisted of one to one to one mentoring, one to one education, facilitating youth programmes and community Social Work. At the beginning of 2021, I started my new role as a Social Worker at Naenae College.


Petrina Foaese
Youth Worker
Talofa lava. My name is Petrina Foaese, My family and I are from the beautiful island of Samoa. I have been at challenge for 2 years and am enjoying every bit of it . Challenge 2000 has many values that my Aiga and I hold close to our hearts.
I am privileged to work for such a giving and loving organisation. I have always wanted to give back to my community and I thank Challenge 2000 for helping me achieve this goal. I am currently working in the Hutt Valley colleges doing youth work with awesome rangatahi under the Youth Worker in secondary schools government support programme.
This is great as it gives me and insight i what is needed out in the community to develop and harness the strengths of young people. It gives me the opportunity to work alongside youth and listen to their beautiful stories. Another programme I am involved in is Mates and Dates in the whole Wellington Region.This programme focuses on young people developing healthy relationships and recognising when relationships are damaging and put the young people in danger.
I am also currently studying a BA in criminology and education at Victoria university. I believe this study is helping me understand more about the work we do and why we love it.
Everyday is different at Challenge2000 and I am truly blessed to be part of this amazing Aiga.



Tito Kisona
Social Worker
Ko te ahurei o te tamaiti aroha o tätou tamaiti mahi – let the uniqueness of the child guide our work(whakatauki)
Mihi mahana kia koutou e hoa ma! Malo ni! my name is Tito Kisona, I am of Tokelau decent, bornand raised in the greatest city ever Cannons Creek - Porirua! A community that has fostered theimportance of who I am, my culture and faith.
I am a father of 4 children, a set of twins, a girl, and our foster son (yes, it is a busy household) and ahusband to one! (ha ha) – so the daily art of multi-tasking and having flexibility whilst remainingpersonable, positive and approaching tasks hands-on is a 24.7 thing and definitely transferable inother aspects of my work. My first experience at Challenge was my final placement in my socialwork studies. What I was drawn to was the awhi shown to me by the staff here. I was based as aSocial Worker at Taita college which reinforced my ‘why’ I am a social worker, what it also did wasconfirm the alignment in the work challenge does and I align well with the values that guides me.
As a new practitioner my hope is to work in a capacity where the above whakatauki is upheld -acknowledging the Mana Rangatahi and their whānanu carry and the uniqueness of who they are.Regarding my social work practice, this is my starting point, my first right answer – the next step willbe the journey together.
I look forward to creating intentional connections with those I walk alongside, I am excited aboutgrowing as a social worker in an environment that privileges people – their Mana, their stories, theirpotential first.
Totō hau tokiga nei, auā na tupulaga e fai mai – plant a seed today, for our future generations(Tokelau proverb). Fakafetai.

Fa’afetai Avei
Social Worker


Junior Seumanufagai
Youth Worker


Ebony Ngatoko
Social Worker
Kai ka pou, tangata kia ora - Food to be all eaten, man to live.
Te moana nui a kiva te moana
Te Kuki Airani raua ko Hamoa te iwi
Mitiaro raua ko Nofoali'ii te hapu
I tipu ake ahau i raro i te maunga o Whitireia
E noho ana ahau i raro i te maru o Te Ope Whakaora
Nā te awa o Parerua ahau i whāngai
O lo'u igoa o Ebony Ngatoko.
I am a part of the MASSISS team. I have been employed by Te wero rua mano since 2019.
Being involved in the life of rangatahi is a privilege I hold close. Life is amazing when you allow rangatahi to just be their authentic selves.


Sophie Jennings
Social Worker
Kia ora, I started my journey with Challenge 2000 as a social work student on my first placement through the Master of Applied Social Work degree provided by Massey University.
I have since completed my first placement and have been working for Challenge 2000 full time as a transition worker. This role gives me the privilege to walk alongside young people to prepare them for their transition into adulthood. This transition can be a difficult time for many young people due to some inevitable major life changes. Challenge 2000’s transition program allows me to help prepare young people before this transition period to support them on their journey to becoming an adult.
Challenge 2000 works to make young people the best versions of themselves and welcomes all that comes through our doors. I know this because I too have been on the receiving end of this and have felt heavily supported as both a staff member and as a placement student. Challenge 2000 is a great workplace to be a part of as it not only does amazing work to support young people in the community, but also supports the professional and personal development of its staff members.