After finishing up on the Challenge 2000 Gap Year I stayed on to do a bit more work during the holidays and just before I went back home, I was sponsored by the Johnsonville Rotary Club to attend Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA), a week long camp.
The week was full of very interesting speakers, challenging activities and fun. I had the opportunity to visit parliament and government house giving me the chance to meet the Governor General and a speaker from each government party.
Reflection time
Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings
We would like to send out a huge thank you to all our supporters who have generously donated food items and gifts for families in need.
The families and individuals we have delivered the hampers to have been very moved and excited by the community’s generosity, as Christmas can be a very difficult time financially.
For our staff this is a time to reflect and remind ourselves of the ‘WHY’ – why we are here working for an organisation like Challenge 2000. We enjoy delivering the hampers, and to see the expressions and emotions from those who receive these gifts is heart-warming.
We would appreciate any further support you may be able to offer, in particular fresh meat and vegetables. If you are able to donate any food items such as these, please contact us on Phone: 04 4770045 or 021 659354.
Families who are not being paid during the Christmas break are also finding it difficult, and we are able to accept any cash donations. You can find our bank account details on our website here or feel free to call the number provided above.
We’d like to wish everyone a safe Christmas and thank you very much for all your support and aroha you have shown.
Our 8 gap students graduated with flying colours on December 1st 2013. It has been a fantastic year of challenge, growth, learning, experience and service. The 8 students achieved much and gave much this year. All past their NZQA youth work certificate and also gained full drivers licences and first aid certificates. For many it was also the first time they gained a New Zealand passport with 4 ‘gappies’ travelling to Samoa and Mexico respectively.
This year gap students mentored young people, worked on youth development programmes, supported the youth workers at Newlands Community centre, helped lead court supervised camps, tutored young people, lead holiday programmes, washed cars, cooked and served food, run groups in 5 different colleges, designed websites, typed and photocopied
It’s not too late to apply for gap 2014. Fill in the online application form and say YES to a year that you won’t ever forget.
Feedback for some of the gap year students 2013
“The gap year has taught me so much about myself and who I really am. I walked out of the gap year a lot more confident within myself and a greater understanding of myself and the different things that I am able to share with other people. Throughout the year I have done so many things that I never thought I would have done especially at my age. From the weekly placements, to the NZQA papers, to the overseas cultural experience in Samoa, to the talks that we had. Even though it wasn’t an easy choice to say ‘YES’ to the gap year, looking back at it now it was the best decision that I made at the end of 2012.” ~Courtney Halliday
This unique gap year has been so important for me at this time in my life. After leaving college last year overwhelmed by how many different options I had to choose from I am so thankful that i opted for a Challenge 2000 and Society of Mary Gap year. I have experienced so much over the last year. My world view has changed and I now see myself, others and New Zealand in a different way. This is definitely a year I will look back on with no regrets and identify it as an important stage in my personal growth and development. At this stage next year I am intending to go to Victoria university and do a BA majoring Social Policy. Many thanks to everyone who made it possible. ~Anna Hoskins
The board, staff, volunteers and whanau at Challenge 2000 say a huge thank-you for all their love, support, care and commitment that you have given to us in so many ways during 2013. We wish you all a very happy, peace filled and life-giving Christmas. We look forward to seeing you in 2014.
“We must not seek the child Jesus in the pretty figures of our Christmas crib. We must seek him among the undernourished children who have gone to bed at night with nothing to eat.”
~ Archbishop Oscar Romero
[gview file=”http://www.challenge2000.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Driver-Licence-Poster-FINAL-2013.pdf”]
These holidays we ran four activities days that included Battle Hill Orienteering, Sports, more Sports and Swimming!
Lets start at the very end of our holiday programmes… Friday 24th January found us at Battle Hill where the young people and staff were split into groups, given a compass, a set of questions to answer by traversing Battle Hill and the time when our BBQ lunch would be ready. It was such a gloriously sunny day that we were all had to be conscious of applying and reapplying sunscreen! Young people and staff learnt the significance of Battle Hill and some of the history behind it and all groups climbed to the top.
We started our holiday programmes with a Swimming Day at Keith Spry pools in Johnsonville, which had young people and staff splashing and laughing playing on the inflatable toys, trying to get the ball in the basket ball hoop, snorkeling and the favoured activity of jumping off the diving board to see who could make the biggest splash! 
Then on Wednesday 15th and 22nd January we went along to ASB Sports Centre for a sports-stravangaza! We played Hockey, Badminton, Basketball, Netball, Dodgeball and Ki O Rahi. Young people and staff had a great time competing against each other!
Thank you to those that have supported us and made our adventures possible, especially Pub Charity.
On Sunday 1 December 2013, we celebrated Challenge 2000’s silver jubilee with a birthday dinner at The Pines restaurant. Wellington turned on a perfect day in honour of the occasion!
The evening was a wonderful celebration of 25 years supporting young people and families in our community. Current staff and board members were joined by young people, family, friends, volunteers and members of the community who have supported Challenge2000 throughout the past 25 years.
Our MC Tim Gordon lead us through an evening where we were entertained with stories of the early days, memories were shared, old and new friends met, and new connections were formed. We were all in awe of the talents of Vocal FX who performed some barbershop items for us. The final act was a song written by one of our staff in honour of the 25thbirthday – a fitting tribute!
During the evening, Fr Eddie Condra was honoured for his part in the founding of Challenge in 1988, and his faithful commitment to the ongoing work of Challenge 2000 today.
Guests were given a candle to take away with them as a symbol of hope for the future – to remind them of the work that Challenge 2000, with the support of so many, does to keep the dream of social justice, social responsibility and personal dignity for all people alive!
Please see our flyer below about our Social Justice and Leadership Pilgrimage 2013! Registrations will close 22nd November. Print off Registration form and send in to challenge2000@xtra.co.nz
[gview file=”http://www.challenge2000.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Pilgrimage-flyer-2013.pdf”]