BGI (Wellington Boys' and Girls' Institute)

"We must try to keep the next generation informed. We must be responsible ancestors - otherwise, the next generation won't be prepared..."

WAI ORA LEVEL 3 is starting up again on the 29th of July! Check out Jazmine's experience on the course https://www.forestandbird.org.nz/resources/wai-ora

To enrol https://www.wananga.ac.nz/study/certificates/wai-ora-level-3/

For more info contact Ihaia at [email protected]

Wai Ora What can mātauranga Māori teach us about caring for local waterways? Jazmine Ropner enrols in a free nationwide course to find out.

🚀 Join Our Team! 🌟

Are you passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives? BGI is on the lookout for a dedicated Senior Youth Worker to join our vibrant team in Pōneke! 🤝✨

🌱 Collaborate with our Youth Work Manager
🎒 Engage with our small school, Te Whare Taiohi
🏀 Lead sports & community programmes
🤗 Build transformative relationships with taiohi, whānau, and volunteers

If you’re organized, fun, and community-driven, we want to hear from you! Part-time or casual roles available. Apply now and be part of something amazing! 🌍❤️

📧 Send your CV and cover letter to [email protected]
🗓️ Applications close: 12th July 2024

Kia ora koutou!

If you have an interest in sustainability, particularly pertaining to coastal and freshwater bodies and/or mātauranga Māori within local environments, the Wai Ora course may be for you! Anyone can join.

Wai Ora is a FREE course that looks at marine and freshwater science and conservation, and how to manage our water resources.

Graduates will gain the skills and knowledge to care for, develop, sustain, enhance, and manage their own environment for the benefit of marae, whānau, hapū and iwi to support and guide current and future generations.

Check out the flyer attached for more info and to see how you can register, or get in touch with Ihaia Puketapu [email protected].

Please feel free to forward on to anyone that you may think is interested 😊

We are looking for some superstar volunteers to collect bread!

We collect & distribute bread to our community every day. We can’t do this without our dedicated volunteers.

If you have a spare 30 minutes during the week we would love to hear from you!

🥖 3pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays. If you're free on other days we would still love to hear from you.

🥯 Win best flatmate award for bringing home treats!

🥐Dm us to find out more

Thanks for having us Common Unity 🌱🥰

BIG MIHIIII TO EVERYONE who came to support last weeks ‘Clothes Swap’! 🧣🧤

A successful event organised by Te Ahi o ngā Rangatahi! The swap went really well and just a big mihi to everyone who helped out through either swapping or helping in the background. A great experience for rangatahi and everyone who was involved and we even managed to raise some money to support Rainbow Youth kaupapa.

Ngā mihi!

Kia ora Pōneke whānau!!!!

is super excited to see you all at SWAP DON’T SHOP tomorrow at Te Pokapū Hapori (105 Manners Street) from 11am to 4pm. Come down for some Kai, music, cool people and the main event CLOTHING SWAP! Bring your mates, cuzzies, whānau and some clothes or cash!

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow ft. some of us kaimahi wearing some merch donations so far 🫶🏾

We want to know your thoughts on Challenge for Change 💭

We have a survey that will take 5-10 minutes and asks you about your experience. All answers are anonymous 🤐

You can choose to go in the draw to $150 grocery voucher too🛒

If you would like some more information please contact Jessie at [email protected]

Please pass the link on to anyone you know who was involved in Challenge for Change 💚

Mentor link https://form.jotform.com/231295822114047

Mentee link https://form.jotform.com/231410610994047

Whānau link https://form.jotform.com/231486222321043

Tonight we hosted a whakawhanaungatanga evening for “Challenge for Change” a mentoring programme for rangatahi aged 9-13 to grow in a positive supportive environment that upskills and creates community.

Our mentors and wider whānau are looking forward to the year ahead 🌱

If you have an interest in sustainability, particularly pertaining to coastal and freshwater bodies and/or mātauranga Māori within local environments, the Wai Ora course may be for you! Anyone can join.

Wai Ora is a FREE course that looks at marine and freshwater science and conservation, and how to manage our water resources.

Graduates will gain the skills and knowledge to care for, develop, sustain, enhance, and manage their own environment for the benefit of marae, whānau, hapū and iwi to support and guide current and future generations.

Check out our website to see how you can register, or get in touch with Ihaia at [email protected] or 022 136 2985

https://www.bgi.org.nz/programmes/te-pou-hono-ki-taiao

Please feel free to forward on to anyone that you may think is interested 😊

We are excited to be hosting the very first 'Your Future with AI' workshop with Brian Calhoun next Thursday! 🤖

You're invited to come and explore your curiosities about AI & how to best utilise this amazing tool.

This information evening is open for all young people and their whānau.

RSVP & details below!

Challenge for Change Meet & Greet: Whānaungatanga Evening tonight - starting at 5:30pm!

If you, or someone you know, are interested in volunteering time to becoming a positive role-model for a young person, join us tonight at BGI, 3 Macdonald Crescent!

Come and connect with some of the Challenge for Change team, find out more about our programme, and if the role would be the right fit for you.

If you can't make tonight but are still interested in applying, please contact us for more details:
Ailsa Krefft: 022 470 6537 // [email protected]
OR Te Rehia Lake-Perez: 022 452 5150 // [email protected]

You can read more about the programme on the BGI website: http://www.bgi.org.nz/Programmes/ChallengeforChang

Did you know Challenge for Change has been running at BGI for 20 years?!

We are talking to people who have been involved in Challenge for Change. Whether it was 20 years ago or 5 years ago, we would love to hear from you. We are wanting to gain an understanding of the long-term impacts of Challenge for Change.

You will have an interview with Jessie here at BGI, which involves a conversation talking about your experience for 30 minutes - in person, or via the phone.

(you will receive a small koha of a $30 grocery voucher to thank you for your time.)

If you are interested or would like some more information please contact us!

Via our page, or email Jessie at [email protected] – 027 651 9555.

🎶NEIGHBOURHOOD JAMS🎶

We are very excited to announce our first neighbourhood jams sesh! Come along to share stories, music & kai 🥘
A low-key & relaxed evening, next Wednesday 6-8pm, here at BGI 🥳

P.s. You don’t have to be a musician to join! This space is to explore music & the community it creates in a safe & inclusive place ❤️ see you there!

Paper Bag Lunch is back 🔛 for 2023 🧑‍🍳

We’ve got an awesome team from Onslow College, and our staff here have loved seeing the beautiful PBL faces filling our community kitchen 💛

🍪PBL aims to create a fun, supportive environment for rangatahi with disabilities, whole developing capability and confidence in the kitchen.

🍳We love to see PBL rangatahi come out of sessions feeling happy, full and proud of of their creations 💛

HEY YOU!

Are you looking for a meaningful opportunity to volunteer this year? Keen to help transform the lives of our youth?

We are looking for 2023 Challenge for Change mentors who have a heart for rangatahi, and want to become a positive role-model for a young person in need of support. If you have an interest, and can spare 4-5 hours a week to spare, we would LOVE to hear from you! Click on the link below to read more & sign up!

https://seekvolunteer.co.nz/volunteering/120446/mentors-for-young-people-training-starts-early-february-2023

Reminiscing on our end of year celebration with the wonderful 🤩🎉

We’ve been having lots of kōrero about what 2023 looks like here at BGI - dreaming & visioning about how best to celebrate our young people & how we’re working together to achieve arohanui ki nga rangatahi 💭

Bring on 2023!

Thanks for the 📸

Shhhh… If you thought you hadn’t seen Eddy around for a while at BGI, you’d be right. We kept it quiet that back in June, he snuck out on secondment to the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC), thinking, hoping, praying he’d be back before anyone noticed. Sadly (for us) and lucky (for the OCC), Eddy was offered a full time role and so well deserved.

We had a poroporoaki to farewell Eddy in style, and the phrases most used to describe him and the impact he has had on rangatahi and the team alike were: Legend, Best Leader Ever, Mr Positive, and Leaving a Legacy you should be proud of.

Thanks for your service to youth in Wellington, Eddy. We know there is so much more you will do to ensure young people live their best lives, thrive and have their voice heard. May the music play on…

YOU ARE INVITED!!!

Kia Ora BGI whānau!

We are having a celebration of 2022 and would LOVE for you to join!

Whether you have been involved with BGI this year just want to come for a boogie, we would love to see the year out with you ✨

We are very excited to be joined by Mo Etc., (Moana Ete), who will be gracing us with some soulful electronica & RnB, check her out...
https://youtu.be/H7vSyL90tww

Feel free to invite whānau, friends, neighbours & anyone who you think might be interested in BGI's mahi or youth-work development.

WHERE: BGI (3 MacDonald Crescent)
WHEN: 7pm 15th December
WHY: WHY NOT

You are also invited to BGI's 130th AGM which will be held prior to this celebration
Email [email protected] to find out more

Shout out to our very own Michael, for hosting an awesome event celebrating Nelson Mandela Day back in July! Michael and a bunch of amazing volunteers honoured Mandela’s legacy by putting in 67 minutes of labour into our beautiful community garden, Te MARAmatanga. This was in recognition of the 67 years of selfless action Mandela did for his country, and the world, for a better future for all people. The South African High Commission joined in and took part, and it was a big win for the community - getting a new bed put together and expanding our planting space! Thank you to Te Aro Bunnings for supplying the compost and extra tools to make this possible! This mean more food for the upcoming spring season for those in need! 😍🌿

We are hiring! Awesome Senior Youth Worker role available here at BGI for a youth development superstar! check out the ad on our website and get in touch if it sounds like you!

https://www.bgi.org.nz/jobs/senioryouthworker

Senior Youth Worker — BGI BGI is seeking a Senior Youth Worker to coordinate and support a number of youth development projects here in Pōneke. Term: Full Time Permanent Salary: $60,000-$70,000 (based on qualifications and experience)

Awesome write up about our very own Michael who puts in the work to make sure all of our programmes are fed and satisfied! Ngā mihi nui ki a koe Michael

MEET : Many of you will recognise the man behind the mask, the one and only Michael Person. An absolute legend with a heart of gold and a willingness to help others through food that goes far beyond the confounds of a kitchen.

If Michael was a fruit or vegetable he would be a fig, saying “their trees tend to grow untamed but are prolific fruiters and can feed many people! I love their leaf structure, something mystic about them to me”

Michael is the head chef at BGI (Wellington Boys and Girls institute) coordinating the community kitchen and he (more than) helped start Te MARAmatanga, a community garden and Orchard on MacDonald Crescent. Outside of this work he is passionate about dance and drumming and is an Instructor in the Brazilian dance/fight/game Capoeira.

“I work with many youth in my job at BGI and I work with heaps of rescue food. What we make for programs is directly influenced by what provides week to week. Sometime we get lots of one type of vegetable and have to get inventive in using it. Getting young people to eat brussel sprouts has been one of my biggest successes and started by chopping them down like a cabbage and sautéing them with olive oil, then seasoning with balsamic vinegar and a splash of stock (chicken works great but vege stock is also fine). Then putting the mix into pasties either with meat of mushrooms, young people love them”

Michael we are thankful for you mahi, for your delicious Kai and for generous self!
Ngā mihi nui ki a koe