Papakura youth charity looking for lifeline

Ripu Bhatia Reporter from Community News

A foundation that supports youth in low decile schools is on the brink of bankruptcy in the wake of Covid-19.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation is looking for a new partner to support its ongoing work to strengthen the mental resilience of youth in south Auckland.

Chief executive Jenny Stiles said the charitable organisation currently provides support to 1,317 low decile students in Papakura which is fundamental to ensuring their resilience and ability to deal with life’s challenges including the ongoing uncertainty created by COVID-19.

“We support a third of low decile schools in Papakura through the Foundation’s key programmes Kiwi Can and Stars, and the impact on youth and the community is profound,” he said.

“Pleasingly when we surveyed these schools, we found that 83 percent of students said that the Stars programme had helped them feel more confident about what they can achieve, and 80 percent of teachers said that Kiwi Can positively impacts student attitudes.”

But after four years partnering with Australian retailer Supre and their philanthropic arm, Supre Foundation, which delivered significant support enabling programmes to be implemented into Papakura schools, the Foundation is now looking for a new partner.

“Due to their funding having to come to an end, we are now hoping to secure a new partner who can continue to fund and support these programmes well into the future to help a new generation of students,” Stiles said.

Stiles notes that for every $1 invested in the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s programmes to empower New Zealand youth, there is an average $7.80 return to the New Zealand economy.