Helping Christchurch kids Feel Brave
An award-winning Kiwi author is teaming up with the Life Education Trust and technology company Cisco to help Christchurch children deal with anxiety, build resilience and practice empathy.
Avril McDonald is sharing her Feel Brave stories and strategies with five local schools this week, including Riccarton Primary School, pictured below.
Life Education chief executive John O'Connell said many young people in Christchurch had experienced significant trauma, firstly with the earthquakes and more recently with the March 15 terror attack that forced schools across the city to go into lockdown.
"It doesn't compare to my experience growing up in Christchurch, or anywhere in New Zealand for that matter."
Every child needed support to help build resilience to deal with adveristy in their lives, he said.
Five storey-telling videos showing powerful coping strategies would be produced from McDonald's visit in Christchurch and shared with children around New Zealand and the world.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.8% Critical thinking
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29.5% Resilience and adaptability
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3% Other - I will share below!
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
Make a hearty dish. Take just half a minute. Add four parts of kestrel. Then just add one. What have you made?
(Trev from Silverdale kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Trev!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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