Mangere's 275 Times. April 2016
Mangere's Community News.
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Edition #18<br />
april <strong>2016</strong><br />
<strong>275</strong> times<br />
<strong>275</strong><br />
Māngere’s<br />
times<br />
Our stories, our people, our Māngere<br />
Kōrero paki ō tatou, Tāngata ō tatou, Ngā Hau Māngere ō tatou<br />
Free!<br />
GET LEGAL BEHIND THAT WHEEL<br />
LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Pikura Purotu trained Nathaniel Tawhi Aoake (inset) to drive and is ready to help anyone in Mangere get their licence.<br />
As any young adult would know<br />
getting your licence is crucial<br />
to getting independence and<br />
freedom – and for Nathaniel<br />
Tawhi Aoake it was no different.<br />
The 19-year-old Mangere resident was<br />
about to leave high school and needed a<br />
restricted to help him get a job. Like many<br />
of his peers he was faced challenges with<br />
getting a car to learn in, finances to sit the<br />
test and learning support to make his goal<br />
a reality. But thanks to a new initiative<br />
called Behind the Wheel, Nathaniel passed<br />
his restricted test first time and is now<br />
safely and legally driving by himself.<br />
The scheme ensures participants receive<br />
a free driving lesson with a local instructor<br />
and are then put through the Assessment<br />
Tool to ensure they are safe and ready for<br />
the test.<br />
Licensing is an issue close to the heart<br />
of Pukapuka Community Trust driving<br />
instructor Pikura Purotu as she has<br />
seen so many young people get locked<br />
into dependency as they haven't been<br />
able to drive legally. For this reason<br />
she is throwing her support behind the<br />
Behind the Wheel scheme. The scheme<br />
involves a commitment made between<br />
friends, family and whanau to support<br />
each other so everybody drives with<br />
the right licence. Registering a Behind<br />
the Wheel Pledge team gains the team<br />
access to the resources such as: free tips,<br />
learning checklists, access to community<br />
workshops and month by month advice<br />
to help you get closer to your licence.<br />
Pledge teams also get to take part in the<br />
awesome community event, the Pit Stop<br />
Challenge on the 9th of <strong>April</strong> supported by<br />
Mai FM. There will be food, entertainment<br />
and the opportunity for the teams to take<br />
on fun challenges around Mangere.<br />
To find out more about the Pit Stop<br />
Challenge on <strong>April</strong> 9 and to register go<br />
to: www.behindthewheel.co.nz<br />
WHAT'S INSIDE<br />
Māngere College Leaders<br />
Life Childcare Centre<br />
*NEW* Law column<br />
Polyfest pictures<br />
Tina's latest story<br />
Take the Behind the Wheel Pledge,<br />
get your whānau licensed and be<br />
part of a fun community event!<br />
To register & find out more go to<br />
www.behindthewheel.nz
2<br />
New leaders shine at MC<br />
MANGERE COLLEGE LEADERS: Left to right: Principal Tom Web, Head Girl - Ana Taulanga and<br />
Head Boy - Seleti Tu'ungafasi.<br />
Ana Taulanga and Seleti<br />
Tu’ungafasi love their community<br />
and hope they can use their new<br />
roles to make it even better.<br />
The pair have just achieved the honour of<br />
being named the new Head Girl and Head<br />
Boy at Mangere College.<br />
Ana says her parents were so excited that<br />
her sister could hear their excited screams<br />
from across the street.<br />
“I was sleeping when Mr Webb called and<br />
woke up to see the call. When Mr Webb<br />
told me, my parents just started yelling,”<br />
she says.<br />
Seleti says the news of his achievement <br />
was a huge shock to his family.<br />
“My mum didn’t believe me at first,” says<br />
Seleti. “But when she realized it was true<br />
she started crying. I didn’t cry, but I was<br />
pretty happy too.”<br />
The pair are both born-and-raised in<br />
Mangere and will be following in the<br />
footsteps of older family members who<br />
have been student leaders as well.<br />
Seleti says the role will help him develop<br />
his leadership skills and confidence which<br />
will put him in good stead for a future<br />
both on the rugby field and in tertiary<br />
studies.<br />
"I really like the values the school has and<br />
how the staff have helped me so much."<br />
Ana hopes she can use her influence to<br />
help others gain a sense of pride in their<br />
community.<br />
“It feels good to be raised around these<br />
people, even though some bad stuff<br />
happens, it’s still a good place to be."<br />
Mr Webb says both students stood out for<br />
their leadership abilities and humility.<br />
“They both enjoy helping people, and they<br />
talked about ensuring the school keeps<br />
improving which we’re all keen for.”<br />
INTRODUCING TOM WEBB<br />
What started as an overseas holiday<br />
in 2000 has turned into an exciting<br />
opportunity as the new principal of<br />
Mangere College sixteen years later.<br />
Tom Webb first came to New Zealand for<br />
an overseas experience with his soonto-be<br />
wife Elaine. The couple loved it so<br />
much they returned with the intention<br />
to make it their permanent home - and<br />
they haven’t looked back since. Mr<br />
Webb says he loves New Zealand and<br />
is particularly passionate about the<br />
opportunity he has to help students<br />
reach their potential. For the last 12<br />
years he’s been honing his educational<br />
and management skills at Onehunga<br />
High School but he now feels ready<br />
to lead a school for himself. He says<br />
Mangere College is ideal as his values<br />
and the school's are closely matched.<br />
“The main part of my philosophy is<br />
that every student has the potential to<br />
achieve and that it’s our job in school to<br />
ensure that happens. That’s something<br />
the staff feel here too.”<br />
Mr Webb says he feels very fortunate to<br />
be coming to a school that’s clearly on<br />
the up.<br />
“Last year the results the school had<br />
were the best they have ever had - right<br />
through level one, two and three,” he<br />
says.<br />
One area of expertise that Mr Webb is<br />
keen to bring to the school is that of<br />
E-Learning.<br />
“E-learning is something I led at<br />
Onehunga, and it’s something we’re<br />
looking at here about how to bring more<br />
technology into the teaching.”<br />
Despite taking over from longtime<br />
Principal John Heyes, he isn't over-awed<br />
by the shoes he has to fill.<br />
"I’m just excited about the years ahead<br />
and all the possibilities we can achieve."<br />
NITTY GRITTY<br />
future<br />
Editor: Justin Latif Design: Jo Latif<br />
Publisher: ME Family Services<br />
print<br />
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Life Childcare Centre children and whanau enjoyed the annual<br />
Pasifika day in March. They are pictured here learning a cultural dance.<br />
Children and whanau enjoyed dressing in cultural dress, sharing<br />
delicious food and reading stories in different Pasifika languages.<br />
Contact: Tuhin Choudhury<br />
Unit 7/17 Airpark Drive
LAW... What is it good for?<br />
3<br />
The law and our legal system is a scary<br />
thing – or it might seem that way if you’ve<br />
never had much to do with it. But it’s<br />
actually designed to protect you.<br />
However as many would know this<br />
principle doesn’t always play out in<br />
reality. Many of us do get ripped off, and<br />
sometimes it might seem it's too hard<br />
getting our rights upheld. So what can<br />
you do? Get informed is a good start<br />
and getting proactive is the next thing.<br />
Mangere has some great free services<br />
which provide a wealth of information,<br />
assistance and support, including my place<br />
of work which is the Mangere Community<br />
Law Centre.<br />
So if you’re in a spot of bother, don’t fret<br />
until you’ve had a word to one of the<br />
friendly lawyers at the law centre and<br />
hopefully they can ensure you’ll be treated<br />
fairly no matter the situation.<br />
This is a new monthly column and next<br />
edition I’ll give some tips on using the<br />
Disputes Tribunal and if you’d like to send<br />
ASB Polyfest <strong>2016</strong><br />
Well done to all of the Mangere secondary schools who competed<br />
in the largest secondary schools Polynesian cultural festival in the<br />
world. Here are some of our local schools' top results:<br />
Mangere College:<br />
Samoan Stage: 1st AGGREGATE Tu'ufatasiga o Togi -Tama ma teine.<br />
Tongan Stage: 1st Ma'ulu'ulu, 1st Soke.<br />
Cook Island Stage: 3rd in Overall competitive Section<br />
Best overall Co-Ed school<br />
Southern Cross Campus:<br />
Cook Island Stage: 1st in Overall competitive Section<br />
Diversity Stage - Asia: 3rd Sri Lankan<br />
Mangere College's Cook Island Group<br />
in your law related questions email:<br />
justin.latif@mangerelaw.org.nz<br />
The Mangere Community Law Centre has<br />
been serving the unmet legal needs of the<br />
community since 1987.<br />
If you’d like to make an appointment<br />
to see a lawyer call 09 <strong>275</strong> 4310.<br />
Southern Cross Campus' Kapa Haka Group.<br />
Latest story from Ernestina Bonsu Maru:<br />
Check out her latest story about Mangere based Anuanua Dance<br />
Troupe - Cook Island Entertainment at Pasifika. Go to<br />
facebook.com/mangereotahuhuarts/ to read the full story<br />
or view the video interview on Tina's youtube channel:<br />
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXWMqgRWFww<br />
VERSE OF THE MONTH: Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 1 John 3:18<br />
(Sponsored by Bill & Bridie Keenan)
Community Notices<br />
FREE HOLIDAY PROGRAMME<br />
SPLASH are running their Break-Away Holiday Programme again<br />
in the <strong>April</strong> school holidays at Moana-nui-a-kiwa Pool and Leisure<br />
centre in Mangere. SPLASH is a FREE programme of essential skill<br />
learning and FUN for 11-17 year olds.<br />
Contact Barbara: wai@watersafe.org.nz for more info.<br />
MAKE MOMENTS ART TOUR<br />
The Make Moments project is a series of free facilitated art tours for<br />
people living with dementia and their carers.<br />
Free on <strong>April</strong> 7, 1pm – 2:30pm at the Mangere Arts Centre.<br />
CODE BREAKERS GAME SHOW<br />
A Game Show which sees female international athletes represent<br />
their countries in a game of wit, dance, singing, charades, acting and<br />
code breaking. Get along on <strong>April</strong> 8, 7pm–10pm at Mangere War<br />
Memorial Hall, Dominion Road.<br />
Out and About Summer Skate Series<br />
Join the Out and About team and Summer Skate Series team for this<br />
great event. Show us your skills on the park and go in the chance to<br />
make it to the final held at Barry Curtis Skate Park on May 7. Great<br />
prizes to be won for age group winners, lunch and drinks provided.<br />
It's FREE at Mangere Mountain, <strong>April</strong> 16, 10am – 2pm.<br />
ORIENTEERING FUN FOR FREE<br />
Join the Out and About team at David Lange Park on <strong>April</strong> 26, 10am<br />
- 12pm. Follow the clues, overcome the challenges and see who<br />
finishes the race first. Suitable for all ages and abilities a great FREE<br />
holiday activity!<br />
PREPARE FOR WINTER - FREE INSULATION<br />
The Warm Up New Zealand Programme which provides free<br />
insulation in homes with a Community Services Card or Super Gold<br />
CSC is running out in June! Ring 0800 777 111 to find out more.<br />
COMPUTER & CV WORKSHOPS AT TOWN CENTRE<br />
Free basic computer skills lessons at Mangere Town Centre Library<br />
every Wednesday, 9.30am - 12pm. The Mangere Town Centre<br />
Library is also hosting CV writing workshops every Friday.<br />
MANGERE EAST COMMUNITY CENTRE CLASSES<br />
Learn Te Reo Maori, salsa dancing, sewing, gardening or how to<br />
make a Korowai and much more! Ring 09 <strong>275</strong> 6161 or go to<br />
www.mangereeast.org for more details.<br />
Do Good Feel Good<br />
Welding +<br />
Panel beating<br />
BUILDING<br />
AND<br />
CARPENTRY<br />
Employment Skills<br />
Automotive<br />
Recreation<br />
& Sport<br />
Joinery<br />
& Cabinet<br />
making<br />
Forces<br />
Pre-Entry:<br />
Army, Navy,<br />
Air force,<br />
Police<br />
Don’t<br />
just dream it.<br />
Warehousing<br />
& Forklift<br />
Operations<br />
Fitness &<br />
Exercise<br />
BECOME IT!<br />
Corey (front row, second from right) and the Do Good Feel Good squad.<br />
Do Good Feel Good is all about helping young people<br />
connect to activities in the community which are fun,<br />
and will make them feel good.<br />
Corey is a squad leader for this Alliance Health initiative and<br />
he organized a sports day at the Mangere gym earlier this<br />
month. The fulltime lifeguard says this initiative will help get<br />
young people not only having fun while exercising but also<br />
hopefully connect them to important health services they may<br />
be missing out on. “Do good feel good means trying to do<br />
good in the community so we can all feed good.”<br />
Check out their Facebook page for the next event and to do a fun<br />
survey to find out what health services you might be eligible for.<br />
https://www.facebook.com/dogoodfeelgoodnz<br />
FREE LEARNERS<br />
OR RESTRICTED<br />
LICENCE *<br />
ZERO FEES &<br />
TRAVEL SUBSIDY<br />
FOR 16-19YRS *<br />
FREE SELECTED<br />
PROGRAMMES FOR<br />
20+ YEAR OLDS<br />
MANGERE<br />
(09) 257-5732<br />
59 TIDAL RD<br />
Conditions apply.<br />
HANDS ON<br />
TRAINING