Pegasus Post: October 02, 2018

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10 Tuesday October 2 2018 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi PEGASUS POST Kids engaging through basketball • By Eddy Bramley IT’S 6.30AM yet 20-something kids dressed in basketball gear scurry in to Haeata Community Campus’ gym eager to get started. Jeremy Faumuinā, a navigator at Haeata, runs a before-school basketball programme, an initiative started early 2018 to provide a place for students, staff and wider community to connect through sport. “When Haeata first started we really struggled to find our own culture so we thought what if we were to set up some space for kids to come in just to engage, where it didn’t matter if they were any good at basketball,” he said. “And just find some sense of belonging, where they’re safe and can just be themselves.” Faumuinā’s philosophy is based on engaging his students with members of the wider community. Youth workers from Christchurch kaupapa Māori service He Waka Tapu and Canterbury Rams player Tony Tolovae are regular faces here in the gym and support the students on and off the court. “Part of my role as a navigator was to then put it back out there to the community outside of the school. We knew that if our kids saw us with our police, youth workers, community agencies, and saw the unity with them, that it made sense for them to trust them as well,” he said. Before the students step on the court they join Faumuinā for karakia (Māori prayer). He asks them to protect the whare and leave swearing and trash talk at the door. They’re urged to respect one another, play hard and leave everything on the court. Everyone who enters this gym is part of a family and Jeremy says that family is built on trust, safety and respect. “I can’t control what goes on outside these four walls, but I can control this and the whole mindset is that this gym is the kids’ too, so let’s look after this.” As the game tips off and the music starts blaring, the gym comes to life. The rules are simple, first to three wins, winner stays on. It’s fast-paced and when the students step onto the court, they leave having given it their all. The number one value here is manaakitanga, showing generosity and respect to one another. Most of the students come from different backgrounds and different hāpori (year groups). There are students from Kaunuku (year 3 to 6), Kōrepo (year 7 to 10) and Ihutai (year 11 to 13), yet they all knit together through the values of family and respect. Many of Faumuinā’s students consistently turn up late for school, but on basketball days they’re eager to get involved and regularly turn up before him. “We initially started at 7.30 and then kids were turning up at seven and then we were like ‘okay this is crazy’, so we pushed it back to 6.30,” he said. “Then kids were coming at six and then it just got silly, so we made it a strict 6.30 kick-off. “But that was when we knew that we had something . . . (when) we had kids queueing up outside of the doors at 6 o’clock we knew we were on to a winner.” Haeata teacher Maddie Hullena cheers her students on from the sideline. She joins in the game from time to time and comes along to encourage her kids to use basketball as a release from other areas of their lives. “A lot of the kids’ backgrounds ROLE MODEL: Jeremy Faumuinā has more than 20 years of experience working with young people and is passionate about shaping the next generation. The group meets for a karakia (Maori prayer) before and after each session PHOTOS: EDDY BRAMLEY are quite rough and they use this as quite a big outlet,” she says. “It brings a level of calmness.” Ms Hullena said she’s seen a huge improvement in her students’ engagement in class on the days they play before-school basketball. “Those kids that come along consistently on the Thursdays are showing a real difference in the classroom after the basketball, compared to say on a Monday when they’re coming back after a weekend. “It’s all about small, simple procedures that the kids are picking up on and they bring those back into the classroom.” Meshach Faafoe, one of Ms Hullena’s students and a regular at the before-school games, says SPORTS the sessions encourage him to get to school on time. “Usually I get here late and I’m still half sleep, but after basketball I’m awake and I get to class on time.” Haeata Community Campus navigator Neihana Goodrick, who has over nine years experience in youth support work, said it’s all about building relationships with students through their shared love of sport. “So if something tough is going on, we have a relationship where they feel comfortable about coming and talking to us about it. It breaks down that initial barrier.” As the game rolls on, Faumuinā spends his time on and off the bench engaging with students. For some, it’s a friendly bit of banter, others are questioned about their school work. Regardless of the topic of conversation, his passion for them is obvious. “It’s just this whole methodology and psychology of being able to engage with them through basketball. It’s all about family, friends and fun.” He Waka Tapu health promoter Ra Hazel is also on the sidelines. He said the opportunity to be around the students and help build their self-esteem is the most rewarding aspect of the sessions. “It’s creating that safe space for the kids, where you get to just sit down after you’ve played and just catch up. Anything that will help build their mana is worthwhile.” As the session draws to a close, the students, staff and teachers come together for a final karakia. Faumuinā thanks them for their efforts and encourages the students to carry it through to their classrooms. As they hurry off to class, the music cuts and the atmosphere fades, but Faumuinā is confident of a job well done. •More sport, page 14 Best Motorbuys TM SURF’S UP SCOTTY RAZOR ROBERTSON PROFILE APRIL 2018 Check out the new Sportsman 470 Range TODAY ANYTHING WITH A MOTOR! 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Pegasus Post: October 02, 2018

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