Western News: September 02, 2021

WESTERN NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday September 2 2021 11
‘I was a broken man’
• From page 9
As yard manager, Gibson loves
balancing his time between coordinating
future jobs from the
office and working side-by-side
with the volunteers.
After all, he has been in
their shoes, starting as a casual
volunteer eight years ago mowing
lawns at the former Queen
Elizabeth II Park while battling
his own demons.
Before PEEEP, Gibson was a
labourer.
“I enjoy helping people less
fortunate than myself. I’ve been
in a position in my younger years
where I’ve been down that road,
where I’ve been very depressed
and low,” he said.
“It’s not a good place to be. If
I can help somebody to get out
of that zone, I feel like my job is
done.”
Gibson eventually worked his
way up to become the supervisor,
before accepting the manager
role earlier this year.
The new role was a full-circle
moment for the father of three
because the supervisor who
initially hired him happened to
be his son Tristan.
“When I first started here as a
his son’s boss.
Having a close working and
personal relationship did not
get in the way of putting the
volunteers first.
It was about finding the right
time to “take my boss hat off and
put my father hat on,” and vice
versa.
“It’s great, we’re more like best
friends and we work really well
together as a team,” Gibson said.
“We don’t bring any issues we
have into work, we talk about
it after work. We don’t want
the volunteers to pick up any
negative vibes.”
A growing reputation has
meant the number of referrals
has climbed, with many more on
the waiting list.
Along with the trustees, the
team of three-to-four staff work
alongside eight volunteers at a
time.
Gibson has always been a
“people person at heart,” but
empowering others to find their
voices for the first time made all
the challenges he faced worth it.
“They don’t know it, but I get a
lot from them as well.”
He recalled with pride a young
man who went from being
“We carried him under our
wing, and over a few months,
we lifted his spirits so much you
couldn’t keep him quiet,” said
Gibson.
“This place helped him so
much he doesn’t get on the Xbox
anymore now that he has a job.”
Having been encouraged by
his own co-workers, friends and
family to take on a leadership
role for the first time, Gibson
could relate.
“My self-esteem was a bit low
before I became manager, I didn’t
think I would cope.”
The macho mentality expected
of men, especially in the past,
made it difficult to address the
trauma he experienced sooner.
“I was in a very bad situation
and I was a broken man. Back
then, a man was a man,” he said.
“It’s not really a thing you need
to hide anymore.”
Gibson could spend all day
tinkering away on one of his
muscle cars if he did not have a
trust to worry about.
In spite of his brighter outlook
on life, there are concerns he
simply can’t shake off.
“Funding is drying up – since
Covid, applying for funding is
casual
263
he was my boss, but only socially withdrawn
x
to securing
180
less successful these days.”
until 4 o’clock – I stipulated that.” an apprenticeship on his
• To get involved with PEEEP
Eight years later the tables have own, thanks to newfound
Trust, phone 021 0623 722 or
turned, with Gibson becoming confidence.
email accounts@peeep.org.nz
ON TRACK: Brothers Ryan, 8, and Jack Palfi, 3, of Halswell,
Lawson Galt, 10, of Rolleston, and Zoe Wilcock, 7, of
Halswell take part in the recent Christchurch City BMX Club
day.
Kids tackle BMX track
RIDERS AS young as threeyears-old
took to their bikes
recently at Hornby’s Kyle Park
for a Christchurch City BMX
Club event.
The have-a-go and registration
day gave people to opportunity
to try a new sport and was also a
get together for members of the
Hornby based club.
Club committee member
Katrina Harman said about 60
riders took part, and there were
plenty of spectators.
“The highlight of the day
was watching the kids who
started last season helping others
who were first-timers at the
track.
“It was fantastic to see so
many adults and kids riding the
track. Roll on the season.”
RIDING
HIGH:
Burnside’s
Vincent
Head in
action at
Kyle Park.
PHOTOS:
KATRINA
HARMAN
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