InterAktive December 2023

December 2023 | An eMagazine showing our communities in action
InterAktive

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Contents
3 Message from the CE >
14 Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa >
5 Your Voice: Mayor Wayne Brown >
7 Game Plan AKL launches to
empower young people through
sport and recreation >
16 Active As – improving rangatahi
wellbeing >
17 Active Recreation – what is it and
what does it look like? >
9 Tāmaki Makaurau Sport and
Recreation Facility Funders’ Forum >
10 Tāmaki Makaurau Sport and
Recreation Facility Priority Plan >
11 Auckland Council’s Sport and
Recreation Facility Investment Fund >
19 Play is Everywhere! >
20 Understanding others through lived
experiences >
22 Iwi of Origin 2023 united urban
Māori communities through sport,
activities and kaupapa Māori >
12 Get Aktive Auckland – a strategic
refresh >
13 Celebrating Tāmaki Makaurau
sport and recreation volunteers >
24 InterAktive LIVE 2023 Whiria ngā
aho o Tāmaki Weave together the
strands of Tāmaki >
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Message from the CE
Kia ora
Welcome to the latest issue of InterAktive
JENNAH
WOOTTEN
Chief Executive
The second half of the
calendar year has seen
a number of plans and
strategies come to life,
and as we look ahead
to 2024, there are no
shortage of exciting
initiatives in the works.
This edition of InterAktive covers several topics
including a recap of InterAktive LIVE 2023,
the return of Iwi of Origin, and updates on
significant projects such as Active As.
We are also excited to introduce Game Plan
AKL, a new initiative developed by Aktive
which will give select young people living in
Auckland the opportunity to engage in sport
and recreation. Game Plan AKL has only been
possible because of the incredible support
from a number of donors – we can’t thank them
enough for coming on board.
In 2024, Game Plan AKL’s first cohort of 100
Year 9 students from 10 selected schools/kura
across Auckland will take part in sport and
recreation activities of their choice. Each young
person receives up to $1,000 per year for five
years, allowing them to access to sport and
recreation previously not possible.
With $500,000 already secured to support this
first cohort of young people, we are now calling
on the giving Kiwi spirit for continued donations
to support the next group of 100 young people
who will start their journey from January 2025.
Read more about the launch of Game Plan AKL
and how you can get involved here.
In this issue, we are also fortunate to have
Mayor Wayne Brown provide an update on
his draft Long-term Plan Proposal which will
be coming out for consultation early in 2024.
Aktive’s connection with Mayor Brown began
when he was on the campaign trail last year.
Some of you will recall him joining us for the
Mayoral Candidate Conversation event that we
hosted at AUT Millennium. At this event, we saw
his personal interest in community sport and
recreation.
Over the past six months, Aktive has been
working closely with his office, Councillor
Richard Hills and Councillor Angela Dalton to
develop a plan that can help us address the
capital funding challenges which are impacting
community sport and recreation facilities across
Auckland. We are thrilled that this engagement
and advocacy has resulted in some critical
detail, to the tune of $35 million, featuring in
the Mayor’s Long-term Plan Proposal and we
are looking forward to mobilising community
and sector support via the public consultation
process to reinforce the support that exists for
this significant financial step change.
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Message from the CE
Continuing to look towards the future, this
edition of InterAktive includes an update on
the refresh of Aktive’s Long-term Strategic
Framework 2020-2040, and the development
of a new four-year Strategic Plan (2024 –
2028). This involves discussions on critical
topics such as climate change, technology,
infrastructure and social cohesion. We are
energised by how this work is coming together
and are grateful to the range of stakeholders
who have contributed their thinking,
perspectives and expertise – thank you.
When we unveil this refreshed Strategy next
year, you’ll also see a more prominent focus on
spaces and places. We know that a shortage of
sport and recreation facilities, particularly indoor
courts, is impacting the ability for young people
to be active and, as a result, for codes to grow.
Considered planning, innovative design and
collaborative funding models are key to enable
easy-to-access, well utilised and future-proofed
sport facilities for our sector and the community.
This edition of InterAktive provides an update
on a number of key interventions connected to
our spaces and places mahi, specifically: the
Regional Funders’ Forum; the Tāmaki Makaurau
Sport and Recreation Facility Priority Plan;
and Auckland Council’s Sport and Recreation
Facility Investment Fund. You can read about
these here.
The progress you’ll read about in InterAktive
wouldn’t be possible without the long standing
support we receive from valued strategic
funders who continue to support Tāmaki
Makaurau and Aktive’s approach, notably Sport
New Zealand, Auckland Council, Foundation
North and NZCT. We also acknowledge the
ongoing support of our Programme Partners
Water Safety New Zealand and the Four Winds
Foundation; and the unique partnership Aktive,
CLM Community Sport, Harbour Sport, Sport
Auckland and Sport Waitākere have with One
New Zealand to recognise and support our
volunteers.
To all our funders and partners, ngā mihi
nui - we are hugely grateful for your ongoing
support which enables us to continue to make
a positive difference working with communities
and organisations across the region, and we
look forward to these partnerships going from
strength to strength in 2024.
While there is a lot going on in these final days
of 2023, I hope there is some time for everyone
to reflect on the significant progress made
throughout the year which provides a strong
and exciting platform to build on in 2024 and
beyond. The individual and collective efforts of
the sport and physical activity sector across the
region is making a difference, and this difference
is something for everyone to feel proud of. The
team at Aktive looks forward to continuing to
support you and to working together in 2024,
with the aim of making Auckland the world’s
most active city.
Meri Kirihimete – and the very best of wishes
for a safe and relaxing break over the festive
season.
JENNAH WOOTTEN
Chief Executive
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Your Voice
Mayor Wayne Brown
Many of us enjoy our range
of parks, open spaces, and
community sports facilities.
I played rugby at Te Papapa,
and I recognise that the
facilities still look largely the same now as
they did then. This is despite a change in
what these fields are used for since my time
using them, and despite the best work of our
volunteer clubs around the region.
I have heard from Aktive as well as our
communities that we have a major infrastructure
deficit in our sports facilities, particularly indoor
ones. This is something that needs addressing,
but Auckland Council can’t do it all ourselves. We
also can’t risk scattering our funding around so
thinly that it doesn’t do anything much at all.
At the moment, the council is working through its
‘Long-term Plan’, or what’s more simply described
as the 10-year Budget for 2024–34. There’s a lot
of competition for cash, with big bills coming in for
things such as the City Rail Link, the fix-up from
the floods, as well as other things like the Central
Interceptor and fighting the spread of exotic
Caulerpa in the Hauraki Gulf. This means we need
to leverage other sources of funding, signal areas
of priority, and assist in aggregation.
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Your Voice: Mayor Wayne Brown
In my proposal for the 10-year Budget,
which is going out for consultation at the
end of February 2024, I propose:
• An increase of $35 million and refinement of the
criteria of the Sport and Recreation Facilities
Investment Fund, so that a large proportion
(say 70%) is no longer contestable, utilising the
independent Single Facilities Priority Plan that
Aktive has commissioned to inform decisions on
where capital investment should be placed
• Assist in leveraging different funding options
available from external organisations for priority
projects. This can include providing seed
funding or supporting the aggregation of funding
from sources for priority projects
• Pursue, as a matter of priority, working with
the Ministry of Education and local schools to
find better opportunities to share sport and
recreation assets
• Look at developing a regional sports and
recreation facilities network investment plan that
looks across all local board areas to prioritise
investment.
I believe this would see us able to deliver the
priority facilities our communities need, rather than
the status quo, which is seeing many of them stall
or not eventuate at all.
This will all be going out for consultation at
the end of February 2024. I encourage you
to have your say at https://ourauckland.
aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/. I know Aktive has
some great, creative thinking to help the sport and
recreation sector engage with this process which
I’m looking forward to seeing come to life.
All the best for the holiday break
Mayor Wayne Brown
Mayor.Wayne.Brown@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
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Game Plan AKL launches to empower
young people through sport and recreation
Rosmini College basketballers with Game Plan AKL Ambassadors Deputy
Mayor of Auckland Desley Simpson and Dame Valerie Adams DNZM OLY
A new initiative Game Plan AKL will give
select young people living in Auckland the
opportunity to engage in sport and recreation.
Launched on 9 November, the initiative is led
by Aktive but made possible with support
from generous donors.
Game Plan AKL aims to break down barriers and
enable 100 Year 9 students from 10 selected
schools/kura across Auckland to take part in sport
and recreation activities of their choice. Each young
person will receive up to $1,000 per year for five
years, allowing them to pursue their passion and
give them access to sport and recreation previously
not possible.
Aktive Chief Executive Jennah Wootten says
the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis
in Auckland has seen many families sacrifice
participation in sport and recreation for more
immediate priorities, like putting food on the table,
paying rent, or staying warm.
“Evidence tells us that cost is one of the greatest
barriers to access sport and recreation for young
people in Auckland. Game Plan AKL aims to
tackle this challenge, so less young people are
missing out on the benefits of being involved in
physical activity.
“We want young people to have the opportunity to
choose what they want to do – it might be playing
hockey, hip-hop dancing, or having a 12-month
membership at a nearby gym. We don’t mind
what they choose, but we do care that they are
supported, included, and given every chance
possible to succeed,” says Ms Wootten.
Championing the initiative are some of Aotearoa’s
greatest sportspeople and personalities: Dame
Valerie Adams DNZM OLY, Keven Mealamu
MNZM, Ruben Wiki ONZM, and Laura McGoldrick.
Auckland’s Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson is also
lending her support to this worthy cause.
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Game Plan AKL launches to empower young people through sport and recreation
Dave Stewart, General Manager Active Communities, Auckland Council;
Angela Gattung, Game Plan AKL Foundation Donor; Councillor Angela Dalton
Event MC Jenny-May Clarkson with Game Plan AKL Ambassadors
Ruben Wiki ONZM and Keven Mealamu MNZM
Mike Knell, NZCT CEO; Peter Miskimmin, NZCT Trustee; Jim Ellis,
General Manager Play, Active Recreation and Sport, Sport NZ;
Ben Hodges, National Grants Manager, NZCT
“I am proud to be a part of this initiative. Physical
activity has so many benefits including building
confidence and creating lifelong habits. An
active Auckland is a healthy thriving Auckland.
Participating in a sport shouldn’t be financially
prohibitive so taking the pressure away from their
families and giving these young people the ability
to continue keeping active throughout their high
school years can only have positive outcomes,”
says Deputy Mayor Simpson.
“We believe in the power of giving and making a
difference in the lives of young people. We know
the health and wellbeing benefits that come from
being active regularly. It doesn’t just help young
Aucklanders; it also helps their family, friends, and
the wider community,” says Ambassador Dame
Valerie Adams.
Game Plan AKL is made possible through
the generous support of donors, with Aktive
responsible for the fund and covering all operational
costs. With $500,000 already secured to support
the first cohort of 100 young people who will
commence their five year opportunity in 2024,
Aktive is now calling on the giving Kiwi spirit for
continued donations to support the next cohort of
100 young people. By growing the donor family,
Game Plan AKL can extend its impactful reach.
“We are incredibly grateful to the generous donors
who have helped to make this vision a reality.
Together, we will make a lasting impact on the lives
of Auckland’s young people through the power of
sport and recreation,” says Ms Wootten.
See what the Game Plan AKL Ambassadors
have to say here and to find out more visit
www.gameplanakl.org.nz or email
gameplanakl@aktive.org.nz
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Tāmaki Makaurau Sport and
Recreation Facility Funders’ Forum
Aktive is proud to have taken on the role of
facilitating the Tāmaki Makaurau Sport and
Recreation Facility Funders’ Forum.
A recent Forum meeting was attended by Sport
New Zealand, Auckland Council, Foundation North,
The Trusts, Department of Internal Affairs, the Lion
Foundation, NZCT, the Four Winds Foundation,
Wiri Licensing Trust and Grassroots Trust, who
all make significant funding contributions to
community sport and recreation facilities.
The focus of the Funders’ Forum is to optimise
the available investment into community sport
and recreation facilities in Tāmaki Makaurau and
improve alignment of investment into priority
facilities. It enables funding organisations to
understand the cost of each known capital project,
their regional context and which other funding
organisations are funding what projects. The Forum
also provides an opportunity for information sharing
amongst the sector funders, with each organisation
retaining autonomy over their own processes for
funding decisions.
The Forum will reconvene in early February
2024 where a list of known and funded regional
community sport and recreation projects will
be discussed.
If you’re a sector funder and wish to join this
Forum, please contact Spaces and Places
Manager Simon Tattersfield. We’d love to
have you onboard.
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Tāmaki Makaurau Sport and
Recreation Facility Priority Plan
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is struggling
to effectively deliver community sport and
recreation facilities to cater for our growing
population and, in some cases, the lack of
facilities is constraining codes from growing.
The reasons are complex and include some
projects receiving partial funding and project
delays driving cost blow outs.
The purpose of developing the Tāmaki Makaurau
Sport and Recreation Facility Priority Plan is to
identify all current and planned regional and local
sport and recreation facility projects across Tāmaki
Makaurau and from this, develop robust criteria
to generate an ordered list of priority projects and
create a pipeline list of the identified priority projects
over two timeframes: 1-3 years and 4-6 years.
The Plan will also consider how each of the
priority projects is to be delivered within the
current funding landscape.
A Request for Proposal to deliver the Tāmaki
Makaurau Sport and Recreation Facility
Priority Plan was put out to market in August
2023. As a result, Visitor Solutions will be
supporting the development of the Plan, with work
already underway and the Plan delivered by
April 2024.
Here to Help
For more information, reach out to:
Simon Tattersfield
Spaces and Places Manager
027 229 8850
simon.tattersfield@aktive.org.nz
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Auckland Council’s Sport and
Recreation Facility Investment Fund
Auckland Council’s Sport and Recreation
Facility Investment Fund is open until 29
January 2024. Sports organisations across
Tāmaki Makaurau wanting to develop their
own facilities can apply to this Fund for
financial support. This can be used help fund
a feasibility study, business case and concept
design, cover design and consent costs or
contribute to construction costs.
$13.6 million has been allocated for the 2024/25
funding round, with guidelines setting out eligibility
and funding priorities available here.
The Aktive team is available to help you with this
application process so if you have something in
mind, get in touch with us early so we can support
you along the way.
Here to Help
For more information, reach out to:
Simon Tattersfield
Spaces and Places Manager
027 229 8850
simon.tattersfield@aktive.org.nz
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Get Aktive Auckland – a strategic refresh
Aktive’s Board is embarking on the refresh
of Aktive’s Long-term Strategic Framework
2020-2040, and the development of a new
four-year Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028.
This is an exciting opportunity to retest and reset
our strategic priorities, to ensure we are well
placed to achieve our vison.
Auckland is already the country’s most ethnically
and culturally diverse region, comprising more
than 100 ethnicities speaking more than 150
languages. Thirty-nine percent of its residents
were born overseas. It also hosts the world’s
largest Māori and Polynesian populations and
represents the greatest concentration of Asian
peoples of any New Zealand region.
This demonstrates the importance of
understanding our region’s growing and extremely
diverse population, as well as other aspects to
inform this process.
A key input to this strategic refresh process has
been undertaking a strategic foresight process,
led by Dave Adams, Head of Government
Relations & Strategic Foresight, Sport New
Zealand. This saw three workshops held across
Te Manukanuka o Hoturoa Marae, AUT Millennium
and Kolmar Leisure Centre, involving Auckland’s
sport and physical activity community. Thank
you to the over 100 leaders, representing play,
recreation, sport, disability and education
organisations, who attended these workshops.
Together we looked at critical topics such as
climate change, technology, environmental
sustainability, infrastructure and social cohesion.
Te Kura Kaupapa Māori
• Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Māngere
• Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Puau Moana nui a Kiwa
Primary Schools (Healthy Active Learning)
• Henderson North School
• Nga Iwi School
• Parakai School
Secondary Schools
• Selwyn College
• St Dominic’s College
Disability Special Schools
• Wilson Home
• Rosehill School
This engagement was invaluable and
complements what research currently shows and
what we know many of our young people enjoy.
Aktive’s strategic refresh process set down to
be completed by April 2024. We look forward to
sharing more with you in due course.
Further input to the strategic refresh process has
been via a consultation process with tamariki
and rangatahi, which was undertaken within
the following school and Kura Kaupapa Māori
settings. Aktive’s strategy has young people at its
heart, so it was very appropriate that we heard
direct from young people about what they liked,
disliked and hoped to see into the future.
Here to Help
For further details, please contact:
Debbie Curgenven
General Manager Strategy, Investment and Environments
021 243 0082
debbie.curgeven@aktive.org.nz
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Celebrating Tāmaki Makaurau
sport and recreation volunteers
Volunteers are the heart
of community sport and
recreation, and we are
fortunate there are 300,000
plus volunteers generously
giving their time, knowledge
and skills each year.
To celebrate these
volunteers, One New
Zealand, Aktive, CLM
Community Sport, Harbour
Sport, Sport Auckland and
Sport Waitākere are working
together on a special
partnership. It has three
components:
• A Volunteer of the Month
programme with volunteers
in each part of Auckland
recognised for their contribution
to community sport and
recreation;
• An annual ‘Faces of Sport
and Recreation in Auckland’
campaign, acknowledging
those who make community
sport possible and;
• Regional events for selected
volunteers to be celebrated for
their outstanding efforts.
Thanks to One NZ, we recently recognised a group
of outstanding volunteers by hosting them in Home
Base, Go Media Stadium Mt Smart at a One New
Zealand Warriors game.
Prior to Christmas, 160 volunteers across
Auckland are also being recognised with a digital
acknowledgement from One New Zealand and their
Regional Sports Trust. In this acknowledgement,
the 160 volunteers are receiving an Event Cinema
voucher so they can enjoy a well-deserved break at
a time and location convenient to them.
You can read about Auckland’s awesome
sport and recreation volunteers here
and hopefully get inspired to take your own dive
into volunteering! And our huge thanks to One NZ
for helping Aktive, CLM Community Sport,
Harbour Sport, Sport Auckland and Sport
Waitākere shine a light on the invaluable support
these volunteers provide which ultimately makes
community sport and recreation possible in
Tāmaki Makaurau.
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Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa
Aktive, CLM Community Sport, Harbour
Sport, Sport Auckland and Sport Waiākere
are proud to be managing Tū Manawa
Active Aotearoa on behalf of Sport New
Zealand in Tāmaki Makaurau.
Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa provides funding
for projects or programmes to support tamariki,
rangatahi and young women (aged 19 to 24
years) to participate in sport, active recreation
and play opportunities in Tāmaki Makaurau.
2023/24 Funding Rounds
For Round One 2023/24 of the Local and
Regional Funds, Aktive, CLM Community
Sport, Harbour Sport, Sport Auckland and
Sport Waitākere approved $1,615,451 of
funding for 48 organisations. This funding is
expected to support a considerable number of
tamariki, rangatahi and young women.
Round Two 2023/24 for both the Local and
Regional Funds opens for Aktive (regional),
CLM Community Sport (South), Sport Auckland
(Central/East) and Sport Waitākere (West) on
Monday 29 January 2024 and closes Monday
12 March 2024.
Fast Fund applications for under $10,000
close for the summer holiday period for CLM
Community Sport and Sport Auckland
on Friday 8 December 2023 until Wednesday
10 January 2024. Fast Funds for Harbour
Sport and Sport Waitākere have been
exhausted for 2023/24.
Keep an eye here for all the details
Understand the fund and the ‘need’
Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa is a fully
contestable fund with an independent
advisory group making decisions on
funding applications over $10,000.
Click here to view advisory group
members for 2023/24
If your organisation is thinking about applying,
we suggest reaching out to us so we can
help you consider whether your project/
programme would fit the Tū Manawa Active
Aotearoa criteria and how you can best
create an application.
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Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa
A key component of the Tū Manawa Active
Aotearoa application is understanding need:
Question 24 of the application form asks: How
do you know this project or programme is
needed? (i.e., who have you spoken to? What
evidence or insights do you have?) What barriers
to participation are you trying to overcome?
The evidence or information you provide here
should show that the project or programme
you want to deliver is needed and wanted by
your expected participants. It shows that what
you are offering is going to support and break
down a barrier for your expected participants to
participate in sport, active recreation or play.
Some questions to consider here:
• Is this activity something tamariki and/or
rangatahi have said they want?
• How did you capture this feedback?
• What surveys or information do you have
that show this initiative is needed or wanted
from a participant point of view?
• Why are your participants less active, and
how will this activity increase their
participation?
• Who else have you spoken to, for example
parents/whānau/teachers/other organisations?
• Were tamariki/rangatahi consulted about/
engaged in the design and planning?
Evidence to support responses to these
questions could include:
• Pictures drawn by the tamariki/rangatahi of
what they want to do
• Evidence communicated via videos, photos,
or surveys
• Opinions and experience from trusted
organisations that may already be working
with the young people your organisation is
trying to reach
• Videos of tamariki being asked questions and
using a show of hands to communicate their
preferences.
There is also an opportunity in the application
(question 33) to upload any of the evidence you
have collected to show the project is needed.
For further support on how to collect
evidence of need and what it might look
like for your organisation, reach out to us
at funding@aktive.org.nz
Alternatively, check out the insights/
research section on our resource hub
here This could help to inform the thinking
around your application.
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Active As – improving rangatahi wellbeing
Active As, a new project between regional
agencies and Sport NZ, supports secondary
schools and wharekura to provide quality
recreation and sport opportunities. It will see
40 secondary schools and wharekura across
Aotearoa supported to design and implement
their own physical activity initiatives through
to December 2026.
The aims of Active As are to:
• enhance the wellbeing of rangatahi through
physical activity;
• increase the physical activity levels of rangatahi,
particularly those who are less active and;
• demonstrate the value of physical activity to
educational priorities.
Many of us understand the importance of this:
• physical activity has a positive impact on
the physical and mental wellbeing of
rangatahi;
• active rangatahi are more engaged in learning
and achieve better outcomes in and outside of
the classroom;
• research shows that physical activity drops by
46 percent in teenage years and;
• two-thirds of rangatahi would like to be more
active than they currently are.
The success of past and existing initiatives in
schools has highlighted the value of physical
activity to education.
In Auckland, Aktive is thrilled to have six schools
taking part in the national pilot of Active As. These
schools are gathering their insights, focused on the
needs of their rangatahi and coming up with some
amazing ways to support their physical activity
levels– from whole school physical activity days
with outside providers to lunchtime activities like
bowls, futsul, handball and gutterball. In some of
these schools, areas that were previously unused
as now filling up with students playing games.
Active As will align to and further complement wider
Sport NZ programmes and initiatives supporting
schools and kura. We look forward to providing
updates as the project rolls out.
Here to Help
For further details, please contact:
Daniel Mitchell
Manager, Play, Recreation and Education
021 864 848
daniel.mitchell@aktive.org.nz
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Active Recreation – what is it and
what does it look like?
We hear a lot about active recreation, but
do we understand what it means and what it
looks like, particularly for our young people?
Active recreation is non-competitive physical
activity for the purpose of wellbeing and
enjoyment. This includes activities like walking,
swimming, cycling, equipment-based exercise,
running and yoga which can occur independently
or with the involvement of a ‘provider’ group or
organisation.
Aktive and our partners, CLM Community Sport,
Harbour Sport, Sport Auckland and Sport
Waitākere are committed to providing resources
and funding to help provide quality active
recreation opportunities that are accessible, in
order to meet the diverse needs of rangatahi in
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Pivotal to this is
working with young people in a mana enhancing
way to support them being active in the ways they
want to be active.
Highlighting strong collaboration, recently Active
Recreation Leads in CLM Community Sport and
Sport Waitākere worked with local schools to
identify a group of female rangatahi with similar
needs across Tāmaki Makaurau. While these
young people have disengaged in physical activity,
they have indicated they want to reengage and
gain confidence.
Connecting with Youthtown thanks to accessing
Aktive’s Regional Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa
funding, this group of young people are now
participating in Her Move, a programme to
support female rangatahi to gain confidence.
Understanding what activities this group want to
try, putting in place solid evaluation channels and
checking in with the young people along the way
are making this an interesting and valuable journey.
Kelly McCann, Rangatahi Advisor (Active
Recreation), Sport Waitākere shares her views:
“Active recreation initiatives, such as Youthtown’s
Her Move programme, provide our rangatahi
with opportunities to engage with movement
opportunities not typically seen in the secondary
school space. Traditional school sport isn’t for
everyone, so holding space for our girls to reignite
enjoyment in physical activity is invaluable to
creating lifelong healthy habits.”
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Active Recreation – what is it and what does it look like?
Kelly adds: “The Her Move programme is full
of mana enhancing activities that create new
friendships, increase self-confidence, and provide
a safe space to just ‘have a go’ at something
new. We have heard amazing feedback from both
of our West Auckland schools who have been
lucky enough to roll the programme out this year
– including huge shifts in confidence and school
sport involvement! We are super excited to see
what happens next in this space.”
You can check out what some of the
rangatahi are saying here:
• “I feel great to be around the girls so we can
participate in activities together.”
• “Some things that I am not good at or prefer not
to do are running, jumping, fitness just in general
moving. I aim to achieve participating in
games instead of just watching and being
on standby.”
• “I like sports but if it’s a sport I don’t know
then I won’t do it because most of the time
I don’t know how to play.”
• “I want to have fun with others who I don’t
know and make new friends.”
Here to help
For further details, please contact:
Daniel Mitchell
Manager, Play, Recreation and Education
021 864 848
daniel.mitchell@aktive.org.nz
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Play is Everywhere!
Play Week Aotearoa 2023 promoted the
importance of play for everyone – tamariki,
whānau and communities – across Aotearoa
New Zealand. Play can positively influence
a young person’s resilience and wellbeing.
It’s not only fun; it helps with learning and
development.
During Play Week, parents, caregivers and
whānau were encouraged to take time to
connect with their children through play.
Check out play in action across Tāmaki
Makaurau during Play Week Aotearoa 2023
from our partners CLM Community Sport,
Harbour Sport, Sport Auckland and Sport
Waitākere. And if you haven’t already seen
our play resources, you can do so here.
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Understanding others through
lived experiences
Earlier this year, Aktive
released a qualitative study and
empathy tools, following work
with Innovation Unit to better
understand the lived experience
of our target groups, in particular:
Girls (11–18 years) of Māori,
Chinese, Indian and Pasifika
ethnicities.
Through the research process,
Innovation Unit noted the importance
of two other groups: influential boys
(such as older brothers or classmates)
and non-binary people, particularly
non-binary takatāpui. Reflecting on
this, two extra personas were added,
resulting in a total of six personas
created.
Alongside these personas, key
insights included:
• Relationships are vital: strong and positive
relationships with family and friends are one of the
biggest motivating factors for girls to get active
and stay active
• Potential for change at school: the current
curriculum and mainstream school structures are
not working for all, and it is important to create
more available pathways for more students to
access the option to be active. Change can
be seen as challenging, but genuine inclusive
practices are necessary to be responsive to
diverse needs.
• Addressing gender equity: addressing gender
and sexuality needs has never been more
important. Schools need to realise that some
practices are no longer applicable, and change is
necessary to create more inclusive spaces, and
opportunities for all young people
• Different sizes require different shoes: too often
the one-size fits all model doesn’t cater to the
needs of individuals and can cause stress,
alienation, isolation, and depression. The
opportunity to be active, whatever form that may
take, should not come at the expense of feeling
embarrassed, unwelcome, or inadequate
• Racism is real: it’s uncomfortable for some, but
it is also the lived experience of almost every
single participant whom we engaged with during
this process. Deepening our understanding of
microaggressions and unconscious bias can aid
in changing the way we create space for young
people
• Recognition of mental health: mental health has
always been a silent player in the room, and after
multiple lockdowns and the ongoing effects of
COVID-19, the need to address the mental health
crisis for young people has never been more urgent.
This research encourages the sport and
physical activity sector to continue professional
development efforts that help engagement
with different communities, including education
opportunities around Te Tiriti, challenging
unconscious bias and intentionally creating diverse
workforces.
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Understanding others through lived experiences
It also highlights the importance of empathybased
engagements and encourages creating
opportunities for disengaged rangatahi to
participate through acknowledging the many
reasons they may be disengaged.
For more information on these empathy
tools, insights and recommendations, please
see the Lived Experiences Personas 2023
resource in the Insights section (under Aktive
Research) of our Resource Hub
Accessing the resource hub
All these resources and more can be accessed
through the Aktive Resource Hub here – it’s
free to sign up and is updated regularly with
different tools. If there is something specific
you’d like to see covered please email
enquiries@aktive.org.nz
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Iwi of Origin 2023 united urban
Māori communities through sport,
activities and kaupapa Māori
Tāmaki Makaurau’s inter iwi waiora festival,
Iwi of Origin, was back recently and stronger
than ever. Held at Bruce Pulman Park, the
two day festival of sports, reo, culture and
more encouraged te iwi Māori living in the
Tāmaki area to get active as a whānau and
join the event.
Aktive was excited to announce the return of
the urban version of pā wars for Māori in Tāmaki
for all ages and abilities. Event Producer Mere
Rangihuna says that Iwi of Origin is an initiative to
promote waioratanga and celebrate both culture
and physical activity in Tāmaki Makaurau among
whānau Māori.
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Iwi of Origin 2023 united urban Māori communities through sport, activities
and kaupapa Māori
“Iwi of Origin was established in 2007 with a
mission to serve a dynamic urban collective of
Māori living in or connected to the Tāmaki area.
Iwi of Origin is a space where Māori can reconnect
with their whānau, marae, hapū, and iwi right here
in the heart of Tāmaki,” says Mere.
The five year vision of Iwi of Origin is to become
the premiere Māori waiora event dedicated to
fostering Māori culture, wellbeing and physical
activity in Tāmaki. The event sets the challenge for
those taking part to rise as rangatira and become
champions for their own waioratanga (health and
wellbeing). It is guided by He Oranga Poutama and
its Te Whetū Rēhua, a framework to help sport
and physical activity providers consider how they
might design or adapt activities to be culturally
responsive to Māori.
“Our vision for Iwi of Origin is clear and we are
hoping that over the years we can achieve this
with our Māori communities across Tāmaki.
Whether you whakapapa to Te Tairāwhiti,
Te Taitokerau, Te Waipounamu or Te Tai Hauāuru
- if you live in or are connected to Tāmaki and
looking for a space to get active with your whānau,
then this kaupapa is for you.” says Mere.
Returning after a four-year hiatus due to
COVID-19, Iwi of Origin 2023 introduced
traditional, ancestral and contemporary sports
into the mix of activities at this year’s event.
The sports included Tāonga Takaro, Kī-o-Rahi,
Basketball, Touch, Netball, Rugby, Rugby
League, Tag, Volleyball, Tennis, Football.
“Pā wars have been incredible for Māori and
we acknowledge the wairua and mahi of our
leaders in this kaupapa. Iwi of Origin is about
enhancing Māori health and wellbeing through
physical activity, and we were excited to bring it
back to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023,” says Aktive’s
Kaihautū Kōtui – Māori Partnership Manager
Manu Pihama.
Snapshot of Iwi of Origin 2023
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InterAktive LIVE 2023
Whiria ngā aho o Tāmaki
Weave together the strands of Tāmaki
With the growing challenges of climate
change and the constant developments in
technology, how does the sport and physical
activity sector keep up to date and
thrive? This was a key question posed at
the recent InterAktive LIVE, an event
designed to encourage collaboration
through sharing insights and experiences.
Held at Go Media Stadium Mount Smart, the
one-day event was delivered by Aktive with
support from Auckland Council and Sport
New Zealand. It brought together more than
100 sport and recreation leaders from across
Tāmaki Makaurau to address shared challenges,
learn about new and innovative approaches,
and be inspired by different thinking.
Jennah Wootten, Chief Executive, Aktive, says
this year’s InterAktive LIVE addressed some big
topics, delving into detail thanks to the knowledge
and expertise of an impressive speaker line up.
“The purpose of InterAktive LIVE 2023 was
twofold: to support the sector’s collective
development and to foster further connection and
collaboration. We know from engagement with
leaders in the sport and physical activity sector
that climate change and technology are two key
topics people are keen to understand further.
InterAktive LIVE was a great opportunity to help
us all learn more in the context of our sector and
explore the ‘so what’ and the ‘now what.’”
Hosted by Olympian and sports presenter
Sarah Cowley Ross, attendees heard from a
range of world-class speakers featuring:
• Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of the Planning,
Environment and Parks Committee, Auckland
Council who discussed rebuilding and upgrading
for the future given the reality of climate
change and emphasised the role of “collective
responsibility”
• Sarah Murray, Chief Executive, Recreation
Aotearoa encouraged attendees to “build
awareness around your impact” and consider
natural resources and the natural environment
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InterAktive LIVE 2023
- Whiria ngā aho o Tāmaki | Weave together the strands of Tāmaki
• Dr Parin Rafiei-Thompson, Head of Climate
Change & Sustainability, Tātaki Auckland
Unlimited explained how sport and recreation
can be used as a platform for discussions on
climate change through eco-friendly decisions
and education
• Sir Ian Taylor, CNZM Founder/Managing Director,
Animation Research spoke about putting
technology in perspective, stating “it’s not always
about technology – it’s often about thinking and
attitude”
• Edmund Bartley, Technology Consultant, Sport
New Zealand talked to the differing appetites and
speeds to adopt technology changes, and
• Jonathan Jansen, CEO, New Zealand Esports
Federation explained the esports approach
which asks, “how do I bend this technology to
overcome its flaws?”
A panel session with Royal Oak Intermediate
students saw tamariki share their thoughts,
speaking on what they want for their future.
Attendees also heard from young Aucklanders on
their views on various topics including:
• Being active click here to view
• Technology click here to view
• Future click here to view
The afternoon focused on change
management and doing things differently,
with attendees hearing from speakers:
• Nick Petrie, researcher, speaker and author on
leadership, resilience and burnout prevention
who tested and talked through the important
differences between pressure and stress, and
rumination and reflection, as well as the benefits
of an ‘opposite world’ outside of work which is
an activity/hobby that is the direct opposite of an
individual’s role or required activities at work and
helps to recharges them
• Iain Laxon, Chief Executive Officer, Auckland
Cricket talked to change examples in their
organisation, notably the introduction of a fourday
working week, recognising the seasonal
element of cricket
• Stefan Pishief, Chief Executive Officer, Sport
Gisborne Tairāwhiti explained the introduction of
wellbeing weeks for their Regional Sports Trust
which has been trialled with positive results.
These thought-provoking sessions were
complemented by an interactive workshop, with
attendees getting the chance to discuss what they
had heard and the impact for them as individuals
and their organisations. The day was rounded off
with 18 One NZ Warriors jerseys being drawn as
spot prizes. These were kindly provided by One NZ
who were also in attendance throughout the day.
Jennah Wootten says: “InterAktive LIVE is a
chance for people in the sport and physical
activity sector to press pause and think about the
future of a more active Tāmaki Makaurau. It was
energising to unplug for the day to enable quality
time to connect and to hear from some thoughtprovoking
speakers that can help to shape our
future strategies and approaches for the benefit of
all Aucklanders but particularly our young people.”
With 90% of attendees indicating they would
attend this event again and 92% making new
connections on the day, we look forward to taking
InterAktive LIVE from strength to strength in the
future.
Click here to reach Nick Petrie’s whitepaper
on reducing stress and rumination
and find out more at Nicholas Petrie |
Leadership Consultant
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