CLIENT FEEDBACK
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Support From Peers, Students and Media
Peter Jones, Principal, Manurewa High School.
We have found the services of New Foundations Trust invaluable in providing support to families having difficulty with the transition process. With the assistance of the programme we find that the students have a good start to school, stay in school and have good attendance. The New Foundations Trust programmes work well in combination with our own pastoral care, whanau tutor support and other mentoring programmes in the school.There is a real need in our community for such assistance and we feel that the new Foundations Trust programmes have given families and schools the resources to work together for the benefit of the student.
Audrey Kippen, Acting Principal, Waimahia Intermediate School
Waimahia Intermediate has worked with New Foundations Trust for more than 7 years and we have found their services invaluable to the kind of support that we offer our students and their families.Tutors, mentor and leaders from New Foundations Trust have consistently shown commitment and empathy for our children and always make an effort to ensure the programmes and interventions provided are engaging, enriching and affordable for our school and our families. The mentors are great role models of how to cope with challenges and how to persevere in spite of difficulty. They present positive values to our children as well as sensible, simple strategies to support children to cope with the issue they face.The programmes are effective in addressing the specific needs of children exhibiting difficulty building confidence, making friends and adjusting to change in their lives.
Peter JoneKaren McMurray, Principal, and Felicity Oberlin-Brown, Associated Principal, Randwick Park School.s, Principal, Manurewa High School.
“In 2014 New Foundations trust has supported some of our younger boys providing mentors and male role models for them. In many instances these boys do not have a significant older male in their life and having someone take a real interest in them at this stage is regarded by us as setting them up for success in their academic and personal life. In our opinion what they do in our low decile community is vital to our students and we are totally in support of their funding application.”
Lisa Singe, Director, Papakura Activity Centre
“The Papakura Activity Centre is an intervention programme that allows opportunity for students to engage in learning. Many of the students live in tough neighbourhoods and in complex family situations. They are operating in survival mode and are initially resistant to assistance.The New Foundations Trust has been able to provide mentoring services that include close support for student’s families and associated agencies. They are particularly skilled at building relationships and earning the trust of students and families that have suffered disappointment and discouragement in many areas of their lives. New Foundations Trust is committed to delivering a purpose designed service that will promote good outcomes for the clients and their families. This vision flows on to create positive and safe communities.New foundations Trust has assisted students to make significant changes in their life. The Foundation offers opportunities for young people to gain control of their life journeys by encouraging and modelling, resilience, determination, respect and personal responsibility for the choices we make.The New Foundations Trust has developed a programme that encourages independence in the student, self-determination and acceptance of responsibility for their own destiny.”
Shirley Maihi, Principal Finlayson Park School (Year 1 to year 8 school)
I am very pleased to know that the New Foundations Trust is now seeking to expand their services to mentoring our “at risk” students throughout the year within our school. There is an increasing need for good male role models as mentors for many of our students who do not have these in their lives.
"There are a lot of mums out there that need the support from New Foundations Trust. They stopped [my] teenager from drug and alcohol addiction and crime.” - Student’s mother
Student comments from START transition programme
95% said they would recommend START programme to other students because it would help them transition into intermediate/high school.
97% said the START programme gave them the information that has helped them to feel comfortable about going to intermediate/High School.
94% commented they had learnt what respect is and how to put it into practice – respecting myself, teachers and other students.
97% felt well supported by the mentors and feel comfortable asking for help.
94% enjoyed attending the START programme.
Student comments from BRIDGE/MINI BRIDGE programme
I reckon BRIDGE helped me learn respect and make me feel comfortable
I am thankful to be chosen to be in the BRIDGE programme.
BRIDGE is the best programme ever
It has shown and taught me how to control my anger – I am a happy person.
Past Students
“R (male, 13years)
R has advised that he is no longer the victim of bullying anymore, he has learnt through our program and the one to one mentoring that he has gained the skills and confidence to stand up for himself in a non-threatening way. To walk away and report any incidents to the authorities in the school. Before coming on this program he was very shy and identified through NFT assessments that he had very low self- esteem, and had many road-blocks that were keeping him from settling into high school. Because he experienced being bullied in intermediate school, and now in high school he felt fearful, alone, and targeted.R was part of NFT “START” program and graduated from that program, however it was recommended to the high school that he could further benefit from one to one mentoring, because of the low self- esteem and the re-occurring bullying that he had reported to one of our mentors.The outcome for this student has been very positive, he is now part of a community youth group outside of school, he is much more motivated to attend school, and has made new friends from the youth group who attend his school who he has now met, and he has also invited some of his old school friends to the community youth group. I have had positive communication from Students parents about the positive changes they are now seeing from their child around the home and both parents are thankful that their child has more motivation to attend school.” Report from NFT Mentor.
HT – BRIDGE Student in Year 9
Before BRIDGE my life was going nowhere. I had no motivation, very low self-esteem, did not go to school and if attending was always late. My view of going to school was to be cool with her friends.Text in box at side of picture.How BRIDGE helped: It was a big help as it helped me see the potential I have. BRIDGE changed my view of going to school in that it was about getting an education that would lead to a good job.I never thought I would get anywhere but I am now a Year 12 student and on track to pass NCEA level 2 and I plan to come back and finish year 13. I am focusing on my studies as I would like to work in a business as an office worker.
FF Year 12
I did not like meeting people. The programme helped me to build confidence and I am motivated to do my work in class. I am in Year 12 studying NCEA L2 and plan to finish year 13 and study economics at Massey University. It was a great experience.
EP – Yr12
Before the programme my behavior and attendance were not good. BRIDGE helped me to improve my behaviour, to face and overcome my fears and become a stronger person on the inside. I want to do more at school and get an education so I can go far in life, like being a lawyer. I am looking for a suitable course
PN Year 10
I was stood down. I was getting into fights, not listening to teachers. Talking back a lot. After [the NFT programme] I went back to school. I didn’t talk back to teachers and stopped fighting because I didn’t want to get stood down.
NGARU, NOW YEAR 13
“Two years ago I was hardly going to class, always wagging, hanging out with the wrong crowd, bullying. I didn’t like BRIDGE but I felt lost. But I kept going to it because I didn’t have to go to class. They taught me a lot of stuff; why I’min school, heaps of advice, the activities really helped to build my confidence. The school said I was on thin ice, that it was my last chance. BRIDGE pretty much saved me.
I started going to all my classes and hanging around with my rugby mates who didn’t smoke. Changed my friends. If not for BRIDGE I wouldn’t be in school. No qualifications. I would’ve been kicked out, on drugs, smoking, no job. Now I want to complete my level Three NCeA and go to AuT and study sports and recreation and be a personal trainer. It helped me get off the streets. They need to get more people earning qualifications. It will make a big impact especially for South Auckland.”
AMIRIA’S STORY, NOW YEAR 12
“I was hard out on marijuana and drinking but BRIDGE changed me a lot. I gave up drugs and alcohol. I was on it everyday, came to school stoned. I felt much more energy off the drugs.
They helped me stop wagging. I used to hate going to class in Year 10, but I would sit through it so I could go to BRIDGE. Many things helped but it was mainly BRIDGE which helped me go to school.
BRIDGE helps us think about what we really want and what we really need. Warned me about being on the benefit if I don’t change my attitude.”
KIRI’S STORY, NOW AT FUTURE SKILLS TRAINING SCHOOL
“At High School bad stuff became fun, an adrenaline rush. Wagging with my friends and I got good at it. If I didn’t like a class I just walked out, or cursed at them, had a hissy fit. I got stoned at school. everyone thought of me as a tough gangster. I gave a girl a hiding and after that I was expelled and didn’t go to school. Three weeks later I was kicked out of home. I went to CYFS because I had nowhere to go and my Aunty came and got me. At first it was cool but then I said, “I want to go back to school” but I would just go back to my old friends and I don’t want to be like that.
[New Foundations Trust] came to see me, gave me options to choose from. They got me an interview at Future Skills (training school). [I thought this] can get me somewhere. Now I’m doing maths and english, when I finish I can go to music/Audio communication. If not for [NFT], I’d probably be lost and wouldn’t know what to do.”
*names changed to protect privacy
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