GET INVOLVED
Home > Get Involved
The Need In Our Community
It has been widely documented – and reported in the media – that there are a high number of youth in the local wider South Auckland area that are viewed as “at risk”. They are vulnerable to truancy, suspensions or exclusions, gang connections, substance abuse, and usually come from high-needs families.
Demand for our programs is increasing as schools and the community see the results we’re getting.
80% of the young people referred to the programs are Maori and research has shown that for each cohort of Maori students that enters Year 9 (the first year of secondary school), approximately 60% will leave school before they reach Year 13 (Ministry of Education, 2009a).
Poor educational results for Maori have been described as a wastage of human potential which affects the nation as a whole, not just Maori alone (Hoani Waititi 1961,cited in Metge, 2001). This has resulted in intergenerational poverty due to lack of educational qualifications, connected to low-paid employment; unemployment; benefit dependence and even crime and imprisonment (Department of Corrections, 2007).Our specialized support can break the intergenerational cycle, reduce truancy, increase student self-identity and respect with improve academic results.
Our involvement helps create stronger connections between schools, families and support groups and sense of unity that encourages struggling young people.
Learn more about the Work
Why We Need Your Funding Support
Every day, we stand as the fence at the top of the cliff, the only thing stopping vulnerable young people from falling into disengagement, isolation, and the kinds of harm that become far harder and far more expensive to repair later.
When a young person is excluded or left at home without support, the slide is fast: attendance drops, confidence disappears, anxiety grows, and the pull of unsafe influences becomes stronger. We catch them before that happens. But our fence can only stretch so far.
With an annual budget of just $195,000, we are doing everything we can — and more — through the generosity of philanthropic trusts and small contributions from schools. Schools want us. They need us. They would pay us more if they could, but their budgets are already stretched to breaking point. It leaves us in a painful cycle: the demand is high, the impact is proven, but the resources simply aren’t enough.
The truth is this: if we don’t show up for these young people, no one else will. And if we cannot grow, the gap widens — leaving more rangatahi to fall through cracks that should never have existed.
To meet the rising need and build a service that can stand strong for years to come, we are seeking to raise an additional $100,000 this year. This will allow us to recruit and train new mentors, strengthen our programmes, and build the human capacity required to keep young people safe, connected, and hopeful.
Your support doesn’t just fund a service it holds up a generation.
So reach out today and make a difference with your generous gift!!
Will you support our cause? Be the change you want to see in the world!
Donations can made to ANZ Account – New Foundations Trust 06 0197 0272711 00
Receipts will be issued for donations exceeding $5.00
We would greatly value your investment in our work.
Postal Address:
New Foundations Trust,
PO Box 203033,
Waiau Pa,
Auckland, 2345
Or fill out the form below: