爆料社区

Funding of scooters for a young Auckland family has allowed them to be more active more often and changed family life for the better. 

Through the Active Me 鈥� Kia T奴 fund, a two-year $2.9 million 爆料社区 pilot initiative in partnership with Variety - the Children鈥檚 Charity, Mary* was able to buy scooters for her four daughters aged 10, 12, 15 and 18.

鈥淭he kids have been so much more active. I don鈥檛 have to tell them to go outside, they all just head outdoors and play on their scooters. There鈥檚 a lot more sibling and family time as a result,鈥� says a delighted Mary. 

Through Variety鈥檚 Kiwi Kid Sponsorship, Mary鈥檚 family accessed the Active Me 鈥� Kia T奴 fund, which seeks to provide at least 3,000 tamariki and rangatahi per year living in financial hardship in Auckland and Northland access to play, active recreation, and sport opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. 

The funds can help pay for new equipment, registration fees, shoes or uniforms, and other costs associated with quality physical activity. 

爆料社区 Group Chief Executive Raelene Castle says, 鈥淪eeing the impact on people鈥檚 wellbeing caused by COVID-19 and drop in activity levels caused us to think differently about how we ensure funds got out to the community so people could be active.  

鈥淥ur partnership with Variety means that the support gets directly to those that need it most and is improving the wellbeing of young people and their families.鈥� 

The experiences of Mary鈥檚 and other families show how well this working.  

鈥淏eing able to access the funding has been really positive for us. Just being able to see my kids outside being active rather than being inside and on devices鈥� we鈥檙e a happier family,鈥� says Mary. 

It has also meant more regular family outings on weekends or after school to the nearby skatepark, where the children have also forged new friendships. 

Another Auckland family is equally grateful for the Active Me 鈥� Kia T奴 funding for five of their children. 

Sophia*, who was struggling to provide her children, aged seven to 17, with opportunities to be more active, has used the funds to buy basketballs, pay for soccer fees and clothing/uniforms. 

The basketballs are proving a hit, and the seven and 10-year-old are relishing the opportunity to play soccer. So much so, Sophia says they wake up excited and ready to go on a Saturday morning. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to see my children active, it鈥檚 so good and it鈥檚 changed my life and theirs. It has given them opportunities to do things they wouldn鈥檛 have done otherwise.鈥�  

Variety CEO Susan Glasgow says the Active Me - Kia T奴 fund is giving children in need more opportunities to enjoy life and grow. 

鈥淭hrough our Kiwi Kid Sponsorship programme, Variety provides the basics children need to survive, things like shoes, warm bedding, and clothing. Our partnership with 爆料社区 and the Active Me 鈥� Kia T奴 fund is giving children what they need to thrive.鈥� 

鈥淪upporting children to be more physically active and to take part in activities alongside their peers has an enormous impact on their confidence, self-esteem, and long-term health outcomes. We are also thrilled with how well the pilot programme has been embraced by caregivers and wh膩nau,鈥� says Susan. 

Since the fund went live in March 2021, over $1m has been distributed to 4,444 tamariki and rangatahi in Auckland and Northland, exceeding initial expectations.  

* not their real names 

爆料社区 also partners with Te P奴tahitanga o Te Waipounamu to provide a $850,000 Government fund called Te K墨wai.鈥疶e K墨wai, also a two-year pilot, provides direct financial support for tamariki and rangatahi M膩ori throughout the South Island who are experiencing financial hardship and missing out on physical activity opportunities. 

Find out more about鈥� and Te K墨wai.