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Tu Manawa funding opens up world of opportunities for disabled young people

A new programme introduced to the Hawke鈥檚 Bay recently is changing the lives of a group of disabled young people and their families.

StarJam kicked off its first programme in the area earlier this year after discussions between Sports Hawke鈥檚 Bay and the disabled community identified a need for more regular and diverse opportunities.

With the help of T奴 Manawa Active Aotearoa funding, the new offering is proving so successful with tutors, parents and young people alike, that Hawke鈥檚 Bay has become one of the fastest growing StarJam regions in the country.

鈥淲e run four workshops a week, with a view to running more. It鈥檚 just taken off in leaps and bounds,鈥� says StarJam volunteer Raewyn Little.

StarJam itself is a not-for-profit New Zealand organisation that seeks to empower disabled young people through music and performance, while also connecting them with their passions, peers and wider community.

Eleven-year-old Fynn Botherway is one of those 鈥淛ammers鈥� 鈥� his Mum Kirsty signed up straight away when she heard it was being set up in her area and says it鈥檚 been life-changing.

Fynn has a duplicated chromosome, which means he struggles with fine motor skills and movement. He鈥檚 also non-verbal. It also means, unlike his older brother, he鈥檚 not had the luxury of things like playdates, sleepovers and after school activities 鈥� until now.

鈥淭his was a really big step for us. It鈥檚 the first time that we鈥檝e had an independent activity for him being a drop-off event, and that鈥檚 a real celebration for our kids because it just doesn鈥檛 happen often.

鈥淔ynn is very excited about going each week, he鈥檚 made independent relationships, he has peers and friends鈥� it鈥檚 not something that we鈥檝e had to build for him, which is epic!鈥�

It鈥檚 also ignited a passion for music and movement at home.

鈥淎t each session they get a minute to do their thing, be it a song or activity, and Fynn chooses the songs or movements he wants to do at home, it鈥檚 fantastic 鈥� StarJam has been a game-changer!鈥� says Kirsty.

StarJam volunteer Raewyn has noticed big changes in Fynn too and talks about how he鈥檚 learned to communicate in other ways.

鈥淔ynn loves to dance, and so he expresses himself through that 鈥� being an all-inclusive place where everybody鈥檚 important, he has the support and acceptance from his peers. It鈥檚 just like a family, a connection of people with the same kind of life challenges.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e only been doing this for almost two terms and it鈥檚 the most rewarding thing I鈥檝e ever done, absolutely, I come away with so much more than I give.鈥�

Sport Hawke鈥檚 Bay community partnership adviser Kate Benny loves that her organisation can support organisations like StarJam and provide incredible opportunities for young people like Fynn.

鈥淭he aim of the T奴 Manawa fund is to reduce barriers for those that are less active, so seeing the impact that the StarJam programme is already having on these young people, and the wider community, is amazing.鈥�