Manurewa rangatahi have been awarded youth grants to pursue further education, take part in sports events or attend leadership courses.
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata says a total of $23,161 was awarded to 16 individuals
“Early in September we met with youth representatives at a session on local government, and those there challenged us to work more effectively with our young people,” he explains.
“Our Rangatahi Youth Grants are one way we are seeking to do that, and while all of the grants are for $2,000 or less, it’s still a life-changing amount of money if it is the difference between being able to go on to further study or having to abandon your dreams.”
He says a third of the young people being supported cited the cost of getting to university in the city as a barrier.
“When I first became involved with these grants, most of the applicants were seeking laptops, so to see that the cost of going to the city is potentially stopping some of our young people from pursuing their dreams, is a little bit heart-breaking,” he adds.
“We are also increasingly seeing applicants seeking help with accommodation costs. Halls of residence aren’t cheap, and many of our young people are having to travel because the cost of moving to university hostels and the like is simply beyond them.”
He says the board is committed to the programme and will offer it again despite budget restraints.
“If it helps our rangatahi follow their dreams and allows some of them to become doctors, nurses, architects, to go into trades training or to represent us at national sporting events that would otherwise be out of reach, that’s money well spent.”
Five of the grants made relate to sporting endeavours, two around softball, two allowing the applicants to take part in the New Zealand men’s netball high performance programme, and one covering the cost of attendance at the National School Mountain Bike Championships.
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