Over the past month, our Pōneke kaiwhakamana team – Beth and Jordyn – have been out and about in Lower Hutt and Porirua, connecting with rangatahi to hear their thoughts on the events they want to see in their community.

The journey kicked off with a ‘Big Plans’ drop-in tūhono, where 11 rangatahi shared their creative ideas and crafted personal plans and dream maps. These dream maps covered all sorts of inspiring themes, like nature, fashion, all about me, and the future.

But it wasn’t all about planning – the event also brought plenty of fun! From table tennis to skittles, rangatahi showed off their competitive sides while forming new friendships and reconnecting with old ones. One rangatahi told us their favorite part was “catching up with friends I haven’t seen in ages,” while another loved the chance to get crafty.

The drop-in was a space for rangatahi to connect, create, and share their voices. And the Pōneke team isn’t stopping there! Plans are underway for monthly tūhono in the Wellington region, inspired by the ideas gathered from this event.

Keep an eye on our socials for details – we’d love to see you there!