Zeal West has been going off this term, and we’re excited to share a few of the amazing things rangatahi are doing not just at Zeal West, the West Auckland Youth Centre, but all throughout West Auckland. This is just a taster of what’s on at the moment, but should give you a good idea of what amazing opportunities local young people will have coming up in term 3.
Some highlights from our term 2 programmes
Approximately 50 young people enrolled across Hip Hop and Music Lessons. 18 music students have been attending across 3 afternoons every week – this is an increase from 2 days of music previously.
Our Hip Hop programmes are developing well, a highlight being our Open Hip Hop class forming close bonds and wanting to meet up an extra day every week to dance together! They’ve been learning life skills and basic skills, including: holding counts to music; creating movement and choreography and also personal development.
If you’re keen to get involved in the future, head over to our programmes page!
Our Hip Hop programmes are developing well, a highlight being our Open Hip Hop class forming close bonds and wanting to meet up an extra day every week to dance together! They’ve been learning life skills and basic skills, including: holding counts to music; creating movement and choreography and also personal development.
If you’re keen to get involved in the future, head over to our programmes page!
A Gateway field trip, and an event coming up you can’t miss!
We have 19 students with us for Intake 1 of Gateway 2021, across the areas of Event Management, Art Design, and Sound and Tech.
A highlight of Gateway so far has been taking the students on a field trip to see the show “Maui” at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. The students had a chance to see the show, as well as to have a tour backstage to see how all of the elements came together to create an awesome experience. We are super thankful for this opportunity to give students a look into creating an experience before they have a chance to do it themselves!
The Gateway students will be planning, crafting, and facilitating an event for Friday 2nd July, and it is shaping up to be a good night.
Make sure you’re following us on Instagram so you don’t miss out on updates on this!
A highlight of Gateway so far has been taking the students on a field trip to see the show “Maui” at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. The students had a chance to see the show, as well as to have a tour backstage to see how all of the elements came together to create an awesome experience. We are super thankful for this opportunity to give students a look into creating an experience before they have a chance to do it themselves!
The Gateway students will be planning, crafting, and facilitating an event for Friday 2nd July, and it is shaping up to be a good night.
Make sure you’re following us on Instagram so you don’t miss out on updates on this!
Zeal recording studios busier than ever!
Rangatahi from the local community have been using the studios to produce beats and write songs and we have seen an increase in collaboration between rappers, producers and vocalists. One of our youth producers has been in the studio twice a week for the past month writing with some local high school students. It’s exciting to see them planning to release their songs to the world!
If you’re keen to get amongst, find out more over at our West Auckland page.
If you’re keen to get amongst, find out more over at our West Auckland page.
Taking the Zeal experience to local West Auckland schools
We’ve been taking creative programming to local schools, and we couldn’t be more impressed with the leadership, creativity and vulnerability that West Auckland young people are showing in their craft. Here are some highlights:
Avondale Intermediate
The students at Avondale Intermediate have been so welcoming! There is a great team culture there, using hip hop dance as a vehicle of communication, building confidence and a place to belong as a group.
We’ve set up an inclusive and casual space at Henderson Intermediate during lunchtimes to run our in-school dance programmes. There’s an awesome group of young people that changes week to week, and feels welcome to give it a go!
We’ve set up an inclusive and casual space at Henderson Intermediate during lunchtimes to run our in-school dance programmes. There’s an awesome group of young people that changes week to week, and feels welcome to give it a go!
Massey High School
During term 2 we have had an in-school programme with the main focus of “Hip-Hop” at ‘Massey High School’ that we deliver during their class time. At the moment we have been working with 2 year 10 classes and 1 year 11 class on Monday’s and Friday’s. Within these classes the main objective is for the young people to learn basic foundational movement of dance street styles, to then have the ability to use their creativity and leadership for their upcoming assessments. They are tasked to facilitate a group and to make a dance routine for their assessments using what they have learnt.
Middle School West Auckland
We also have been active at Middle School West Auckland for a ‘Hip-Hop in-school programme’. Our goal is to teach a series of dance routines for rangatahi to later perform to their school or for their families. Young people gain confidence about themselves and their ability to dance, but also learn to be vulnerable and to challenge themselves in a creative space like dance.
St Dominic’s College, Middle School and Waitakere College
So far this term we’ve managed to smash out a few hip hop routines at St Dominic’s college, Middle school and Waitakere college. We are currently focusing and developing on one particular set for each school to then perform it in a school showcase. At the start of every program we are still doing our regular check-ins and icebreakers to get everyone comfortable in the space. For the last 2 weeks we have started giving the students responsibility to choreograph and create formations with the set. By this we are hoping to build confidence in each of the students and develop their leadership and teamwork skills.
Did we mention we have a barbershop?
Free haircuts for rangatahi are operating on Thursday and Friday 2 days a week at “Killer Cuts Barbershop”, where our resident barber, programmes tutor and youth-worker, Angelo operates on Thursday and Friday 2 days a week from right here at Zeal West. Angelo is currently teaching a student from West Auckland Middle School how to perform certain haircuts as he has a huge interest in barbering and also cuts his brothers’ hair at home. If you’re keen for a fresh cut, and great chat, find Angelo near the gallery at Zeal West!
