by Josh Vossen l SYW Manager (Hamilton)
Friday, March 23, 2018
February was very much typified by ‘business as usual’ which is actually something worth recognising and celebrating. I sat down with Zeal’s CEO last week and explained how amazing it is to have a team of volunteers who show up week after week and create an authentic sense of belonging on the streets. ‘Business as usual’ is not all that exciting, but it communicates to me a sustainability and maturity at the core of our project which promises an exciting future!
Our Saturday environment is about to change! The Night Markets have officially closed down while repairs are made to K-mart, so we’re anticipating a different atmosphere on the street. We’re feeling positive as a team that the space we’ve established will continue to be effective, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to branch out into the wider city more as we assess the needs of other communities and prepare for an expansion of SYW in 2019.
The wheels are continuing to turn on some of the projects I mentioned last month. The Zeal team is working hard on developing our referral pamphlet, and we’re wrestling with and planning how we measure success and impact on the ground. For example, what does an historic Zeal model like the ‘Circle of Courage’ look like on the street?
We’ve had an influx of applications to volunteer as tertiary institutions get up and running, so I’ve been working through our processes with those individuals. It’s always fascinating getting to know these new faces and seeing how we can empower them with experiences or connections for their future. We’ll be inducting a bunch at our Monthly Hui on the 7th April so come along and build the whānau vibes with us!
Tom and some of our current and former Praxis students are going to be leading some of our youth work training at our monthly Hui’s. I’m really excited about drawing on their expertise which will help us all to develop more as youth workers.
That’s all from me; thank you for playing your part in our team and network; have a great break over Easter!
Key Dates
Saturday 24th March – Night Glow
Saturday 31st March – HOLIDAY
Saturday 7th April – Monthly Hui
