Creating Momentum
The latest addition to the Vector Wero Whitewater Park is a $1.5 million contemporary container village housing like-minded organisations working with young people in the community.
The ‘Momentum Hub’ was officially opened by Prime Minister Bill English in February and is funded by the Secondary Nature Charitable Trust and Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust.
Six local organisations have moved into the village, including the Big Buddy Foundation, John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams, Life Education Trust, The Rising Foundation, iSport Foundation and the Manukau Beautification Trust.
Rent-free office space, including power and internet, is provided to all of the organisations within the Hub.
Second Nature Charitable Trust chief executive Richard Jeffery says the organisations were brought together to foster collaboration within not-for-profit youth development education.
“We wanted an organisational and operational structure that provided more bang for buck. Vector Wero Whitewater Park can collaborate with the organisations with outdoor education activities that support the youth education programmes of the charitable trusts.”
The container village also includes the Rapids Café and Sunset Bar where the community can socialise and cap off a day of activities on the water at the whitewater park.
Life Education Trust Counties Manukau chairperson Paul Cressey was quick to accept the invitation to join the Momentum Hub.
“Many of our funders look for evidence of collaboration in our sector and this is a real way of looking at how to make savings and avoid duplication of resources.
“All trusts involved in the Momentum Hub are passionate about the people of Counties Manukau and we have an amazing opportunity to share knowledge, work together and have more impact in our community. Life Education’s sponsors are excited to be a part of a leading edge initiative and I must commend the trustees of the forward-thinking Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust and the Second Nature Charitable Trust.”
Currently, the six trusts have more than 100,000 points of contact with students, mainly from Counties Manukau, but also extending throughout Auckland.