Special one day youth mentoring conference

Just 20 days to go - places still available - register online now

Tuesday 14 June, 2016 - Ellerslie Event Centre, Auckland 

Quality | Connections | Impact – lifting the effectiveness of Youth Mentoring in Aotearoa New Zealand

Conference registration fee: $195 inclusive GST

Special group discount:  $175 inclusive GST (for each additional person from the same organisation)

Register online now

Our programme features dynamic speakers with illuminating cultural perspectives interspersed with panel discussions and the strong voice of young people throughout the day. 

View the full conference programme

The conference brings together a wide range of people who work with young people - youth workers, educators, mentors, mentor programme providers, government agencies and community workers - to learn about and debate important national issues in the youth development / youth mentoring sector. 

Newly published NZ Youth Mentoring Guide to be showcased at conference

We are looking forward to sharing the newly published 2nd Edition of the Guide to Effective and Safe Practice in Youth Mentoring, Aotearoa New Zealand with you at the conference.

The first edition, published in 2008, was a benchmark document that drew together essential knowledge for New Zealand’s emerging youth mentoring sector.

The 2nd edition has been refreshed and updated with the latest research in effective youth mentoring practice, and the new safety checking and child protection policy guidelines introduced as part of the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014.

Our aim, in producing the 2nd edition is to provide a single Guide for New Zealand that seamlessly promotes safe and effective practice in youth mentoring to help ensure positive outcomes for young people.

Our keynote speakers

In the lead-up to the conference we are profiling our keynote speakers. Today we are delighted to introduce Michael Moka and Murray Edridge. 

Michael Moka, Founder, Indigenous Growth Limited

Michael is the young and engaging founder of Indigenous Growth Limited - a new organisation with a quadruple bottom line - which feeds his passion to empower families like his to get themselves out of the poverty cycle.

Since 2005 he has chosen a specialised path dedicated to this goal. Indigenous Growth takes a culturally diverse approach, building their people from the grassroots level to provide a more diverse and profitable culture for all organisations.

Michael holds a number of governance and advisory roles for Whanau Organisations, Charities, Learning Institutions and Not for Profit organisations

Michael keynote speech is titled: hara taku toa I te toa takitahi - My success is not because of me alone

He will share his story around his experience of being mentored:

- How his mentor played the role of shattering limiting beliefs

- How his mentor was different and the same

- How mentors can play a role that no one in their whanau can

He is hoping to provide some insights on how we can enhance the well being of our youth so they can have the Mana (Power and Authority) to achieve their goals.

Murray Edridge, Deputy Chief Executive, Community Investment at the Ministry of Social Development

In this role Murray oversees the Ministry’s purchasing of social services for vulnerable children, young people and adults, as well as moving the social sector to a results-focused and evidence-based purchasing strategy. He leads programmes of work to strengthen the Ministry’s working relationships with communities, including Māori and Pasifika, and building capability in the social sector generally.

What working for the Ministry means to Murray - "It’s exciting and extremely motivating to be working for the Ministry at a time when there is a strong mandate to change the way we engage with the wider social sector. For me, it’s about working in partnership with our communities and community providers to put the people we are all here for at the centre of everything we do.

Every community has different needs and priorities, so I am committed to working transparently, flexibly, and alongside those who know their communities best, to tangibly improve outcomes for our most vulnerable people.

It’s important to me that everyone has the opportunity to do their best, and I’m honoured to be playing a part in making that happen.”

Murray has a wealth of experience in the community sector, both in a professional and personal capacity. Prior to joining MSD, Murray spent eight years as Chief Executive Officer of Barnardos New Zealand.

He has also held senior positions at Radio New Zealand and the Open Polytechnic, as well as in the electricity and gas distribution and retail sectors.

We look forward to seeing many of you at our special one day conference. 

Please pass this e-newsletter on to others in your community who work with young people and have an interest in mentoring.  

Ngā mihi

Nicki McDonald

General Manager - New Zealand Youth Mentoring Network
PO Box 99726 Newmarket
M: 027 520 2981
P: 09 521 8240
E: nicki@youthmentoring.org.nz