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The Y Takes 18 Young Leaders on an Unforgettable Summer Camp Adventure

In December, 18 of our incredible young people kicked off their summer with an action-packed Leadership Development Camp at the beautiful Ranui Farm Park. Set against the backdrop of rolling hills and sunshine, this three-day adventure was all about fun, friendship, and building leadership skills that last a lifetime.The camp was part of our ongoing commitment to youth development—giving rangatahi the chance to step outside their comfort zones, grow their confidence, and try new things in a su...

Rolling Into Fun: The Y Ki Waho Play Trailer Brings Play to the People

Since its launch , the Y Ki Waho Play Trailer has been hitting the road and turning everyday parks into pop-up play havens for tamariki across Hawke’s Bay. With over 1,000 participants already engaged. This mobile play service is proving to be more than just fun and games; it's a way of bringing communities together and creating spaces for joy, connection, and discovery.Designed especially for 6–10-year-olds, the Play Trailer is packed with games, activities, and all the gear needed to get k...

Reflecting, Growing, and Looking Ahead: A Big Year for YMCA Hawke’s Bay

2023–24 has been a transformative year for YMCA Hawke’s Bay—one filled with connection, learning, and the courage to pivot when needed. While challenges like Cyclone Gabrielle and ongoing funding pressures have tested us, we’re proud of the resilience shown by our staff, volunteers, board, and wider community. Here's a look at some key highlights and milestones.Strengthening National ConnectionsThis year we’ve had the chance to connect more intentionally with YMCA Presidents across Aot...

Rangatahi turning Cyclone Gabrielle-destroyed power pole into pou

Hawke's Bay youth are turning a power pole broken during Cyclone Gabrielle into a pair of pou, under the guidance of a local carving master.Lines company Unison donated the pole it to the YMCA so rangatahi could learn to carve and create something special to stand tall outside their Hastings building.On a hot December day - which would be the first of many - five rangatahi with chisels in hand chipped away to turn bland, grey wood into something beautiful, guided by carver Henare Norris."We've b...

New logo, same cause

For years we’ve been referring to ourselves as ‘the Y’. Not just because it’s shorter to say but because it’s more inclusive. And inclusivity, equality and diversity are what we’re all about. As the oldest and largest youth organisation in the world, times have changed since the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded. We stand behind all people regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexuality. Everyone should feel welcome and supported at the Y. When it comes to our cause,...

Raise Up – developing the leaders of tomorrow

We’re excited that Raise Up in Hawke’s Bay is getting closer! Vanessa Gillespie will be our Raise Up Coordinator and went to Auckland early June for training and observed the Auckland Raise Up crews in action. She's now excited to start the recruitment process to create our very own crew! Young people aged between 13 to 18 are brought together in Raise Up crews of up to 20, to plan and run events and workshops for other young people. The events have a strong community focus and accommod...

Vanessa (Ness) Gillespie: Adventure and adrenaline fuelled!

Kia Ora e te whānauKo Tukituki te awaKo Takitimu te wakaKo Kauhehei te maungaKo Ngāti Kahungunu te iwiKo Ngai-te-whatu-i-apiti te hapuKo Pukehou te maraeKo Vanessa Gillespie toku ingoa(most people call me Ness and I’m cool with that!)No Ahuriri ahau I acknowledge my ancestors of tāngata Māori, and I endeavour to learn more about my whakapapa, but I have grown up in te ao pakeha. We all have a story, so no matter how you come, you are welcome to share space with me. We can all journey ...

Stacey Tito: Boomeranging back to the Y

Kia Ora KoutouKo Tāwhirirangi rāua ko Hiko O Te Rangi nga MaungaKo Mōhaka rāua ko Wairua nga AwaKo Takitimu rāua ko Ngātokimatawhaorua nga WakaKo Korokota rāua ko Waipapa-a-iwi Mōhaka rāua ko Pōtahi nga MaraeKo Ngāti Pāhauwera rāua Te Parawhau rāua Ngatiwhatua nga HapuKo Ngāti Kahungunu rāua Te Aupōuri rāua Ngāpuhi nga IwiKo Rayne rāua ko Riki oku ngakauNo Pā harakeke ahauKo Stacey Tito toku ingoa I am a Mum to my two handsome boys Rayne and Riki, and an Aunty to my many ni...

Y – have a go! First-time experiences for tamariki

Thanks to Sport Hawke’s Bay and the Tu Manawa funding we received from them, we have offered some of our tamariki opportunities they would not have otherwise received.  We recognise that when tamariki are attending after school care each day, the chance for them to take up extracurricular activities is limited.  So, we decided to bring different activities to them.  Between July 2021 and April 2022, we provided tae-kwon-do, rugby, and hip hop at our Raureka After School Program...

Y Education provides alternative to school education

For various reasons, some students just don’t do well at school. Some have already dropped out of formal education and others are struggling. We know that all schools are doing their best to help these students but many schools face resource issues that limit what help they can offer. And that’s where Y Education can help. The programmes have been very successful in delivering foundation education courses around New Zealand. The Y’s Y Education programmes are currently enrolling students i...

New! 4pm pickup

We have introduced a new 4pm pickup time at our afterschool programmes. This recognises that many people have changed the way they work during the last couple of years of Covid, and some families just need their tamariki to be safe for a short period after school.  Check out cost and conditions of this new pickup time here ...

Building Strong Communities Through Fun, Learning, and Connection: A Look Back at 2021

Another fantastic year of YMCA holiday programmes is in the books! Despite the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, our commitment to keeping tamariki safe, active, and smiling never wavered—and neither did their enthusiasm.Across our four sites and six programmes, we welcomed around 150 children each day throughout the holidays. From pre-Christmas activities to mid-year adventures, our programmes delivered a great mix of fun, learning, and connection. Holiday Highlights While COVID did affect the ...

Amplify the Y - written by Will Watterson, YMCA National Programme Manager

‘Amplify The Y' is a series of five ambitious and inspiring projects that will strengthen the YMCA movement across Aotearoa over the next three years. The ATY programme will cover strategic development, building governance and cultural capability and developing our young people. It will help members of the YMCA movement collaborate in ways that make the Y greater than the sum of its parts! 'Amplify The Y' consists of five main projects: Communities Of Practice We are developing Comm...

Need for speed for Adelle

When she’s not creating fun filled programmes for children in YMCA Hawke’s Bay care, Adelle Singer can be found at the speedway track or riding her motorcycle around rural Hawke’s Bay. Adelle started as Oscar Manager about three and a half years ago. She says it’s a privilege to work for a community organisation with such strong values and commitment to the local community. “While it wasn’t something I was necessarily looking for when I decided to give up teaching, the fit couldn’t...

Check our trees

In October, we went back to check out the trees we planted on Te Mata Peak and got to explore the new tracks before enjoying lunch under the Redwoods. We also had a river day planned for October.  The seniors got very wet when we tried to head to the river to cook our sausages, but the day was saved with staff cooking up a feast back at our Hastings HQ for the children while they dried out watching a movie. The weather cleared just enough for us to light a fire pit and cook marshmallows. M...

January programme - a mix of new and old favourites

Our January programme will be a good balance of ‘busy’ and time to ‘slow down’. There are also new activities we haven’t done before, and some of the old favourites. Beach Day is always one of our most popular days and it is so nice to be able to enjoy the awesome Hawke’s Bay outdoors and everything it has to offer. We go back to Weka Point – children often start this day with a few nerves but by the time we say it is time to get on the bus, they are asking if they can stay longer....

Pre-Christmas fun

We are offering a pre-Christmas holiday programme again this year. Our Christmas programme starts on 16 December right through till 6pm on Christmas Eve. It will run at Raureka and Taradale primary schools. It follows the very successful relaxed approach we took last year. We’re repeating the giving back activities of a beach clean-up and buying gifts for others. This time though, instead of heading to town to distribute the gifts, we will organise a community group to collect so we can keep ...

Great neighbours

Our Hastings office is now graced by two rhododendrons, thanks to a local neighbour. Donald Jefferies, (pictured in wheelchair) whose Gracelands unit bounds our boundary, donated two Rhodo Vulcan plants – note the YMCA red of the flowers! It was his thank you for tree trimming we carried out along our mutual fence line to allow more sunlight into his and other units there. Our thanks also to YMCA Board member, Ross Duncan (pictured left) and David Grenside who came along and planted the trees...

Bye Lucia, hi Michelle

At the end of this year, we will sadly farewell Lucia Wilson, our office administrator (pictured left). Lucia started working for YMCA Hawke’s Bay back in January 2018, as a high school student helping with our holiday programmes. After she finished school, Lucia went to EIT to study a Bachelor of Business Studies, majoring in accounting. She continued to work for us at our after school and holiday programmes.  In a lucky break, we needed a temporary office administrator at the same time...

Fully vaxed team to safeguard tamariki

Our priority is to ensure that young people attending our programmes have fun while being kept safe. In the past, keeping safe usually meant assessing the physical environment for any potential hazards that could cause harm. In today’s world, a huge part of keeping safe is managing the risks around COVID-19. YMCA Hawke’s Bay policy is that all our staff must be fully vaccinated to be able to work for us. This is because so much of what we do is with children who are currently unable to rece...

Young people, we need you!

Raise Up is coming to Hawke’s Bay around March next year and we’re looking for young people to take the lead. Raise Up is YMCA’s Youth Development programme. Established in 2002, this programme is built by young people, for young people. Through event management, community outreach and leadership opportunities, young people are heard and given a chance to make impactful changes in their communities. Raise Up activities include a mixture of regular weekly activities, events, workshops, and...

Have a go days

Many of our children who are in after school care with us every day don’t get the chance to take part in sports, dance and other active pursuits. So, we decided to bring those extracurricular activities to them. With the help of Sport Hawke’s Bay Tu Manawa fund, we’re running a variety of physical activities at Raureka School as a pilot programme. First up has been Taekwon-Do sessions in term 2 and we’ve got rugby booked for the first half of  term 3. Other ideas include Kapa Haka,...

Date night free treat

Giving couples the chance for a date night without the cost of a babysitter is one way we give back. At the end of last year, our after-school care services offered free babysitting and parents took advantage of the time to go Christmas shopping or to spend rare kids-free time together. “One couple took fish and chips up Te Mata Peak and had a special date, which was their first for a long time,” says Adelle Singer, our OSCAR Manager, who was one of our team who gave her time free. Other par...

Hi 5s for outdoor adventures

Caving, canoeing, cliff traversing, camping, river crossings… all in a day’s work for our experienced outdoor education team. But for many of the kids on recent camps and day adventures, there were numerous fun firsts and new skills learnt. Adventure Club was a summer holiday programme for 11 to 14 year olds that attracted a dozen children from around the region. They met at our Hastings Pakowhai office each day and when they arrived back seven hours later we could tell they’d had a g...

Coming home for Olivia

Olivia Pierce joined us as our Youth Development Manager in December last year but she’s no stranger to YMCA and the benefits our organisation provides communities around the country. Olivia started her career with South & Mid Canterbury YMCA and loved it. Then she moved to Hawke’s Bay and found that “something was missing”, she really missed the sense of belonging she’d had at YMCA. So, she joined our Board but then the youth development position came up and she jumped at the chance t...