It was ALL PINK at Tamaki College on Friday 20th May as we put the Limelight on Pink Shirt Day. A Day that focuses on working together to stop bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusiveness.

It’s about creating a community where all people feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion or cultural background. All values that is supported by the College and emphasised in our Values. 

We celebrated with morning tea provided by the Tereora Academy. 

With the support of PFL we were able to send a Container to support the loved ones of our families here in NZ. 

We know that the impact of the Hunga Tonga - Hunga Ha'apai Volcanic Eruption will be lasting on our Tongan Families. We know the impacts it will have on families here in NZ and overseas to provide assistance to their loved ones in Tonga. 

The Tereora Academy look for ways to reduce debt, while providing assistance to our families to provide the support to their loved ones in the Islands. 

We were fortunate to be offered further assistance by the Pacific Futures Ltd. This enabled us to acquire a 40ft shipping container, 60 x 40L drums for our families to pack essential items (Food and Clothing) to send to their families in Tonga at no cost to them. 

We also made available to these families food starter packs at a total value of over $300 for a small payment of $50. 

The remainder of the container was then filled with preloved items donated by our community and College to support the Queen Salote Old Girls Committee who will then share these items with those in need in Tonga. 

We have also sent in the container packs of learning resources for Queen Salote College and the village of Apa'apa who have been displaced because of the eruption. 

We continued to be blessed by the continued support from our funders and our community for which we are truly grateful for. 

Our love and thoughts are with our loved ones back in Tonga. 

Malo 'Aupito 

Over 100 community leaders, experts, students, parents and partners were in attendance, to the Project Rise Co-Design Day. 

Principal of Tamaki College and PFL Board Director, Mrs Soana Pamaka, says the Project Rise Co-Design Day is an opportunity for community stakeholders to contribute to solutions that will add value to the Tamaki community.  

“The Project Rise Co-Design Day is about getting connected with all the people in the community that contribute to the success of our young people.

We’ve gone out to the community and collected some information about three areas: literacy, services and facilities. We present that information to the members of our community and stakeholders so that they contribute to the solutions.”

Mrs Pamaka says it is important to engage with the people who have an impact on the outcomes for young people, with the hope that the ideas being exchanged will lead to action for the betterment of the whole Tamaki community. 

“The ideal outcome for us is that we come away having heard the voice of those 100 people we have invited, that can feed into solutions and hopefully be able to present that to people who have the pūtea (funds) so that they can enable the next stage of Project Rise.”

PFL Director of Partnerships Luana Clifford was present at the event with her team to support and facilitate some of the talanoa throughout the day. She is excited for the potential of the next phase of this project and confirms PFLs on-going support. 

“This is a great initiative that brings together a wide network of people to share and invest their time and energy into the future planning of their community. Tamaki College is a key partner for PFL and their work around youth empowerment and enablement resonates with our values and objectives”.