The theme at the second annual Merivale Community Festival this Saturday, April 2 is ‘Kia Toa' or ‘man up'. The festival is encouraging families to explore ways to get active and healthy, without costing a fortune.

For services manager Graham Cameron, the festival is also about coming together as a community and encouraging positive values to shape the Merivale youth.

Pictured: John Fletcher, Ellixes Akuhata, Aaron Simon, Piatarihi Devon and Putaina Kohu get into the festive spirit. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

Centre has been open for 15 years and is focused around four values: unity, safety, community and celebration.
It is these four positive values which services manager Graham Cameron says are central to their work at the centre.
'Our goal is to provide youth services, programmes and events and whanau support that connect with our values. We have shifted our focus – moving away from a deficit way of thinking and focusing on young people achieving in the community. Supporting them to support others.”
One way in which the centre aims to do this is through its new programme ‘Kia Mohiotia' – a mentoring service for youths at risk of offending. This programme doesn't seek to label, but seeks to assist through community support.
'Youths will work one-on-one and in groups with the mentors for a week-long, intensive programme once a month at different marae,” says Graham.
'In conjunction, there is ‘Whare Awhina', or helping homes, where we hope to have 20 families for the young people to interact with, encouraging residents to role model positive examples to young people.”
The mentors and youth workers are often close to the youth's ages, some only a few years apart. Graham says this system works 'well for relevance”.
'It enables a connection in culture.”
The festival is an extension of the work Graham and his team are doing, focusing on encouraging families to get involved with their children and explore creative ways to be active. There is information stalls at the festival, such as budget advice, Quitline and Relationship Services.
'Yatton Park is open and available to the community. It's a common venue for people from a variety of life experiences and backgrounds. It is a beautiful venue and people say they love the local focus of the event.”