A Decade of Dreams: Celebrating 10 Years of partnership in Whangārei

I Have a Dream is celebrating 10 years of partnership and collaboration alongside schools, whānau and young people in Whangārei, a kaupapa that has now supported more than 2,500 tamariki and rangatahi and helped establish a blueprint for expansion across Aotearoa.

Over the past decade, I Have a Dream has become embedded across four partner schools – Tikipunga Primary School, Totara Grove School, Te Kura o Otangarei, and Tikipunga High School – with 20 Navigators currently working alongside students and delivering 34 tailored programmes throughout the year.

Launched in 2003 by founder Scott Gilmour as a 50-student pilot in Mt Roskill, I Have a Dream’s long-term relational model is designed to support young people across the full arc of their education, with Navigators walking alongside Dreamers from primary school through secondary school and into further education, training or employment.

I Have a Dream is now working towards supporting 5,000 Dreamers by 2030 and 50,000 young people across Aotearoa by 2050.

To mark the Whangārei anniversary, each partner school is receiving a dedicated taonga from I Have a Dream in recognition of their 10-year partnership. The first of four was presented to Tikipunga Primary School on Friday 18th of February as part of a Visitor Open Day hosted by the school.

More than 400 people participated in the day – visiting donors and supporters, the full school of students and staff at Tikipunga Primary School, I Have a Dream staff and programme facilitators. The event showcased how Navigators work collaboratively with local kura and the community to deliver ongoing support to Dreamers (students) through in school support and after school programmes.

Acting Tumuaki (Principal) of Tikipunga Primary School Judy Panapa reflected on the partnership “I Have a Dream Navigators make such a difference in our kura and our partnership is incredibly important to us. I really appreciate how Navigators co-design their programmes based on the input and interests of Dreamers, and the way they connect with our kaimahi, whānau, and community.”

Judy was joined by Tikipunga High School Principal Emma Leyland and I Have a Dream General Manager of Operations Moana Matautia-Tepania for a Q&A session to close out the Visitor Open Day and together they shared how I Have a Dream has acted as ‘a constant connector and bridge’ for students transitioning from primary school to high school, and that embedding the kaupapa directly into schools maximises opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi.

Manuhiri (visitors) were welcomed into Tikipunga Primary School with a moving student-led pōwhiri, before being rotated through four interactive pods that showcased a sample of the 34 tailor-made programmes delivered by Navigators year-round. Feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees sharing how welcomed and uplifted they felt from start to finish.

Many noted what a pleasure it was to connect with the teachers, Navigators, and in particular with the Dreamers, calling the dedication and passion from everyone involved truly inspiring.

Long-term I Have a Dream supporter Kay Howe, who was one of the visitors, shared why she has backed the youth and education focussed charity since 2019:

“I love the way the I Have a Dream programme empowers young people to develop life skills, resilience, and confidence that sets them up for successful transitions and pathways beyond school. I have been fortunate in my life and business, and it’s important to me to give back.”

I Have a Dream CEO Shane Gorst expressed his enthusiasm for the event’s success, highlighting how pivotal these open days are for demonstrating the real-world impact of the collective effort.

“Open days allow our supporters to see the kaupapa in practice and experience the real difference we are making as a collective,” says Gorst.

“As a charitable organisation, we are deeply grateful for the generosity of the donors and partners who spent the day with us, as well as those who back us year-round. Long-term community transformation takes long-term investment, and we simply could not empower these young people without ongoing philanthropic support.

“At the same time, the deep support and trust from our partner schools over the past decade has been vital to our success. Their commitment has validated this model and paved the way for our expansions into Upper Hutt and Flaxmere. As we work toward our target of supporting 5,000 Dreamers by 2030 and 50,000 by 2050, these foundational school relationships remain the heart of everything we do.”