Getting to be One with Nature

After founding and serving as CEO of social enterprise Crescendo, which provides free music mentoring for young people aged 15–24, Marcus Powell realised that despite their talents, many young people lacked basic life skills, like how to cook a meal or grow their own kai.

So when he and his partner moved to Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), they established WithIN NATURE, an initiative focused on environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and holistic well-being. Their kaupapa is built around empowering tamariki and rangatahi to reconnect with the natural world, embrace sustainability, and help grow healthy communities. They partner with hapū and iwi providers to deliver programmes that are hands-on, grounded in place, and full of heart.

A large part of this work takes place at Maunu Community Gardens, tucked off Cemetery Road in Whangārei. The land, owned by Whangārei District Council, is managed by a local not-for-profit, The Maunu Gardens Project that grows and donates spray-free produce to local food banks and whānau. WithIN NATURE is one of six charitable organisations permitted to use the land and its facilities.

It was a whānau connection that first introduced Year 9 Navigator Dwayne Tainui to the WithIN NATURE programme and he’s been offering it as an after-school activity for his Dreamers since the start of this year, bringing the benefits of nature-based learning into their weekly routine. Dwayne collaborates with Marcus and his co-facilitator Brad Revell to plan each session, ensuring they’re tailored to support the needs of the group.

Marcus shared that through this partnership, he’s come to recognise what makes I Have a Dream truly unique. “The trust and relationship between the Dreamers and Navigators has developed over the years and is really obvious and important.”

Brad already had a connection to IHAD after spending part of his social work degree placement with the organisation, and now applies the skills he has learnt from his studies and his background as a chef to teach rangatahi and tamariki essential cooking and knife skills. “It’s great to see the Dreamers get into cooking and then take off to enjoy their meals together, on the land,” he said. “Fire and food bring people together.”

Marcus teaches carpentry basics, including how to use measuring tapes, saws, and power tools. He also runs sessions on soil health and growing food.

Since they began delivering the programme, he’s found that what might seem simple to some, like harvesting carrots or chopping onions, turns into something special for the rangatahi they work with, often capturing the moment with a proud selfie.

Dwayne and his Dreamers have spent many an afternoon enjoying the peaceful location and using the facilities to undertake building projects and learn culinary skills from Brad and the volunteers who help out each week.  They also recently got to venture to Whangaumu Bay at Tutukaka to try their hand at fishing with the WithIN Nature team. 

Although they only caught one fish between them, the whole experience was not lost on any of them, especially Brad who said it was one of his favourite sessions, getting to see the Dreamers so engaged and excited to get to try fishing, some for the first time.

Earlier this term, Year 5 Navigator Bailey Beddis brought her Dreamers from Tikipunga Primary School to the gardens, and in the last couple of weeks, she selected a group of eight boys from Totara Grove to participate in the after-school programme.

When we visited, the energy was electric. The boys tumbled out of the IHAD van, eager to get stuck in. They even competed to see who could lead the karakia first so they could begin. Marcus then ran a couple of quick games to divide the group into cooking and building teams.

During last week’s programme, one Dreamer mentioned wanting to make Big Macs, so Brad rolled with it and taught the cooking group how to make a healthier, cheaper version from scratch. Although the original plan was to cook outside over the fire, wet weather brought them indoors to the garden’s well-equipped kitchen. There, Brad taught the boys to season and shape patties, prepare their own burger sauce, and slice lettuce like a pro after learning basic knife skills.

The rain cleared just as the patties were ready to cook, so the boys were still able to grill them over the flames, adding a delicious smoky flavour.

Dreamer Rewi, who’s already handy in the kitchen, said the best part of the programme was spending time with his mates and doing something he loves – cooking. He can now add Big Macs to his personal menu, which already includes lasagna, pies, and cakes.

Meanwhile, Marcus guided the building crew in creating a Minecraft-inspired “Nether Portal” out of timber. The boys hammered, sawed, and some even got to learn how to use a circular saw for the tricky bits, proudly producing their perfect 500mm planks ready for the next week’s session.

As the burgers finished cooking, the delicious smell drew everyone in. The boys gathered quickly, shared another karakia, and within minutes the burgers were gone. Even those who claimed not to like pickles gave the sauce a big thumbs-up.

By the end of the session, the boys were muddy, damp, and smiling from ear to ear. They’d cooked over fire, built with timber, and most importantly, just been kids outdoors, learning by doing.

This is more than just an after-school programme. It’s a place where kids can be kids, where skills are passed down with aroha, and where the connection to whenua, to kai, and to each other is being quietly, powerfully restored.