As featured in The Waikato Times, children at Te Kura o Hau Karetu in Māoribank, Upper Hutt have enjoyed the support of an I Have a Dream Navigator for the past two years, which principal/kaihautu Karen Wellington says has had many benefits.

Karen reflected on the immensely positive impact that Navigator Maima Stanley has had at the kura and within the local community:

“It’s important to have someone who believes in our kids, has high aspirations for them, who helps them navigate the challenges of school, and who has a focus on celebrating their successes,” she says.

It has built confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging, helped students stay focused on their goals and motivated them to strive for excellence.

“In our kura, all our teachers have a heart for the children, and we are lucky enough also to have our Navigator in Schools who is focused only on the child themselves without the distractions of planning, assessment and curriculum delivery,” she says.

“We have noticed an improvement in the attendance of the cohorts of children she is working with, and we couldn’t be more delighted.

“We have one particular student who has made accelerated progress in all academic areas – this can be directly attributed to the input our Navigator has had for him, and potentially life-changing for him.”

Part of the role was to develop relationships with whānau/families, to understand them, not judge them, and have high expectations for them.

“Research shows that the positive impact someone has at school is usually from someone they know who cared about them and inspired them,” she says.

“Our Navigator supports our students by getting them to school by removing any barriers such as transport, routines, and expectations around school, which alleviates pressure on whānau.

“She builds relationships with our kids, and talks with them around setting themselves high expectations and goals. It’s the future-focused lens and the value of education that children don’t necessarily have that she is guiding them towards.”

I Have a Dream has has been operating in Upper Hutt in partnership with 4 A Better City since 2023 and has just expanded the team, welcoming two new Navigators Numalani Fonoti, and Henry Malo who have joined Maima Stanley to help deliver the I Have a Dream programme for local kids. Henry, Numalani and Maima along with 4 A Better City General Manager Amber Moore recently visited I Have a Dream HQ in Tikipunga for training and integration with the wider team.

This success story of I Have a Dream in Upper Hutt was featured in a broader story about Philanthropy New Zealand and the Department of Internal Affairs recent 12 Days of Giving campaign, aimed at inspiring more generosity. The story delves into the early life experiences that inspired Philanthropy New Zealand Chief Executive Rahul Watson Govindan to dedicate his life to helping others less fortunate than himself.

Click the image below to read the full Waikato Times article:

I Have a Dream has been operating at Te Kura o Hau Karetu in Māoribank, Upper Hutt since 2023. Take a look back to the 2022 news feature on Breakfast when the expansion to Upper Hutt was announced: