I Have a Dream full circle – Introducing our first Dreamer-Turned-Navigator

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary at I Have a Dream, we are taking time to look back on a decade of milestones and the incredible journey of our community. Among the many achievements we are celebrating this year is welcoming Ngaio Morunga back to I Have a Dream as the Year 0–4 Navigator at Te Kura o Otangarei, making her our very first former Dreamer to return and guide the next generation!

Ngaio’s journey with I Have a Dream began during her last year at Totara Grove Primary School, where she was matched with her Navigator, Jaycee Manusell. She warmly recalls doing lunchtime activities and after school programmes after road crossing duty with other Dreamers, which helped her build a strong foundation of connection during her primary school years. She said being able to hang out with her friends in a fun way that never felt like the pressures of school was one of her favourite things.

Having a Navigator made a lasting difference in how Ngaio viewed her future. Jaycee helped plant a growth mindset early on, teaching Ngaio to look at the road ahead as an exciting opportunity rather than a scary unknown.

Ngaio recalls one pivotal moment that changed her perspective on goal setting forever. She admits that when they were setting goals one time, she had no idea what goal setting was and thought they just wrote down things they wanted like a Santa wish list. When Jaycee saw her wish list, she simply asked, “How do you think you are going to get that Lamborghini and mansion?”

That simple question changed everything for Ngaio. From there, a switch flicked in her head as she quickly realised that the impossible is possible, and that she just needed to intentionally write down how she was going to achieve it. Quickly, her goals went from wanting a mansion to putting her birthday money into her piggy bank for her own house.

After primary school, Ngaio immersed herself in Te Ao Māori at Te Kāpehu Whetū and continued her education at Whangārei Girls’ High School. Before joining our team, she spent over two years as a Teacher Aide at Whau Valley School, supporting neurodivergent tamariki.

Driven by a nurturing nature and a passion for fostering young potential, coming back to I Have a Dream as a Navigator felt like the ultimate full-circle moment. Ngaio was excited to become a “Jaycee” – someone she looked up to as an important adult in school. Her goal now is to make the same lasting positive impact on her Dreamers and help them grow into confident, capable adults.

As a former Dreamer, Ngaio brings a unique and invaluable perspective to her work with the Year 0-4 tamariki at Te Kura o Otangarei. She understands firsthand how crucial relational trust is when guiding young people. She points to Jaycee’s ability to build such a strong relationship with her younger self as one of the key takeaways she applies now as a Navigator, noting that if the relationship wasn’t there, she would have found it hard to relate to or make sense of what a Navigator could do for her.

Alongside her deep empathy and firsthand insight, Ngaio brings an incredibly positive energy, lots of talent, and a heartfelt passion to the team.

When asked what message she would like to share with the young Dreamers sitting where she once was, Ngaio shared this, “No dream is impossible, so dream as big as you possibly can, never limit yourself, and try everything, even if it is something you think is impossible!”