More and more children in Aotearoa are missing out on participating in sport and physical activity due to barriers preventing them from having the opportunity.

It is evident that practical capabilities such as cost, having the confidence, getting to games and practices, having the right gear and support all contribute to this decline.

With 600 tamariki and rangatahi in care in Ōtautahi alone, these young people are missing out on the joys of sport because they often face the greatest barriers of all.

For this reason, Healthy Families Ōtautahi Systems Innovator, Lawrence Tau has developed a new pilot project titled, Te Pou o Te Whare. The initiative aims to support young people in care to participate in quality sport and physical activity opportunities and support sport and physical activity providers to be responsive to the needs of young people in care. 

Te Pou o Te Whare uses insights gathered from young people, social workers, Oranga Tamariki staff and sport providers to co-design prototypes to test with young people in care. 
 

Tau has formed a Design Team based in Christchurch, bringing together representatives from both the sport and physical activity sector and the social care sector who plan and design these prototypes. 

Through this project Tau has engaged Special Friends Sports Trust Founder, Sandy Van Heyningen, who links the tamariki and rangatahi referred by their social workers to the project with sports mentors. 

Special Friends Sports Trust aims to remove the barriers that prevent children from playing sport. 
 

The Trust engages with selected school partners and relevant social organisations who assist in identifying children aged between five and 12 years who need additional support to enable them to be able to play a sport. 

“Every child should have the opportunity to participate in sport regardless of their circumstances,” says Van Heyningen.

The name ‘Special Friends’ was thought up by Sandy’s daughter Anneke , who, at the age of eight, was recovering from a brain tumour and wishing to support and offer company to other children in hospital. Since then, the name and vision has been adapted to reflect Sandy’s vision of breaking down barriers that prevent children from engaging in sport with a focus on sports mentoring.

The Special Friends Sports Trust was registered as a Charitable Trust incorporated in 2020.  
 

“I was looking for a way to give back and contribute to the community and was encouraged to do this through something I was passionate about and really enjoy - so The Special Friends Sports Trust was formed.”
 

In early 2020 Sandy reached out to Sport Canterbury, contacting Lawrence during lockdown to see how Special Friends could link up with Tau’s Te Pou o Te Whare project.

“Lawrence told me the goal was to help children in care access sport and physical activity - it suddenly felt like an amazing fit – I honestly thought, ‘This is just amazing.’

“Things really developed from there – I joined some of the workshops with the sports clubs and coaches as well as some of the Design Group sessions and by August, I was finding 10 mentors to match with young people,” she adds.

To match a child with a mentor, the time is taken to identify the specific barriers for each individual child as well as their likes and interests. 

The pair meet up at least once a week during term time, either for an individual session where they do some sort of activity which is child-led, this might include anything from walks, hitting golf balls, shooting hoops or for a group session with the other mentors and young people that are part of the initiative.  

The group sessions are organised by Greg Spence at Origin Sports and are a great opportunity for the tamariki and rangatahi to have a go at different sports and activities. 

“We have had some incredible group sessions – from Ultimate frisbee to skateboarding, basketball, football, and flip and tumbles. The kids get fully engaged and have a lot of fun.
 

“The ultimate goal is, that as the children develop skills, confidence and interest in a particular sport,  or activity the mentor and the Trust will facilitate the move into a club environment, take the young person to practices and games, make sure they have the right gear and cover the costs of any related expenses – it’s very much ongoing.

“We aim to continue providing support as needed so that each child can continue playing a sport, they enjoy for up to five years,” she adds.

Sandy continues to develop the Trust by identifying unique opportunities to continue to break down barriers for the young people of Ōtautahi. She has begun working with Ben Hamilton from the Tamai Trust as well as the sport coaching department at the University of Canterbury.

“We are looking at building sports mentoring into the degree as a practical component for the whole three years. The children will come through from the Tamai Trust and then be matched with a UC mentor.”

Ultimately, Sandy believes in the power of sport and physical activity to change lives.

“The social, physical and mental benefits are endless - sport can be such a vehicle for those who are missing out and having a difficult time – it can be so positive.”

Read more about Te Pou o Te Whare – Click here 

Learn more about Special Friends Sports Trust – Click here 
 

Follow Healthy Families Ōtautahi on facebook - Click here  

Article added: Tuesday 11 May 2021