Multiple schools in Canterbury are implementing student-led initiatives to encourage rangatahi to become more active.

Active As - a joint physical activity project guided by the Mana Taiohi Principles of Youth Development between Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa and regional agencies – is making this possible.

The project involves Regional Sports Trusts, including Sport Canterbury, partnering with local schools and wharekura to help them bring student-led physical activity ideas to life. Each school was allowed to design an initiative that was unique to their school and met the needs of their less active students.

In turn, the aim is to increase participation and engagement among rangatahi by offering movement opportunities for students to have a say.  

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Active As has been extended to four Waitaha schools this year, with Sport Canterbury working alongside Ashburton College, Rolleston College, Te Aratai College and Haeata Community Campus. Across New Zealand, it will implemented in 40 high schools and wharekura through to the end of 2026.

Christchurch-based Sport Canterbury Rangatahi Lead Grace Ward, who’s working alongside the schools, says the projects have involved “many highs, some big challenges and a whole lot of physical activity” since each school received their funding early this year.

Ashburton College’s project, Ward says, is going from “strength to strength” - resulting in high participation numbers and connection amongst students and staff.

Ward explains activities being delivered – including non-traditional, recreation and play-based activities such as modified cricket, walking netball and old-school party games - have resulted in “high engagement levels” and “joy” from students, particularly those less active.

Despite some challenges, the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme-funded students at Te Aratai College are “about to begin their swimming programme at Te Pou Toetoe Linwood Pool and, over the next few weeks, the school will be targeting their year 9 and 10 wāhine with recreational activities such as workouts, swimming and camps”, Ward says.

Since the implementation of Active As, Haeata Community Campus has noticed students “who don’t normally enter the gymnasium at break times are venturing in and engaging… as well as students who typically sit on the sidelines and watch their friends play basketball or badminton”, Ward notes.

The Active As funding provided the school with new swings, an interactive wall and volleyball nets. 

Ward says the swings are so popular “the school board are looking to purchase more, as… students are lining up every break time to use them”.

According to the school, students are now able to “be active and move in the same space as their friends but through something that they enjoy and are interested in”, Ward adds.

The school focused on whanaungatanga, one of the four Mana Taiohi Principles, and how they could foster a greater sense of connection amongst their students and staff through movement.

“The interactive wall has exceeded our expectations for what it has done to get our students active,” says Adam Hird, the campus’ kaihautū whakaako (deputy principal). “Even our staff’s physical activity levels are increasing; students v staff games are happening all the time,” Hird adds.

Rolleston College’s implementation of Active As resulted in their first event taking place for junior students at the Selwyn Aquatics and Sports Centres in June.  The school decided to target their project at year nine and 10 students during their Ako time with a chance to try non-traditional sports and recreation opportunities, as their insights showed many students were disengaged from both physical activity and school.

In Term 2’s Active As session, students could choose from roller-skating, korfball, Jiu-Jitsu, box fit, pickleball, table tennis, an inflatable aquatic obstacle course and esports.

“We asked the students what they would like to see at these sessions, and those are what they came up with,” Rolleston College Active As Coordinator Wendy McCarthy says.

“I did the rollerblading and I loved it, I wish this was what PE was like,” says a year 10 Rolleston College student.

McCarthy says the project was started from scratch.

“It’s been challenging but heaps of fun,” McCarthy says. “Some of them have made new friends doing different things that they haven’t even done before which has been awesome,” she says of the participating students.

And the school is already probing how to take the project to the next level.

“The next steps for the school are to investigate how we can expand the programme and make it a more regular occurrence, as currently students only get to participate once per term,” Ward says.

Looking ahead, Sport Canterbury is planning a half-day wānanga for the participating schools later this year to gain more understanding about the needs of rangatahi and kaiako regarding Active As. 

“The purpose of this half-day wānanga is for our four Active As schools to reconnect and share what they have done over the past six months,” says Ward.

“We have encouraged the schools to share their highs and lows, wins and losses, and anything they want to share.

“This will be a rangatahi-led piece, with kaiako supporting them.”

Article added: Monday 05 August 2024