Julie Black, Trustee

Posted by Te Hua Rangatahi on 16 June 2010

Julie Black, Trustee, tells her story

I've been living in this community for 25 years, and I know the people. Like the other trustees, I want to see all of our kids do well. Not just mine.

My husband and I had been doing voluntary work with kids for years, and after a short break we wanted to get back into helping kids. We got together with other friends who were doing similar things and it just all came together. We decided to formalise our collective efforts  and the timing just happened to be right.

A week later, we started MidValley Athletics to cater for kids in the Naenae area who wouldn't otherwise join athletics. By that stage the performing arts side had already taken off, with the help of a lot of the younger leaders who also wanted to do something in the community - the values in the community are all the same. We all want the same things for the kids and to see them do well.

At one point my husband and I were buying all of the trainers off TradeMe and there'd be someone at the club who would fit them.  There was one group of about 30 boys that we all followed through various sports since they were about seven years old. They are all at college now and are doing very well.

I want to keep doing this for as long as I can. We're going to keep doing what we do well - and maybe a bit more to keep up with what the kids are wanting now! We also want our performing arts students to possibly get NCEA credits for their work.

I think the focus should always be on the whānau though. When you work with youth, you don't work in isolation from the family.  The parents and the kids are all involved together. They are the community, the people.

- Julie

Tagged with Success, Sports