Charities making a difference: A look at the work of the Graeme Dingle Foundation

Independent, resilient, value driven youth is what really matters. You don’t see a lot of noise from the organisation, but the ripple goes really far out into the community and country.

It is going on in Southland schools and it makes a real difference to our youth. The Graeme Dingle Foundation Southern, based in Invercargill, is an important charity organisation in the lower South Island dedicated to empowering and building self-belief with local tamariki and rangatahi. Trustee Carla Forbes provides some insight into what the charity is about.

Founded in 1995 by Kiwi adventurer Sir Graeme Dingle and his wife Jo-Anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle, the foundation's goal is to give young people in New Zealand the skills, values, and confidence to become successful and contributing members of their community.

The organisation is known for putting funds straight into outputs for our youth, and all money is spent on the programmes.

We are a charity, supported by generous organisations and individuals it is important all our funds go directly to our youth. 

Independent, resilient, value driven youth is what really matters.  You don’t see a lot of noise from the organisation, but the ripple goes really far out into the community and country and it is generational.

I believe this organisation has the potential to affect the well-being of all Aotearoa.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation offers a variety of programmes that cater to different age groups and needs. One of its earliest initiatives is Kiwi Can, a life skills program for primary school students that focuses on building resilience, self-esteem, and positive relationships.

Since 2006 trained Kiwi Can Leaders have been delivering the programme with schools in Southland.

Kiwi Can schools receive lessons on a weekly basis based on the curriculum, which covers topics such as respect, integrity, kindness, resilience, responsibility and positive relationships.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation's other programmes delivered in the southern area include Stars, a programme that focuses on transforming school culture through building relationships, leadership skills and a sense of community with teachers and students.

Stars uses the teina/tuakana mentoring model and achieves positive and measurable results, including increased academic engagement and achievement for junior and senior students.

Career Navigator is a ready-for-work programme that is designed to help secondary school students find a meaningful pathway upon leaving school.

The programme supports teens in their decision-making around future employment while also providing an effective platform for employers to share real-world knowledge and offer mentoring and active learning opportunities.

Graeme Dingle Foundation programmes are being delivered across the country, including those that aren’t currently delivered here in Southern.

These include Project K, a year-long program for high school students with low self-confidence that combines mentoring, adventure-based learning, community service, and personal development. MYND, a programme for young people who have had contact with the justice system that aims to break the cycle of reoffending. Kiwi Tahi, an early intervention programme for young people aged 8 – 12 years which aims to reduce the number of young people engaged in anti-social behaviour and/or the youth justice system.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation is important for Southern because investing in the well-being and potential of young people is crucial for building a strong, prosperous, and inclusive society.

The foundation's programs address some of the key challenges that young people in face, such as low self-esteem, social isolation, and lack of direction. By providing positive role models, practical skills, and opportunities for personal growth, the foundation's programmes help young people in the Southern region to become more resilient, confident, and engaged with their communities.

In an era where the challenges presented to our youth are becoming more complex it’s great to have something in place providing innovative, holistic programs right through their school experience that promote resilience, self-esteem, and positive relationships, the foundation is helping to build a brighter future for our youth and our communities in the Southern region.