Above: Youth from the Grey District hang out at "The Shed"

When Tim and Nicki Mora began a youth group in their home every Friday night they probably never dreamed their modest get-together would turn into a double Award winning community project.  But that is exactly what has happened.

The Greymouth Churches Community Youth Project was initiated by the Greymouth Anglican Church to provide a place where young people could feel safe, have fun, feel loved and grow as individuals.  The project was put i

n place because it was recognised that being on the West Coast limits young people’s opportunities and access to resources.  The West Coast has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country, is plagued by the drug problem, has many low decile rated areas, lower than average wages and is isolated geographically.

The Project began as a Friday night youth group, held in Tim and Nicki’s home, attended by around 12 – 15 people.  It quickly grew.  In 2008 an average of 78 young people were attending the programme each Friday night.

Obviously Tim and Nicki’s home was very quickly inadequate for such a gathering.  After about six months the youth group was shifted to the church hall and about 18 months later the Church purchased an old furniture factory, which has become lovingly known as “The Shed”.  Over the last eight years the Church has developed this facility so now it includes a games room, lounge, mini indoor basketball court, library, gym, art room, outside fire pit and outdoor sports facilities.

Each Friday night the youth of the district come to ‘hang out’ in The Shed.  Sometimes there are activities such as ‘Shed Idol’, theatre sports, movies or a giant water fight.

Running the Friday night events is one full-time youth worker (Nicki Mora) and a team of around 15 volunteers, who together put in an average of 70 hours a week.

Tim Mora says the key thing the youth worker and volunteers do is to build relationships with the kids.

“What teenagers often need is an adult role model outside of the immediate family to whom they could talk to about issues they might not want to raise with their parents.  In the past that was often there but with smaller, spread out families, the increasing number of broken families and so on, it is not so today.  That is the gap we are hoping to fill,” says Tim.

From the Friday nights at The Shed grew other initiatives.  PULSE is a monthly multi-media production which focuses on youth issues and encourages young people to use their skills in areas such as dance, drama, video production, sound, lighting and visual arts to explore set themes.  The kids also learn about business, as they manage a café that is open during each PULSE event.

In 2005 the Greymouth Churches Community Youth Project won the Supreme Award at the TrustPower Grey District Community Awards.  This recognition simply served to encourage the volunteers to do even more…

Over the last year the Project has created the Emerge Team, which focuses on leadership development.  They have also had a focus on social justice with events such as Foodbank Friday and promotion of the 40 Hour Famine (for which they raised $8,000!).  They have also teamed up with other organisations such as CCS and Tear Fund’s Gift for Life programme. 

The Community Youth Project team also run a couple of camps each year, an annual ball, training events and one-on-one counselling or mentoring where required.

In 2008 the Project was again recognised, taking out its second Supreme Award at the TrustPower Grey District Community Awards.

“It’s really exciting to be recognised by our community for what we are doing.  It makes the team feel as though we really are making a difference,” says Tim.

And making a difference they are.  In November last year the Greymouth Churches Community Youth Project celebrated its 10th birthday with a BBQ night, a ‘Timewarp’ ball (attended by around 100 young people), and thanksgiving service.  The events were attended by many past members of the Youth Project, allowing the Project team the chance to look at the results of their work.

“We had the chance to look back at people who have been through the Project and see how they have grown up – some are married or have children, others are at University or have just finished their studies.  Most of them are doing really well.”

But Tim says the greatest sign of success comes from the parents.

“A number of parents have come to us saying that they are really pleased we were there for their children in their teenage years.  It is during that time that there are many other things that kids could have been doing that were not so healthy but we kept them in a safe environment. 

“When parents say things like “if you weren’t there our children may not be in the great place they are today” that encourages us and is our biggest indicator of success.  It gives us the sense that we are making a difference and setting these kids up for a better future,” says Tim.

As for the future of the Community Youth Project, Tim says he, Nicki and their volunteers are not planning on giving up any time soon.

“We are dependent on gaining funding for the youth worker’s salary on an annual basis but we are fortunate that we have had some great support from a number of funding bodies.  Winning the Supreme Award at the TrustPower Community Awards has also assisted us as aside from the prize money it also helps when we apply for funding, as it shows we are supported by our community,” says Tim.

As for the more immediate future, Tim and Nicki are looking forward to representing the Grey District at the 2008 TrustPower National Community Awards, which are being held in Palmerston North and Tararua District from 13 – 15 March 2009.

For more information on the Greymouth Churches Community Youth Project contact:

Tim Mora

Greymouth Churches Community Youth Project

Ph: 027 204 8560

Email: timmora@ihug.co.nz