New Zealand Celsias

This is a TelstraClear project

Our aim: All young people need a positive, safe and loving environment to grow up in. At TelstraClear, one of our core social aims is to help create a positive environment for New Zealand’s children and youth, who are our nation’s future. Over the summer of 2009-2010 we got behind FYD’s Big Walk to raise awareness of youth issues in New Zealand, and learn ways to motivate our young people to reach their potential as creators of a healthy, flourishing New Zealand.

Our community partner: Foundation for Youth Development (FYD).

Our actions: From November 2009-January 2010, around 150 youth, led by adventurer Jamie Fitzgerald and FYD’s Graeme Dingle, traversed New Zealand’s 3000km Te Araroa trail (Cape Reinga to Bluff) on The Big Walk. All youth participants had been involved in or had graduated a Foundation for Youth Development (FYD) programme.

On each stage of the walk, team leaders asked participants to reflect on their experiences, with a view to contributing to the Youth 2010: The Big download forum, held in Wellington. Concepts such as goal setting, attention to detail, challenges and achievements were worked through via various activities. These were designed to further develop life skills and uncover what participants thought was necessary to engage other youth within their communities.

Participants joined together in central Wellington in February 2010 to march through the CBD to Parliament, where they were met by Hon Paula Bennett, Minister for Social Development, Hon Dr Pita Sharples, Minister of Maori Affairs and a surprise visit from Prime Minister John Key, in celebration and recognition of their accomplishments.

Our footprint: In January 2010, we also commissioned a survey of New Zealand youth aged 15-18 years old from throughout the country. The fieldwork, conducted online during January, highlighted a lack of hope about a future in New Zealand, and a feeling of disconnection with their community. The survey results were released publically and via press release in late January, helping add further context around objectives of The Big Walk and Youth 2010: The Big Download. More on the survey results here:

Our next steps: The Big Walk was directly followed by Youth 2010: The Big Download forum in February 2010.

Our corporate citizenship contact: For more info, contact Nicola Libeau, Corporate Citizenship Manager via citizenship@telstraclear.co.nz.