Our Young People’s Stories
Here we share the stories of our young people from Auckland who have had their lives changed by Graeme Dingle Foundation programmes.
Elijah's Story
I wanted to find a way to leave my own mark on the school, something that would make me stand out amongst my peers. I then discovered the Stars peer mentoring programme. From what I learnt about it, I saw that it could improve my leadership skills.
Read Elijah's Story
Iszack's Story
Before I was involved with Project K, I was getting into trouble at school and at home, I was making the wrong choices and hanging out with the wrong crowd. After joining Project K, I am proud to say I am making the right choices.
Read Iszack's Story
Lineti's Story
I was selected to join the Leadership Camp (Project K) programme last year at Great Barrier Island. This camp had a significant impact on my self-motivation, and I highly recommend this programme to continue. My future goal after finishing my journey is to continue to push myself to my limits.
Read Lineti's Story
Brooke's Story
Brooke, a Stars student from Rutherford College in 2013 and now a member of our National Youth Advisory Group shares her experience with our Stars programme and how that led her to where she is today.
Watch Brooke's Story
Connor's Story
Connor McIellan participated in Project K in 2021. Previously lacking confidence, Project K helped him discover his abilities and achieve things he never thought possible. With the support of his mentor, Connor developed better social skills and self-confidence.
Watch Connor's Story
Kayden's Story
Before Project K I was just starting at One Tree Hill and it was pretty challenging. I wasn’t really involved in class or school activities. Disinterested with most things and a bit overwhelmed I started to struggle with schoolwork and deadlines. Some time during that first year, I was invited to join Project K.
Read Kaden's Story
Ayush's Story
Stars Peer Mentoring helped me immensely in what I’ve been doing now, because it was one of the first formative experiences that I had to give back and to serve others, that experience and the skills I gained from that has helped me so much, in terms of, what I do now.
Watch Ayush's Story
Vaitoelau's Story
My name is Vaitoelau Ah Chee. I joined the Project K Community in 2019 and am proud to be a graduate for 2020. My journey was tough and challenging but most of all the most satisfying journey of my life that I will never forget.
Read Vaitoelau's Story
Olivia's Story
It was no surprise Olivia became a Stars Peer Mentor in 2015 when given the opportunity to sign up after being mentored by great role models when she was starting as a year 9 at Rutherford High School.
Read Olivia's Story
Kai's Story
It often takes an incredible amount of bravery and courage to step into the unknown. For some of our Project K students, their self-efficacy and resiliency is so low that when offered a life changing opportunity, the prospect is so daunting they are overwhelmed and decline.
Read Kai's Story
Acer's Story
When it was dark enough for the streetlights to turn on my brothers would pick me up from home and we would walk the streets. We always had the urge to feel alive. I wanted to feel like Pete from the movie Green Street Hooligans. We would steal radios and sell them, steal cars and crash them, break windows of homes and cars.
Read Acer's Story
Sharonika's Story
Teen Sharonika Prasad used to be scared, of life, of opportunity. She lacked self-confidence. ‘‘I had a negative mind set in which I had beliefs that I would never be successful at anything, with a very low self-esteem. ‘‘I made excuses because I had no motivation and little confidence and I let life pass me by even if it was a wonderful opportunity because I was so afraid of the unknown.’’
Read Sharonika's Story