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Auckland, February 8, 2017
Prime Minister Bill English will inaugurate the Momentum Club in Manukau tomorrow (Thursday).
The event would mark the completion of another significant goal for Second Nature Charitable Trust, custodians of Vodafone Events Centre and Vector Wero Whitewater Park, New Zealand’s First and only manmade White Park.
The Momentum Hub is a contemporary container village that is home for six not-for-profit organisations. It is also supported by Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust.
Second Nature Charitable Trust Chief Executive Richard Jeffery said that like-minded trusts were brought together to foster collaboration within not-for-profit youth development education.
“We wanted an organisational and operational structure that provided more bang for buck. Vector Wero Whitewater Park can collaborate with the organisations with outdoor education activities that support the youth education programmes of the charitable trusts,” he said.
Promoting Children’s welfare
Mr Jeffery quoted Social Development Minister Anne Tolley saying, “For the sake of vulnerable children we must do better, and we need a very clear strategy that focuses on the needs of children, rather than the needs of the system,’ and we believe the Momentum Hub achieves this.”
Visitors from all walks of life can socialise at the lakeside café and bar, while the charitable trusts enjoy free office space and utilities, but more importantly – an environment that fosters collaboration.
The White Water Park can also support fundraising initiatives with high profile events that capture the imagination and enthusiasm of the community.
“We always envisaged the entire complex; including Vector Wero Whitewater Park, the Sir Noel Robinson Conference Centre and Vodafone Events Centre would have a social enterprise model. Corporates using these facilities are putting financial resources directly back into New Zealand’s young people,” Mr Jeffery said.
The Trusts include Big Buddy Foundation, John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams, Life Education Trust, The Rising Foundation, iSport Foundation and Second Nature Charitable Trust.
Life Education Trust Counties Manukau Chairperson Paul Cressey, was quick to accept the invitation to join the Momentum Hub.
“Many of our funders look for evidence of collaboration in our sector and this is a real way of looking at how to make savings and avoid duplication of resources.
“All trusts involved in the Momentum Hub are passionate about the people of Counties Manukau and we have an amazing opportunity to share knowledge, work together and have more impact in our community. Life Education’s sponsors are excited to be a part of a leading edge initiative and I must commend the trustees of the forward thinking of the Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust and the Second Nature Charitable Trust,” Mr Cressey said.
Currently, the six trusts have more than 100,000 points of contact with students, mainly from Counties Manukau but also extending throughout Auckland.
Momentum Hub Factsheet
Cost: $1.5million
Funding by Second Nature Charitable Trust and Joyce Fisher Charitable Trust
Total Floor Area: 400m²
Access for Charitable Trusts 330m²
Six trusts moved into the Momentum Hub, January 2017
