Title of initiative
McDonald's led (4-6 yrs.) First Kicks Expleo Program - He Waka Eke Noa
A summary overview of what the initiative has achieved in 100 words.
Traditionally Te Awamutu AFC would have about 35- 40 kids involved in its First Kicks Program. This year’s approach was about identifying some of the barriers which were addressed from last year. Two areas were identified internally and externally. The program had no sense of identity and therefore was lost in the norms associated to its participation. The new mission became about enabling an identity through football kits and providing a healthy easy meal option at the end of the sessions for the participants and their families, thus the connection with Expleo was born. As a family-owned retail butcher who strives to provide the best for families in their space it aligned with the work Te Awamutu AFC were doing and so the connection was made.
How has the initiative developed/implemented met the needs of the participants in the last 12 months?
The identified needs were further identified as unity in participation, addressed through football kits. Expleo footed the bill for 80 kits to be purchased this year and 80 next year as well as providing the sausages to the club for the families after activity meal, enabling the second areas to be met. Our First Kicks sessions run from 5.30pm-6.30pm with participants leaving hungry and the rush and stress to get them home and fed and off to bed, so providing sausages to what is a fun activity has now addressed that second need.
How has the initiative demonstrated innovation and supported community connection in the last 12 months?
The initiative has allowed the space of wider visibility and exposure to participation and eliminated some of the barriers around participation for the area of Te Awamutu AFC to have had over 120 participants in the First Kicks programme this year. We ran the programme at our club during the early part of term 2, then in the later part of the term as it got wet and dark we moved to the local indoor facility for the first time, allowing us to continue delivering the programme to the kids in a safe environment. .
What is unique about the approach to community connection in sport and active recreation in the last 12 months?
The uniqueness comes about from identifying a need. Then taking the need to an appropriate Whanau led business to enable the program to become a Whanau voice-based program and thus allowing He Waka Eke Noa to be born into the club.
How has the approach benefitted the community in the last 12 months?
The community will never know the true measure of a program like this until several years down the track and what it is that is trying to be measured. Put simply, participation in any shape and form is great, however bringing family, wider whanau, friends’ other kids to the space where the Expleo program was run now creates outward focus lens on the program itself, and one which should lead to increased activity of sport in the user’s life. Once the kits had arrived we’d organised for them to be collected from Expleo’s store, and many parents were introduced to the butchery and bought meat for their dinner that night. So the connection for Te Awamutu AFC members/parents and Expleo went full circle to helping each other.
What are some of the results and/or growth of the initiative in the last 12 months?
Participation up 200%. Unity in the space of what participation for the sport looks like in Te Awamutu. We’ve had several new registrations for First Kicks from Whanau based in Ohaupo, Otorohanga and other areas because we’re the only ones who offer a football programme for youth aged 4-6 in the area. The growth in this space has also had a knock-on effect to other core areas being identified and further to that being addressed in some ways using the same model.
