Categories: General
Date: Monday, 19 April 2010
Title: Taupo Grant Announcements
Taupo Grant Announcements for financial year ended 31 March 2010
BayTrust funds Taupo child welfare initiatives
Two major child welfare initiatives in the Taupo district have received support in BayTrust’s latest grants round. ‘Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taupo’ and Life Education Trust Taupo/Ruapehu were amongst nine organisations to receive grants totalling more than $82,000 at a function in Taupo on Friday (March 19).
Secretary Jenny Steadman says Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taupo was thrilled to receive a grant of $20,000, conditional on achieving the balance of the funding required for the new organisation to establish a mentoring service for children between the ages of seven and 12. “It’s a service for children who need a positive adult role model in their lives,” Ms
Steadman explains. “Nationally and internationally, Big Brothers Big Sisters has achieved strong outcomes for children and their families and communities. Benefits include lower youth crime rates, improved child/parent relationships and children making healthier choices for themselves.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Taupo is now advertising for a part-time coordinator who will be trained by the national organisation to manage the selection of mentors and oversee child/mentor relationships.
Life Education Trust Taupo/Ruapehu also received a sizeable grant towards the cost of providing its acclaimed education programme for some 4,700 primary and intermediate school children throughout the area. Executive Officer Robyn King says that while the programme is subsidised by schools, there is still a significant cost for the Life Education Trust to meet.
“Bay Trust’s $10,500 grant will go towards the cost of resources, employing a full-time teacher to deliver the programme and the maintenance and running costs of our mobile classroom,” Mrs King says. “Life Education teaches children about building self esteem, achieving their potential and making healthy choices in all areas of their lives. We’re hugely appreciative of BayTrust’s support because it means we can get on with our job, for the benefit of children and the whole community.”
Other Taupo organisations to receive grants were: Age Concern Taupo Inc. ($3,122 towards newsletter and equipment costs and International Day of the Older Person activities); Growing Through Grief – Taupo ($3,400 towards salary, travel and supervision costs); Lake Taupo District
Sports Advisory Council ($6,000 towards pool space for the Aqua-Active programme); Literacy Taupo Inc. ($1,262 towards the cost of three whiteboards); Taupo Citizens Advice Bureau ($19,095 towards salary, rent and telephone expenses); Taupo Council of Social Services ($9,000 towards coordinator wage costs); and Taupo Therapy Centre Inc ($10,000 towards counsellor salary costs).