Yachting NZ To Launch Moanamana Programme For Schools

Yachting New Zealand, in partnership with Sport New Zealand and Live Ocean, is excited to unveil Moanamana, a programme designed to engage schools, kura and their communities in marine ecosystem restoration projects that will build New Zealand's Blue Belt.

Moanamana is the third and final instalment in Yachting New Zealand’s RŪNĀ school engagement framework and follows on from the success of the first two modules – Kōkōkaha and Kōrinorino.

It will be launched on Wednesday, March 15 at Naval Point Club Lyttelton in Christchurch, the host city for the inaugural ITM New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, unfolding March 18-19 on the spectacular Whakaraupō Harbour.

The launch will see local children and parents interact with SailGP athletes from New Zealand through a series of fun activities like discovering the many faces of our marine ecosystems, exploring kāpehu whetū – the Māori star compass, learning water skills for life and testing their abilities with some gutter-boat racing.

Natalia Groom, Yachting NZ’s RŪNĀ Kaiwhakahaere – education lead, says Moanamana is a vital next step in the organisation’s strategy to integrate boating and yachting clubs into their wider community, strengthen relationships with schools and kura and create a sense of whanaungatanga.

“Moanamana was developed as part of Sport New Zealand’s ‘In Our Backyard’ project to provide quality physical activity experiences for tamariki and rangatahi and is aimed at encouraging schools and local communities to understand and get involved in setting up local marine restoration projects to help build New Zealand's Blue Belt,” Groom said.

Sport NZ’s ‘In Our Backyard’ initiative is an educational project for schools and kura, which provides new opportunities for students to learn about the environment through sport, as New Zealand hosts a series of major sporting events.

Project coordinator, Dean Stanley, says the organisation is committed to supporting schools and kura so all children can enjoy being active in ways that suit them.

“Providing these opportunities through sport enhances learning, while contributing to students’ wellbeing,” Stanley said. “The ‘In Our Backyard’ project aims to create a legacy from hosting major sporting events in our country that has real value for schools, kura and communities, beyond the events themselves.”

Moanamana was recently selected as part of the Government’s 'Unlocking Curious Minds' initiative and is supported by Sport NZ's Strengthen and Adapt (S&A) project, which aims to create unique and significant opportunities to assist with driving change and to help create a stronger sector for the benefit of New Zealanders into the future.

Peter Burling, the New Zealand SailGP team driver and co-founder of the Live Ocean Foundation, says programmes like Moanamana are a big step in the right direction.

“It’s awesome to see local clubs work with a range of organisations to take on this guardianship role of the local marine environment. Looking into the future we need more of this - young people fired up and given the knowledge sets and community support to make positive change.”

The launch will also celebrate Naval Point Club Lyttelton becoming Yachting NZ's second tier-one RŪNĀ hub – clubs equipped with the capacity and equipment to run all three modules – following a successful trial at Worser Bay Boating Club.

Naval Point Club Lyttelton will also establish its own NZL Blue Belt site.

These sites focus on ocean restoration, with Live Ocean funding the development and implementation of tools for communities to monitor change and impact in their respective sites.

“New Zealand’s Blue Belt sites act as steppingstones to the marine reserves around our coastline, adding to their efforts to restore and protect our precious marine environment,” Burling said.

“The ocean is the life support system of the planet… but it’s at a tipping point and as New Zealanders, we need to step up and act.”

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