Holistic support to allow individuals to achieve their true potential.
We identify opportunity.
Our work is about identifying opportunities to allow an individual to thrive further, using sport as the context to begin a concentrated intention to become a better person.
The Tātai Whetū Waitaha programme has connections to world-class expert providers in key areas of sport health and holistic support in Waitaha. We, along with the support of our funders, are beginning to see the benefits of this wealth of knowledge finding its way to our emerging next generation community leaders.
We provide a ‘collaborative support team’ culture, that has the individual sportsperson at the centre of this holistic support.
This team includes the sportsperson’s whānau, their school and/or coach, Tātai Whetū Waitaha staff, and professional experts; Nutritionist, Dietician, Mental Skills Coach, Coaching and Leadership, Performance Psychologist, Physiotherapist, Podiatrist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Athlete Planner, Performance Life Coach, Medical and Sport Doctors, and Dentist.
We are strongly motivated to ensure rangatahi Māori and Pacific peoples sportspeople, and underprivileged sportspeople enjoy equitable access to our services. We are very aware our programme needs to reach the sportspeople who are not in the position to fund these services or have access to them through their secondary schooling environment.
Our sportspeople are at our core.
Tātai Whetū Waitaha is focused on building relationships with each athlete and the key people in their lives. Our Programme Leaders then work with the athlete and support network to identify the priority areas for development.
They help the sportspeople construct a plan to engage support in a priority area, and ensure each athlete is connected to our experts across the key performance areas of: psychology, medical, physiotherapy, strength and conditioning, nutrition, female athlete health, athlete planning, leadership, funding , and communications.
Through the programme, we develop the leadership of youth and they in turn are inspiring their whānau and communities - school, sport and church.
Our programme lead, Ged Robinson, supported by Tayla Bruce, has discovered the potential of these young people lies in working holistically with them, and their sphere of influence – using sport as the context.
Our partners.
The richness of the programme comes from the contribution of many partners. This includes educators, holistic support services and funders. The Tātai Whetū Waitaha Programme Leaders are continually working with other organisations.
EDUCATION
Community Colleges New Zealand (Comcol)
A youth development organisation with more than forty years of helping young people find their pathway to further education, training and/or employment. As a charitable organisation (C10303) it has been nurtured by people who wholeheartedly care about making a real difference in the lives of those who need support to learn and grow in an environment that suits them.
Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki- Lincoln University (LU)
Through the relationships of the Tātai Whetū Trustees and the staff, Lincoln University are enthusiastically making their sport science department available for participants on the Tātai Whetū Waitaha programme and the pilot school programme. This has involved visits to the gym and sport science facilities, with hands-on experiences being provided by the LU staff.
Secondary schools
Hillmorton High School – 25 students participated in the 6 week pilot programme in May to June 2024.
The following schools have been identified and we hope to work with them:
Avonside Girls’ High School
Shirley Boys’ High School
Hornby High School
Te Aratai College
Haeata Community Campus
Contribution of many.
Commercial Sponsorships
Heartland Bank
Forsyth Barr
Cyclone Computers
Philanthropic Funders
The Jones Family
Tony Hall
Our richness comes from the contribution made by many, and is represented in our name: Tātai Whetū Waitaha. Tātai is associated with connection, Whetū represents a star or collection of stars, and Waitaha being Canterbury.
Just as there are innumerable stars in the sky, we acknowledge there are many ways to get there. These stars represent each athlete, coach or participant in the pathway, and the links we have to each other’s success. It also references the need to uncover those stars that are hiding or undiscovered.
Grants
Tom Anderson Memorial Trust Canterbury Sports Foundation Christchurch City Council Ashburton District Council
Mainland Foundation
Pub Charity
Xyst
Product sponsors
Koha Fitness and Health Club
Pure Nutrition
Asics
Canterbury Teamwear
