akau booklet

www.akau.co.nz | [email protected] | 021 029 19799

We are ĀKAU, a design and architecture studio with a social conscience.

Our unique vision is to weave together youth creativity, community strengths and design, to develop innovative solutions

to the challenges facing communities today.

Around New Zealand communities struggle with high unemployment and a lack of economic growth, whilst the talents and creativity

of their young people go to waste.

Our solution: Empower youth to achieve their full potential and create positive change in their own communities by engaging

them in the design of real projects.

KIA ORA!become part of our unique story and join us in telling

a tale of innovation and inspiration

Ana, Ruby & Felicity

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN SERVICES

building the story

STORIES WORKSHOPS PROJECTS

AKAUis a design studio made up of three interwoven

threads, together they tell an epic story.

OUR PRODUCT RANGE

containing the story

OUR YOUTH PROGRAMME

starting the story

THE STRUCTURE

Kaikohe is a small community of approximately 4,270 people in the centre of the far North of New Zealand. Not that long ago it was regarded as the ‘hub of the north’ with a bustling farming and timber industry.

Sadly Kaikohe tells a different story today. Whānau have moved away seeking better opportunities, businesses are closing and the number of vacant shops on the main road speak for themselves. There are generations of families on the benefit, struggling in poverty.

It is these visible problems that first inspired ĀKAU to take action. Because within each problem we see an opportunity.

We see a town with the potential to be a vibrant community.

A major driving force is the personal connection that Ana, one of the ĀKAU founders, has with the area. Her father Ngawati was raised in Kaikohe and both of her parents are now buried nearby at St Michaels church, Ngawha.

THE CONTEXT

KICKING OFF IN KAIKOHE!

a town with potential

WHY BEGIN IN KAIKOHE?

- 01 -It faces social issues that need to

be addressed now, with innovative strategies that are relevant and

adopted by the community.

- 02 - Our whānau connection makes it personal, and that makes us work

even harder.

- 03 -The community size makes it a good test case to create scalable model. Proven results in Kaikohe will be proof-of-concept that the

ĀKAU model can work in any disadvantaged community

in New Zealand.

WHY IS CHANGE HARD?

- 01 -Distance/ isolation

- 02 - Serious social issues including

health, alcohol, drugs and offending.

- 03 -Dealing with third/ fourth

generation benefit families who are not motivated to change.

- 04 -Community support is essential

but can be hard to get.

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

- 01 -Bring the solution to Kaikohe.

- 02 -Seek partnerships with experienced organisations who deal with serious

social issues.

- 03 -Produce tangible outcomes that prove

the value of an education and a job.

- 04 -Engage with individuals, their whānau

and the wider community, to ensure support for our initiative at all levels.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATES:Kaikohe 10.8%Northland 9.1%

New Zealand 6.2%- 2013 NZ Census

- 01 -Increase in community leadership

- 02 -Positive whānau role modelling

- 03 -Economic growth

- 04 -Community rejuvenation

THE FACTS

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Kaikohe has the youngest population in the North. 30% of Kaikohe residents, around 1280 people, are under 18 years old compared to 22% in the rest of New Zealand.

A high number of these young people spend their days on the streets, bored and disengaged, they turn to truancy, crime, drugs and alcohol, rather than education or a job.

Engaging youth in relevent learning: We believe the youth of Kaikohe have untapped potential, are often inherently creative, and need to be given the opportunity to shine.

We personally know the benefit of a creative / design education in terms of building self-confidence and lateral thinking, over the traditional teaching methods used in schools. We think this approach can benefit those people who do not fit within the mainstream education model. Hands-on learning engages youth in activities that have a real-life application with tangible results.

This builds self-confidence in their ability to achieve something for themselves, their whanau and their community.

Engaging youth in the community: When we asked Youth what they would like to create for Kaikohe, most gave responses that showed they had pride in their home town and wanted to do something to help improve it for future generations.

Allowing youth to be empowered through designing their communities increases feelings of respect and responsibility for the place and to each other.

Empowering youth to see beyond their current circumstance and create opportunities for change, not only for themselves but also for their community, is the essence of the ĀKAU mission. We exist in order to help the young people we connect with develop to their full potential.

Once successful in achieving this we believe our higher level impact goals for Kaikohe will also be achieved.

THE YOUTH

YOUTH IN KAIKOHE!

empowering youth to tell their stories

SOME MATH:

231 youth age 16 - 17, not in employment, education or training

(NEET) are currently registered with Youth Services in Kaikohe

and nearby Kawakawa

Youth who enter the welfare system before age 20 cost the government

on average $184,000 in their lifetime. Multiply that by 231 and you

get $42.5 million 1

WHY ARE WE STARTING WITH YOUTH IN KAIKOHE?- 01 -

The youth of Kaikohe have the potential to achieve great things but often have not been given the same opportunities as others.

- 02 -Breaking the cycle of benefit dependence early has

lifelong positive social and economic impacts.

THE YOUTH

1. MSD actuarial valuation of the benefit system, 2013

$42.

5 mil

THE YOUTH

WHAT PROBLEMS DO YOUTH IN

KAIKOHE FACE?

From a series of interviews with youth sector experts and youth

themselves we discovered:

- 01 - A lack of self-confidence

and direction.

- 02 -A lack of interesting activities for youth.

- 03 -Many are not well suited to mainstream education or

other training options due to literacy and numeracy levels

not being high enough.

- 04 -A lack of hands-on learning options.

- 05 -Narrow horizons due to a lack

of exposure to positive role models and what is possible in the

wider world.

- 06 -No means to travel to other areas

for employment or training.

- 07 -Broader social and family issues

that go beyond their education or work situation.

OUR PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR

SUCCESS:

We have already run a number of design workshop programmes and developed strategies for success:

- 01 - Listen to youth to understand

their issues from their perspective.

- 02 -Be innovative and adaptable in our approach to accommodate youth

with varied strengths and interests.

- 03 -Set high expectations for youth, give them our trust and respect

whilst expecting the same in return.

- 04 -Make it hands-on, interesting and rewarding, to keep youth engaged

and build their confidence.

- 05 -Maintain relationships beyond

our youth program, managing the transition into further education

and/or work.

- 06 -Reach out to the whole whānau and

wider community for support.

- 07 -Seek partnerships with experienced

education providers to deal with specialist learning issues.

OUR YOUTH PROGRAM IS UNIQUE:

- 01 -Design of real projects with

tangible outcomes.

- 02 -Hands-on learning.

- 03 -Strengths based and tailored to

individual interests.

- 04 -Connects youth to their

wider community.

ĀKAU Workshops is a 19-week course that engages at-risk youth (age 16 - 24) in the design of real projects.

The program is delivered through a partnership with Northtec, who are an established local education provider. Graduation leads to NCEA level 2 accreditation and job or further education pathways.

Our practical learning environment consists of a design studio and prototype workshop, allowing students to tackle the multi-faceted elements of real-life design projects in a hands-on experiential way.

Through contributing to the design of ĀKAU Projects and ĀKAU Stories products, Rangatahi see tangible outcomes from their learning and hard work that they can be proud of.

“I held my head high everyday after working with ĀKAU”

- youth designer (anon)

And how do we know that ĀKAU Workshops will engage youth? Because ĀKAU Pop-up! showed us it can.

The Pop-up! ran for three months over the 2014/15 Summer holidays on the main street of Kaikohe, providing an opportunity for youth to gain important life skills, professional skills and creative confidence, through practical engagement in design and making.

In addition to delivering these outcomes for Kaikohe Youth, the ĀKAU Pop-up! allowed us to test our assumptions, identify challenges and develop our teaching model and approach to youth engagement.

Not only did over 70 youth participate in a creative activity at the ĀKAU Pop-up! over Summer, the Pop-up! and associated youth activities were featured in four Northland newspapers and we raised our profile in the Kaikohe community. This has resulted in increased mutual trust and has helped to build key relationships with important members of the community.

AKAU WORKSHOPS

‘starting the story - our youth programme’

ĀKAU WORKSHOPS

We will measure the success of our workshops program based on the

following criteria:

- 01 - Youth move into further

education or a job.

- 02 -Youth are motivated to work

and have a belief in their own abilities.

- 03 -Youth understand what their strengths and passions are so

that they can pursue them.

OUR STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS:

We will employ the following strategies to ensure our

workshops program succeeds:

- 01 -Identify youth that are not

currently on a meaningful pathway (at-risk youth)

- 02 -Engage with these youth and

identify their strengths.

- 03 -Develop existing skills and build new skill sets through design and

experiential learning.

- 04 -Prepare and mentor youth towards

meaningful pathways post completion of the program.

- 05 -Support youth whilst in their

chosen pathway.

- 06 -Continue to develop meaningful

partnerships to grow the network of pathways our youth can access.

OUTCOME: Youth are equipped and

empowered to create a future for themselves that combines their

passions and talents, so that they reach their full potential.


”

Ako describes a teaching & learning relationship, where the educator is also learning from the student. Ako is grounded in the principle of reciprocity and also recognises that the learner and whānau cannot be separated

- ka hikitia, 2008, p.20

“

ĀKAU WORKSHOPS

AKAU WORKSHOPS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING:

We have secured a $51,000 grant from the Ministry of Youth

Development to deliver our six month pilot program for ten

youth from July 2015.

”It was fun,

I wanted to be involved in all the activities


“

Through ĀKAU Projects we facilitate community engagement and provide architecture and design services for paying clients.

Rangatahi contribute to the design of these real architecture and design projects whilst engaged in our youth program or employed as an intern at ĀKAU. We involve youth in the front-end design work where creative ideas are valuable and deliver the later stages by employing professionals with the appropriate level of expertise.

ĀKAU helps build communities, not only through an increase in community leadership, vibrancy and positive role modelling, but also through the construction of real tangible projects.These projects connect local organisations and businesses with local youth through a collaborative design process, strengthening ties within the community.

The construction of ĀKAU projects results in more local jobs and provides a boost to the local economy. This in turn allows our

youth participants to be connected to job placements with local manufacturers and suppliers.

Our first major project is the design of Miria Marae (construction budget $2.2mil). We offer our client the unique opportunity to involve kuia, kaumatua and the younger generation in the design of their marae that will be vibrant and bring together whānau.

Through our presence in Kaikohe and the relationships we have made with local organisations and businesses, a string of projects are already in the pipeline.

ĀKAU project opportunities include:

- Design of a Community Park in Kaikohe.

- Collaborating on a strategy for the development of the Northland Economy.

- Te Hau Ora Project, Women’s Health Campaign.

AKAU PROJECTS

‘building the story - architecture and design services’

ĀKAU PROJECTS

ĀKAU PROJECTS

Our Pop-up! youth participants designed and built a community

public space in the centre of Kaikohe.

Through this process they experienced design thinking, project management, carried out budgeting, provided marketing and graphics as

well as organising the community build and other events. Youth told us they had fun, and proved it by showing up in greater numbers each day. The wider community

supported us with their time, funding and enthusiasm.

OUR DESIGN SERVICES ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE:

- 01 -We harness the creativity of youth to deliver innovative

solutions for our clients.

- 02 -With a focus on community consultation, we embed our design solutions within the

communities they serveand give youth a voice

in their community.


I feel like I’m someone different than I used to be


“ “

AKAU - WHERE IS THE AWESOME?

Awesome is where youth learning and real life projects merge within a community.

ĀKAU Stories is a range of high-quality designed products that will be sold around New Zealand to support our Workshops youth program.

Rangatahi experiment with the smaller scale design of products in the studio and prototype workshop, learning through hands-on application of design. Products are designed to harness existing resources and industry in the region, keeping it local and supporting job growth.

ĀKAU products are created with socially and environmentally conscious consumers in mind. Kiwis who want to make a difference through their purchasing decisions.

Capitalising on the growing consumer trend away from mass produced, disposable products, towards ethical and sustainable alternatives. Our research has shown that customers are willing to pay a premium for high quality furniture that is well designed and built to last.

New products will be launched every six months through exhibitions and online,

tapping into the growing ĀKAU network for support. Retailing through established furniture design stores will give successful products a continuing outlet in the NZ market, with potential for international retailing of highly sought after items.

The impact is massive:- Connecting ĀKAU youth designers with

the wider NZ community, bringing their story to life.

- Creating employment opportunity and reinvestment back into the local community.

- Reducing carbon emissions and landfill by creating high-quality products using local materials.

- Greater consumer choice in furniture purchasing with the opportunity to support local, ethical production.

- Inspiring other producers towards higher quality, made-to-last products by growing the demand for this type of product.

Most importantly though, our products give a tangible output for our youth designers growing skills, building their confidence and belief in themselves.

AKAU STORIES

‘containing the story - our product range’

ĀKAU STORIES

BUY A STOOL

This is our very first product, the paddle stool, designed with youth in Kaikohe. To purchase visit our

website:

www.akau.co.nz

We asked our youth designers to develop a design concept around

the traditional waka.

They chose to create an abstract version of the paddle, or hoe,

capturing its essence by combining straight edges and curves in a

simplified form.

ĀKAU developed that abstract concept into a unique stool.

The resulting product is high-quality and manufactured locally

using locally and sustainably sourced timber.

OUR PRODUCTS ARE UNIQUE BECAUSE:

- 01 -Youth designers develop the concepts for every product.

- 02 -Each one contains a unique story, of where it was made

and who designed it.

- 03 -With each product sold the

story continues, as profits are used to support our youth

program and bring our youth designers ideas to life.


ĀKAU STORIES

YOUTH DESIGNERS CONCEPTUAL HOE

IMPACT GROWTH changing lives, changing communities

Imagine the ripple effect of twenty young people each year moving into employment or further education, rather than being on the benefit. This effect multiples as a shift in the life of each young person also impacts the lives of their whole whānau.

Preventing twenty young people from becoming welfare dependant will save New Zealand tax payers $3.68 million over these peoples’ lifetimes. This saving

Gisborne

Invercargill

Westport

Kaitaia ĀKAU HQ Kaikohe

IMPACT GROWTH

will grow as the ĀKAU programme reach increases. Kaikohe is not the only community full of untapped potential.By combining youth learning, design and community strengths we are creating a model that could be replicated all over New Zealand.

Do you know of a community that could do with an ĀKAU boost?

GROWTH IN PROGRAMME

PARTICIPATION:

- 2015 -10 Youth in Kaikohe

- 2016 -20 Youth in Kaikohe

- 2017 -30 Youth in Kaikohe.

- 2018 -40 Youth in Kaikohe plus

replication in other communities.

REPLICATE

PILOT

NOW

PROFITS USED

TO GROW TO 30

YOUTH PER YEAR

LAUNCH FI

RST

PRODUCT

2 INTE

RNS

EMPLO

YED

2015

2017

2018

$ 120K FUNDING

ASK

IMPACT GROWTH

”

a job... helps us feel good about ourselves... shapes who we are... makes our lives more satisfying

- the social value of a job, MPI, 2014, p.2-3

“Each year there will be ĀKAU

graduates who go on to do truly awesome things that make a real

impact in the world.

These individuals will become role models for other young people, not just in Kaikohe, but around

New Zealand. Without ĀKAU their potential will remain untapped.

Innovative design outcomes will bring attention to the potential

youth have as the designers of our world.

These successes will make ĀKAU a source of inspiration for others wanting to make an impact in the

lives of young people.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

$ 51K MYD

GRANT

WHO IS AKAU?

We are a team of designers and architects with a combined 22

years professional experience in the architecture, community art

and design fields. We are not just colleagues, we are friends, who have

fun doing what we do!

RUBY WATSON

DIRECTORarchitecture teaching & mentoring

community engagement

Ruby is an Artist and trained Architect. She has worked on

numerous architectural, community art and construction projects in the

UK, Auckland and Tanzania. Particularly relevant projects include:

The Tamariki Peace Project – a youth based project as part of a larger peace project through the Depot Artspace, AKL, ‘Sum of the Parts’

The Teachers Training College, Mwanza, Tanzania – art and music workshops for women aged 16-25.Ruby is passionate about education

and learning through making.

Ruby is now based in Kaikohe.

OUR ADVISORS

ĀKAU also has an awesome crew of advisors, who have been

selected based on their significant expertise in relevant areas:

- TREVOR TAYLOR -Former Chief Executive Officer,

Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand

- KEN RINTOUL -Chairman, Northland Rural Fire Board,

Chairman and trust member, Youth Enterprise Scheme

- JOSEPH STUART -Northland Inc business development

- OUR WIDER NETWORK -Ngapuhi Iwi Social Services, HYPE

(Helping Young People Evolve), WINZ, Ngati Hine Youth Services, Tai Tokerau Attendance Service, Kaikohe

Police Youth Services, Ministry of Primary Industries

THE TEAM

ANA HEREMAIA

DIRECTORdesign pathways management

teaching & mentoring

Ana is a trained Interior Architect with nine years professional experience in NZ, London and Australia. Ana

graduated with a Bachelor ofDesign in Interior Architecture with First

Class honours.

She has since gained experience on a wide range of projects including

residential, education, retail, commercial, and large government sector projects. As part of the award winning educational project, The City

Academy, Hackney, London, Ana worked with a ‘Student Client Team’ to

help develop the design concept.

Ana is now based in Kaikohe.

FELICITY BRENCHLEY

DIRECTORarchitecture product design

business management

Felicity has a Masters degree in Architecture and is a registered Architect in New Zealand and

Australia, with nine years design industry experience.

She has also trained in traditional woodworking and taught

Interior Architecture at Monash University in Melbourne.

Most recently Felicity established her own Architectural practice, Crafted

Studio, and was awarded the NZ House & Garden Interior of the

Year Award 2014 for the kitchen in her own home.

Felicity is based in Auckland.

THE TEAM

THE FINAL WORD

ĀKAU, where again is the awesome? Awesome is where youth learning and real life projects merge within a community.

By empowering youth to achieve their potential, we can transform struggling communities around New Zealand.

It all starts with Kaikohe, a town with potential. Where young people are charismatic and creative,

but without a voice.

ĀKAU will help them tell their stories, whilst they will help us write the next chapter of ours,

and maybe yours...

become part of our unique story and join us in telling a tale of innovation and inspiration

Ana, Ruby & Felicity

ENGAGE

CREATE

EMPOWER

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

- 01 -Do you have an exciting design project that you think could benefit from youth

involvement? Contact us!

- 02 - Purchase our first product - refer to

our website for more details www.akau.co.nz

akau booklet

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