Rangatira Annual Report 2023 - Flipbook - Page 33
Ra n g a t i ra An n u a l Re p ort 2023
One of the organisations that the Trust has supported
“One of the biggest wins so far have been the number of schools
in pursuing this goal is Zeal Education Trust (Zeal). This
keen to get on board with our mid-year refurbish-a-thon. This is
nationwide youth organisation believes every young New
a chance for students who might not be able to commit to our
Zealander deserves to belong, be accepted on their terms, and
in-school tech clubs to learn laptop refurbishing in a smaller
have an equitable chance to thrive. It provides safe, inclusive,
timeframe, and still get to take home their own device they
local and online spaces where young people can explore and
worked on, which has been donated by one of Zeal’s generous
develop their strengths through various programmes and
device donors,” says Chris Winder, Digital Director – Zeal.
workshops. One of the many ways Zeal supports young people
is by helping them to overcome the digital divide through its
Tech Café.
Besides having a strong youth development approach
embedded into its delivery, Tech Café reduces tonnes of
E-waste by diverting devices and parts from landfill. Donated
In this innovative setting, they learn to refurbish donated
devices and parts are sourced locally, thus reducing the
laptops or desktop PCs and also get to keep the device as part
transportation carbon footprint. Any devices that can’t be
of the tech club programme. Zeal partners with schools in West
upcycled are salvaged and used for parts, and any parts not
Auckland where as many as 33% of ākonga (learners) do not
used are recycled.
have access to a device at home to learn, do homework, and
thrive on their own terms. These numbers increase to 36% and
49% without devices for rangatahi Māori and Pasifika young
Zeal has some ambitious plans for the future where Tech Café is
concerned.
people respectively. During COVID-19 Lockdowns, 59% of
“We’ve got some big prep work still to do so we’re set up to
those with devices were sharing them with siblings.
win at our mid-year refurbishment expo. We’ve also got some
Besides learning how to bring obsolete hardware back to life,
taking part in this programme teaches young people the skills
to thrive in the digital world, and how to learn and earn online,
exciting activations brewing with our project partner, Hau Tutū
trust, so that our expo participants get some fun exposure to
the tech world in between refurbishing their devices.
make friends, and overcome challenges. Importantly, Tech Café
This is a year of building but also making bolder moves towards
is led by young people with Zeal youth workers supporting them
our digital equity goals. Last year, we worked alongside over
to use their digital superpowers to achieve their goals, whether
100 rangatahi, who all took home devices they’d helped
that’s building a gaming suite for their community or starting
refurbish. This year, we want to more than double that through
their own businesses.
the addition of Zeal Tech Café,” says Chris.
For more information about the J R McKenzie Trust, its mahi, and its ngā kaikōkiri/grantees, visit
www.jrmckenzie.org.nz, or read its 2021/22 annual report.
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