An organisation which helps tamariki and rangatahi (young people) in care to live with the Aroha (love), safety and respect they deserve hosted a Christmas Pop Up in Stoke last week.
The VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai event provided free donated clothing items, kai and other activities for local youth in care aged up to 25 years.
VOYCE youth advocate for Te Tau Ihu (Top of the South) Shardae Wanoa-Herring says the event represented one of the organisation’s pou or pillars of how it works with young people, which was connections with their ilk and celebration.
“We were fortunate enough to collaborate with a company up in Auckland, and they donated all the clothes for us to give them away for free,” she says. “We threw this event in Ōtautahi [Christchurch] a few months ago, and it was just such a success, so we bought it to the Top of the South. It’s also about gifting [youth in care] with something they can take home and call their own. Many young people in care don’t have that opportunity, and it is such a beautiful feeling to provide this for them so they can go into Christmas feeling great.”
