A dozen carefully selected South Auckland youth have graduated from the second annual AMP’d leadership programme. The young leaders were identified from the AMP’d drop in programme, which provides free sport and recreation for 11 to 17-year-olds after school in local Manukau parks, and have successfully completed the year-long SPARC Growing Leaders course.

Ofeina Ma’afu, Tou Dodds, Shontelle Kereopa, Eddie Elliot, Antonio Levi, Junior Notise, Joy Puepuemai, Eve Piho, Mary Piho, Nuku Tawhiti, Jacinta Kahika and Danny Korewha gathered with friends and family, on 10 December, at Auckland Council’s Manukau Civic Building to be formally recognised as emerging leaders in their communities, graduate the programme, and celebrate their success.

In a colourful ceremony that included drummers, Maori, Cook Island dance, and Samoan and Tongan haka, the graduates each received a certificate, a personalised bag and jacket, and a leadership pack. The leadership pack contains all the basic yet essential tools to enable the youth to gain employment or education, including a letter of reference, curriculum vitae, learners’ drivers license (if successfully completed), basic first aid certificate, personal identification and bank account details.

Approximately 250 people attended the 2011 Manurewa Youth Workers’ Awards, which is held every two years at Te Matariki Clendon Community Centre and Library to honour the work of youth workers in the young, vibrant community.

This year AMP’d, a youth programme delivered by Manukau Leisure and made possible by the John Walker “Find Your Field of Dreams” Foundation, Ministry of Social Development and The Southern Trust, took out two of the prestigious awards.

For the second time in a row AMP’d was presented with the award for a youth worker or organisation working in a sporting context. And they also took the “youth transitions” award, which recognises an organisation that has contributed to positive change in the community for young people.

Over the weekend Manukau Leisure picked up the Innovation Award at the New Zealand Fitness Industry Awards for the Krank initiative. Krank is an innovative and accessible workout and the trial studio at Lloyd Elsmore Park Leisure Centre, which was set up in February 2011, was the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Krank is a unique cardio and toning workout that allows participants to work out from standing, seated, squat and lunge positions. This presents an amazing opportunity for those who are physically challenged. It removes barriers for those in wheelchairs, with lower body injuries, suffering obesity, deconditioned, pregnant, or who are less able bodied.

On Tuesday 15 November, for the second year running, the SKYCITY NZ Breakers took time out to play an exhibition basketball game against local children from Otara primary schools.

The impressive Breakers line-up included key players Tom Abercombie, CJ Bruton, Dillon Boucher and American import Cedric Jackson, who took part to showcase the game and encourage kids into sport.

The event, known as Breaker Ball, is made possible by collaboration between the Otara Leisure Centre (operated by Auckland Council business unit Manukau Leisure), the John Walker ‘Find Your Field of Dreams’ Foundation Primary Sport programme (a Counties Manukau Sport programme) and the SKYCITY NZ Breakers.

Craig Rouse, centre manager at Manurewa’s popular public pools was honoured last week as the New Zealand Recreation Association (NZRA) announced the winners of its annual industry awards.

The Paul Stuart Memorial Award was presented to the Auckland Council employee at the annual NZRA Conference Gala Dinner in Dunedin on Thursday 17 November for excellence and outstanding personal contribution to the wider facility management industry.

NZRA chief executive Andrew Leslie remarked that those selected represent the best in the country. “Not only did they meet all of our specific criteria, they also showed originality, commitment and enthusiasm for their work” he said.

Mr Rouse leads the aquatics portfolio team for Manukau Leisure (an Auckland Council business unit) and has actively contributed to the development of the industry throughout a career that spans over 20 years.

Kauri Kids Otara was licensed on 26 September and began operating soon after but this week’s ceremony, which included a ribbon cutting, tree planting, blessing and childrens’ performances, officially signified its doors are open for learning and discovery.

The Kauri Kids centre, located inside the Otara Leisure Centre, is the latest in a chain of Council-owned early childhood education (ECE) centres operated by Manukau Leisure and was established in response to high demand for quality ECE opportunities in the community.

A crowd of preschool-aged children, parents, staff, community members, and representatives from the Otara-Papatoetoe local board, were wowed by the Bairds Mainfreight Primary School kapa haka group who opened the proceedings.

Howick Recreation Centre is offering something new these holidays – the opportunity for participants to stay at the Whangamata Surf Life Saving Club for a three-day beach camp!

The beach camp is open to 8 to 13-year-olds and is taking place, in the second week of the October school holidays, from Tuesday 18 to Thursday 20 October.

Children taking part will be given the opportunity to learn about kayaking, surf life saving and beach safety. The water is not going to be warm enough for swimming but there will be plenty of beach games and bush walks to keep them engaged.

Mangere’s popular Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Leisure Centre celebrated its 10th birthday last week with a powhiri, games, free activities and entertainment.

Staff at Moana-Nui celebrated the centre’s milestone by doing what they do best – encouraging the community to get active.

For the kids there was a free bouncy castle and inflatable ‘aqua run’ in the pool. For the adults there was a free Zumba class. And local entertainer Robert Wikaira, otherwise known as ‘Robbie the one man band’, kept the celebrations in high spirits all afternoon.

Centre Manager Waitangi Mika, who has been in charge of the centre for six years, thanked the staff for their hard work but reinforced that “ultimately we’re here to serve the community; this is Mangere’s leisure centre and we want to keep doing all we can to keep everyone coming here and enjoying our services.”