Everybody involved in recreation and sport in Aotearoa should expect to
be treated fairly and to be safe – both physically and mentally. That’s why
the Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui was established on 1 July
2024. The Commission’s mahi includes participant protection, child
safeguarding, anti-doping, anti-competition manipulation, anti-corruption,
and supporting positive organisational culture.

The Commission was formed after several independent reviews uncovered
shortcomings in New Zealand's recreation and sport integrity mechanisms.
A clear process was needed for escalating participant welfare concerns,
and for preventing and addressing threats to integrity in recreation and sport.

The framework for the Commission is based on the weaving of a kākahu
(cloak) which represents the drawing together of all the threads that
support integrity in sport and recreation, including participants,
organisations, and communities. The kākahu symbolises safety and
protection for everybody in the sport and recreation sector.

Led by this vision, the Commission has worked with the sector to create
the Integrity Code, a voluntary code that will set consistent standards -
including what is expected of recreation and sport organisations and
participants. Adopting and implementing the Integrity Code will be an
opportunity for organisations to help protect participants from harm and
reduce the risk of serious integrity issues occurring.

Commission CEO Rebecca Rolls will present an introduction to the
Integrity Code, how the recreation sector can be supported, and the
opportunity to work together to embed consistent values that positively
shape the culture in recreation and sport.

• 

  Rebecca Rolls

  Chief Executive at Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui

A series of unprecedented storm events in 2023 caused significant damage
to the network of 4000+ parks and community facilities across Tāmaki
Makaurau.
While the immediate aftermath focused on response and keeping our
communities safe, it soon became clear the scale of the challenge ahead of
us, with at least 600 individual slips or slip areas recorded within public
open space across the region. With limited funding, concerned
stakeholders, and a growing list of slips, this was no easy feat.

This presentation will explore the strategic work undertaken to prioritise
actions and investment into these slips, and ultimately to guide decision
making and planning both now and in the future to build a more resilient
parks and facility network.

• 

  Thomas Dixon, ARPro

  Principal Parks Advisor at Auckland Council

The ReVision Initiative is about creating tangible ways for local young
people to have their say on places and spaces in their communities.
ReVision support young people to audit places and spaces that are or will
be used by young people to ensure that it is youth friendly, and tools to
help planners, managers, architects and designers use Youth Relevant
Design to create youth-friendly places and spaces.

To date Revision has completed 32 audits giving a total of 125
recommendations across these reports involving 215 young people. This
includes plans for new facilities, existing facilities, parks, pools, co-working
spaces, public places, social housing, sports facilities, community and
health centers. This has provided a wealth of information and insight on
what young people need and expect from places to feel safe, included and
valued in their communities. In particular there are some great learnings for
facilities and public places in the parks and recreation space.

In this session we will cover:
- An overview of Youth Relevant Design and how this can be applied to
your setting.
- An overview of ReVision Youth Auditing and how you can champion this in
your communities.
- Insights from youth audits into parks, aquatics, sports and community
facilities.

• 

  Hannah Dunlop

  Project Manager at ReVision Initiative

Join our expert panelists to explore the area of neurodiversity in the workplace. Expect to understand neurodiversity at work better and what unique and valuable benefits neurodiverse staff bring to the table.

A strong and successful recreation sector in Aotearoa is one that is
accessible to all, providing people with disabilities the choice and
autonomy to participate in outdoor recreation activities across the motu.
Recreation Aotearoa, in collaboration with the Accessible Outdoors
Working Group, is on a mission to enhance the Wildly Accessible places in
Aotearoa. Our goal is to increase participation in outdoor recreation
activities for people with disabilities.

Join this presentation to learn about the latest Outdoor Accessibility
Guidelines and gain key insights from the Outdoor Recreation Accessibility
Survey, conducted in partnership with the Department of Conservation.
Discover what these findings mean for your practice in managing and
developing outdoor spaces, including the dissemination of information
about these areas. This session will provide practical advice and strategies
to ensure that outdoor spaces are welcoming and accessible to everyone.

• 

  Katie Owen

  Disability Inclusion Programme Manager at Recreation Aotearoa
• 

  Simon Alefosio-Tuck

  Kaitohu Whakahono Rēhia - Recreational Partnerships Advisor at Rotorua Lakes Council
• 

  Mark Mandeno

  Director of Adventure Works Ltd

When I was 10, I tried skateboarding for the first time. Despite loving the
feeling it gave me, as a young female, I found skateparks intimidating and
scary. Eventually, I gave up, but the desire to skate never left me. At 19,
after becoming a mother, I returned to the park and met a young girl who
felt just as out of place as I once did. We started skating together, and soon
her friends joined us. Before I knew it, I was coaching, and Girls Skate NZ
was born.
Fast forward 6 years, Girls Skate now runs 6 classes a week and has taught
over 4000 girls to skate. We operate in 3 schools and collaborate with
Auckland Council to run outreach programs in over 20 skateparks every
summer. We also provide sessions for disabled families, o􀋞ering kids who
wouldn't otherwise have the chance, the opportunity to skate.
Girls Skate NZ is designed to break down barriers and create a welcoming
space where young girls can learn and excel without feeling intimidated in
male-dominated skateparks. Led by experienced female skateboarders,
our tailored coaching sessions not only teach fundamental skills but also
foster con􀋡dence and friendships.
A recent survey by Skateboarding NZ revealed high levels of
neurodiversity within the skateboarding community, with 41% of females
identifying as neurodiverse. Many of the girls I teach prefer skateboarding
over traditional sports, finding it a creative outlet to connect with friends
and stay active.
This presentation will delve into the experiences and perspectives of girls
involved in Girls Skate NZ. Exploring how it boosts self-esteem, challenges
societal norms, and empowers their passion for skateboarding. The
presentation will also discuss the broader implications of initiatives like
ours in advancing gender equity within action sports.

• 

  Amber Clyde

  Founder of Girls Skate NZ

In 2023, Wellington City Council adopted Te Awe Māpara, an integrated
approach to deliver thriving and accessible community facilities, where
people connect, have fun and belong. The plan addresses 277 buildings
across recreation, aquatic, community, library, lease facilities, housing
spaces and public toilets. Informed by a comprehensive needs analysis, it
was determined the plan was less about building new facilities for growth,
but how Wellington needs to careful evolve, be smarter and maximise the
benefits of its facilities. In this session, we will outline the methodology, key
findings, the future approach for Wellington’s community facilities and how
the plan is being implemented.

• 

  Anita Coy-Macken

  Senior Consultant at Visitor Solutions
• 

  Kristine Ford

  Principal Policy Advisor at Wellington City Council

Public space often overlooks rangatahi: playgrounds for tamariki, café’s and night life for adults, what happens to the forgotten generation - our young people? Much of the time it ends up leading to increased screen time or going to the mall resulting in many issues facing our rangatahi – disengagement, obesity, youth crime, and a rise in mental health issues.

This presentation looks to share lessons learnt from 25 years of Convic; creating youth spaces across the globe. Our kaupapa is all about helping communities to provide better and more accessible facilities for youth to encourage healthy active lifestyles. Not just a skatepark! A community youth space that celebrates young people and youth culture.

We will explore different case studies that have been co-designed with young people, often on the fringe of ‘traditional sports culture’. Through a youth specific community engagement approach, we empower rangatahi to get involved in decision making; creating ownership as of a built space and giving youth an opportunity to become role models throughout the process.

These case studies will showcase projects that step away from the traditional concrete slab skatepark and elevate youth through vibrancy, community events space, art, diverse youth activation, increased female participation, mana whenua engagement, technology and sustainability.

We’ll demonstrate how a successful outcome starts long before a design is realised. The process begins with better understanding of our communities, available recreation infrastructure and gaps in provision of these spaces. Through strategy and planning we can understand youth demographics and trends to form facility distribution models. These aim to provide strategies for refurbishing and building on existing facilities or provide new spaces for identified gaps.

• 

  Simon Bogalo

  Lead Designer at Convic

Te Araroa is a journey through Aotearoa New Zealand's stunning
landscapes, and a pathway to sustainable and regenerative practices that
enhance the environment, economy, infrastructure, and social connection
with the communities it touches. The journey is one of collaboration,
partnership, and shared stewardship.

The mission is to continuously improve Te Araroa through the collective
efforts of walkers, volunteers, partners, iwi, hapū and communities,
ensuring that we give more than we take from the trail, land, people, and
communities.

We’ll cover how the ‘baby‘of long distance through hikes - Te Araroa is
evolving through Whakahou - to renew, restore, refresh, amidst the
challenges of the economy, funding instability and resource constraint.

Overall, the Regenerative Trail Strategy for Te Araroa aims to create a
sustainable and regenerative trail that supports the purposes and
aspirations of tangata whenua and local communities, protects the natural
environment, and provides a world-class experience for visitors.

• 

  Matt Claridge

  Chief Executive at Te Araroa Trust

Whenua Iti Outdoors, like many within the outdoors recreation sector, is on
a journey to improve the cultural competency of our organisation.
However, there are limited pathways to support young rangatahi Māori,
skilled in mātauranga and tikanga Māori, into full-time employment.

The Fostering Futures Project provided an innovative solution to this
problem, enabling pathways for rangatahi Māori by developing new
trainee-instructor roles. Funded through the EONZ Tuia ki Tawhiti fund, and
supported by Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa, the project sought to develop
facilitation, planning and relevant ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills necessary to be an
instructor at Whenua Iti Outdoors with a mix of cultural and adventure
based training, under the guidance of kaiako and kaumatua Māori able to
guide appropriate tikanga across a range of contexts. In this way,
mātauranga Māori is shared carefully and appropriately, and our trainee
kaiako have culturally appropriate mentorship to whakamana their skills
and strengths. The nurturing of rangatahi into facilitator roles benefits the
participants on our programmes, the cultural competency of our
organisation and the wider sector through opportunities to collaborate.

We will share our journey, what we have learned through this project, and
how this has informed our future strategies towards informed bi-cultural
practice in the outdoors.

• 

  Mark Bruce-Miller

  CEO of Whenua Iti Outdoors
• 

  Taylor Bruning

Opened in 2017 amidst high-density housing, Kauri Flats School (KFS) faced
space constraints and limited green space. Kauri Flats transformed ‘dead’
spaces within the school into outdoor recreational areas. Utilising
partnerships with community organisations and funding, Kauri Flats
created wilderness trails, outdoor fitness apparatus and recreational
games to enhance student engagement and wellbeing. Their efforts earned
them a Merit Award at the Recreation Aotearoa Recreation Awards 2023
for ‘Outstanding Community Recreation Programme.’

Kauri Flats has an expanding roll, with an average attendance of 88 percent
when declining school attendance is the norm. Utilising innovative thinking
Kauri Flats School is not afraid to do things differently. In practice that looks like a school
that doesn’t let anything stop them from providing quality sport, play and
physical activity opportunities for students. Not even COVID restrictions –
during which Kauri Flats School provided socially distanced outdoor experiences in
sailing, orienteering, cycling, and picnics.

Effective leadership, collaborative approaches and systems ensure that students are given
regular opportunities to be purposefully active in sport, outdoor activities,
and play. There’s also a kete of accessible equipment to get ākonga outside
and learning through movement as often as they can. The school is
committed to promoting connection to nature and continue to explore
ways to get students physically actively engaged.

• 

  Dr Tracey-Lee Dalton, ARPro

  Healthy Active Learning Advisor at CLM Community Sport
• 

  Ezra Feau

  Associate Principal at Kauri Flats School

Aotearoa is the only home of te reo and te ao Māori in the world, so if we don’t help protect it, who will?

Outward Bound encourages stepping out of comfort zones, trying new things and leaning into discomfort. How does this enable our students and our staff to grow in their reo and their understanding of tikanga and matauranga Māori?

For some students at Anakiwa, te reo is their first language and te ao Māori forms their world view and ways of doing things, for others, Outward Bound is the first place they have heard and felt comfortable to try using te reo Māori.
What have been some of the joys, challenges and learnings along our journey, our haerenga ki te ao Māori?

• 

  Jen Riley

  Course Design Manager Pau Whakaahua Akomanga at Outward Bound

Do you want to make a bigger impact in your team or community but feel unconfident or that you're not reaching your leadership potential?

Forget the murky waters of self-doubt. This interactive workshop will help you gain clarity on your strengths, identify areas for development, and discover your unique leadership style.

Leadership isn't a solo sport. Connect with other inspiring women in recreation, share experiences, and celebrate success as you unlock your leadership potential.

If you're ready to make an even more significant impact in your team,
organisation and community, join us to unlock your leadership potential.

• 

  Esther Bukholt, ARPro

  Director of Solstone

This workshop focuses on practical strategies for incorporating youth perspectives into recreational and sports initiatives, ensuring that programs are appealing and tailored to young people. Including youth voices is crucial for building impactful and engaging programs. When young people are given a platform to express their interests, preferences, and needs, it significantly enhances the quality and effectiveness of recreational initiatives.

Enabling youth to participate in the design and delivery of recreational activities fosters a sense of ownership and commitment. It transforms passive participants into active contributors, increasing engagement, higher participation rates, and a greater understanding of the community. Youth driven programs promote inclusivity and diversity, making recreational activities more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

In this workshop, attendees will learn practical strategies for involving youth in program development, strategies to overcome common implementation barriers, and the tangible benefits of youth-centered approaches.

Join us to discover why youth voice is indispensable in building active, thriving communities and how embracing it can lead to innovative, impactful recreational programs that resonate with the next generation. Learn how to harness the power of youth voice to create programs that meet young people's needs and inspire and empower them to take an active role in their communities.