October Community Events - Tāmaki Day & Auckland Volunteers Expo
We were invited to partake in Tāmaki Day, a community event held by Tāmaki Regeneration Company, on Saturday 10th October. Our kaimahi Rosita and Gloria ran a HEART stall on the day, promoting the upcoming Mana Wāhine Symposium, and it turned out to be a brilliant way to get the kaupapa in front of our community. The same day, Ren also flew the HEART flag (literally) at the Auckland Volunteer Expo.
A stall that never stopped
Our stall had a constant stream of whānau and visitors from start to finish. All 30 of our flyers were snapped up by local wāhine, the vast majority of them from Glen Innes. Once the flyers ran out, people scanned our QR code or took photos of the Symposium schedule instead, so the word kept spreading.
Connection and keen volunteers
We were met with plenty of encouragement for the Symposium. Three people in particular, including a Tāmaki College student, shared a strong interest in volunteering. It was also lovely to connect with the other stallholders, and several incredible wāhine told us they would love to be part of the Symposium themselves.
Healthy relationships in action
The layout of the day worked beautifully. With the bouncy castle in the middle of the rec centre, mamas could let their tamariki run free, which gave them space to kōrero about their lives. Through those conversations, many shared how different parts of the Symposium will give them a chance to recharge and connect with other mamas.
The stamp card was another highlight. Visitors had to stop at every stall to collect a stamp, which gave everyone a great reason to come and have a chat with us. It meant we got to kōrero with people who might otherwise have walked past, including some usually shy teenagers.
Meanwhile, at the Auckland Volunteer Expo
On the same day, Ren (separately) headed along to the Auckland Volunteer Expo and had a great day promoting the Mana Wāhine Symposium. Plenty of people loved hearing about the HEART Movement and were excited to be getting closer to the Symposium, and some of them joined the volunteer crew on the spot. Two events, one Saturday, and a whole lot of new energy behind the kaupapa.
Ngā mihi
Tāmaki Day was exceptionally well planned and beautifully managed. The mix of activities brought in a steady flow of diverse community members and created a vibrant, positive atmosphere, and the team had the rec centre cleared out by 1pm, which was seriously efficient.
Ngā mihi nui to Tāmaki Regeneration Company and everyone on their team, including the security crew and traffic wardens, for the warm hospitality and for including us. Events like this are exactly where healthy relationships in Tāmaki get built, one conversation at a time.
Want to find out more about the Mana Wāhine Symposium, or put your hand up to volunteer? Get in touch at kiaora@heartmovement.org.nz