Theresa Holmes
Theresa Holmes has excelled in many aspects of her life, from tennis to academic achievements and employment opportunities. However she is best known in Tāmaki for the great work she is doing with youth. She lives and works in Tāmaki and HEART has provided her a consistent connection to the community. In 2014 Theresa attended a HEART Network meeting. There she learnt about research taking place locally and about statistics around family violence. That had an impact on her and was the start of her journey with the HEART Movement.
Theresa became involved in East HEART, a youth initiative that initially connected young Māori and Pacific musicians to HEART. East HEART developed into a youth network which supported the HEART values. Theresa said “HEART empowered us to do stuff that we thought was important... (HEART) gives people the tools to do the good stuff”. East HEART grew as more people got involved that led to the group starting Friday night dinners for young people at Ruapotaka marae managed by Theresa.
East HEART started a touch team which Theresa was really into supporting. Sport is an important aspect of her life as it offers space for diverse groups of people to come together, health and wellbeing benefits and instills good values such as commitment and hard work. East HEART provided a foundation for the community-led Tāmaki Wellbeing Project where Theresa is currently involved.
Building relationships with youth and providing a safe place for youth to be themselves is at the heart of Theresa’s work, and it is here where she gets a full picture of what life is really like for youth in Tāmaki. Theresa covers a lot of ground in her current role as Programme Coordinator of the Panmure Community Hall. From invigorating the hall with art and interesting programmes and events, to helping to empower young people to run their own spaces in the hall. The Phenomenal Young Women group and the Youth Drop in Spaces are examples of this that have a positive impact on local youth.
Youth leader Rosita Fa’avesi works alongside Theresa in the Tāmaki community and attends the Phenomenal Young Women Group. She says “Theresa’s genuine passion for youth voice and youth leadership is transparent. I’ve seen the way Theresa’s face lights up when she witnesses youth taking lead in groups, events, and initiatives. She wholeheartedly believes in the capabilities of young people and with her working at the Panmure Community Hall, she’s been able to offer that extra support and space for youth to practice their leadership skills. Theresa is a kind and
approachable person for youth, for young girls especially. She has a lot of young girls who look up to her and I’m not sure she even really realises that. She’s someone who is always there, who always shows up, always smiles, always honest, always supportive. We need more people like her in the community!”
Theresa is humble, yet confident to take a stand on things she feels strongly about such as cultural identity and issues that affect youth, she wears her heart on her sleeve to get her point across which speaks of her authenticity and integrity. She says “accepting your emotions and knowing it’s ok to feel those, it doesn’t make you any less of a leader.”
For Theresa HEART has provided guidance and the vocabulary to articulate and role model healthy relationships in the community as well as personally. She says her faith, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, aligns well with the HEART Movement’s values of love, non-judgement, seeing the best in people and looking after each-other. For Theresa strong whānau is the key to improving society and until we are there Theresa will be hitting aces, not just on the tennis court, but everyday in her work, family and community with the HEART Movement cheering her on.