May 2018 Building a community of practiceHealthy Families Rotorua will hold a Maramataka (Māori Lunar Calendar) wananga/workshop in Rotorua in May to bring together practitioners and champions of Maramataka. There will also be a follow up wananga at a later date. The aim of the wananga is to increase the application and practice of Maramataka across a range of settings and environments. The wananga intends to create a cluster of Maramataka champions with knowledge of applying Maramataka in a contemporary context, that will be accessible across the Te Arawa/Rotorua region. A point of difference is that following the end of both wananga, the participants will be expected to be able to teach others to apply Maramataka to those in the Rotorua community. The wananga has a limited number of spaces for attendees, which will be invite only. If you would like more information please contact Jade Kameta by jadek@tearawawhanauora.org.nz Vital Signs Reports Across the RegionVital Signs is a community checkup that reports on the social, environmental, cultural and economic wellbeing of our communities, identifying strengths, and areas for improvement. The results will provide all of us with an independent understanding of our local communities’ challenges and priorities, and will be refreshed every three years. It will help us assess our impact to date and to plan for the future. >> To read the reports, click hereCommunity awards open for Western BayCommunity groups in the Western Bay are urged to have a go for the 2018 Trustpower Community Awards - and entries are now open. This is a great way to get your organisation noticed and it can be a pathway for future project funding. Last year more than 1000 groups made a bid for an award. >> Applications for this year’s awards close on 31 May. Click here to learn moreAnnual Regional Environment Network HuiYou are all invited to attend a packed day full of talks, workshops, seminars and a fun awards show. Join us for a day of care groups coming together to learn, to be inspired and to be acknowledged for all of the amazing work in the environmental sector. More details to follow, watch this space :)
Urban Beekeeping: An Introductory Course
The next course on Urban Beekeeping starts on Wednesday 2 May at 7pm and will run for 8 weeks for approximately 2 hours per night - covering a range of urban beekeeping issues for the beginner getting started. Plus there are two additional practical sessions with bees on weekends. Total 10 sessions. Cost is $100. It is subject to change - if there are insufficient numbers or other problems you will receive a full refund. If the course sells out, another one will be run next term, according to demand. >> Click here for full details and to registerWhakatāne Kiwi Trust Night WalksOn Friday evenings during April, May and June, the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust will run their popular Kiwi Night Walks. These walks are guided by long-time volunteer for the Trust, Russell Ingram-Seal, with the help of other experienced volunteer guides. Ōhope Scenic Reserve, 7.00pm, every Friday in April, May and June Cost: $15 Adults, $10 Children and $40 for a family group of two adults and two or more children Please book early as the walks are popular and numbers are strictly limited to 20 people. The walks start at 7pm and last for two and a half hours, which includes an introduction to the area and work being done to protect kiwi. A reasonable level of physical fitness is required as we will be going off the public tracks. Whilst the Trust team will have first aid kits, please do not forget to bring any personal medication you may require e.g. asthma inhalers. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear (e.g. NOT sandals or jandals) and bring a torch, some snacks, a drink and a camera. >> For full details, visit the websiteArchaeology Week: Archaeology of Hopukiore, Mount Maunganui
This event is part of the national Archaeology Week 2018 programme. Archaeologist Ken Phillips will talk about the archaeology of Hopukiore and surrounding archaeological landscape including Pilot Bay and Mauao. This is a great opportunity to hear from an archaeologist who has researched, surveyed and investigated local landmarks. >> Learn more hereOneChance Youth Awards 2018
Our aim is to honour exceptional Rotorua youth (aged 15-24) and to celebrate excellence and their achievements or service to the community. OneChance Youth Awards Celebration tickets are free and need to be collected from the Ticketmaster Box Office at the Energy Events Centre from Friday 13 April. The theme is ALL WHITE – so come in your best white costume, white dress, white suit, white bed sheet or anything that is white, white or white. There are prizes for best dressed. >> Check out the website for more infoHelp Whakatāne Kiwi by adopting one today!Adoptions make great gifts, and are an easy way for you, your family, school or business to get involved. All donations from our Adopt a Kiwi packages go towards the cost of radio transmitters to help us monitor your kiwi and undertake regular health checks. This monitoring enables us to understand how well kiwi chicks are surviving in the Whakatāne Kiwi Project Area from year to year, giving us feedback on how effective the predator control network is. By adopting a kiwi you will not only be sponsoring our national icon but also supporting the Whakatāne Kiwi Trust. >> Learn more about the options hereMashup competitionIf you know of any secondary school students who have an interest in solving problems affecting them and their community then make sure they've checked out this year's Mashup Competition. Being held June 9 and 10 in Tauranga, entries are open to students from all over the Bay of Plenty. Mashup has evolved over the years it’s been running and last year’s students looked at solving issues around cycle helmets, public transport and being able to breath under water – to highlight a few. >> To find out more, visit the website www.mashup.nzMashup is sponsored by Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Rotorua Careers Expo
Visit the Rotorua Careers Expo to find out about all the great career options available to you, and the education, training, and employment pathways to help get you there! >> Free eventMaketu Ongatoro Wetland Society Working Bee – Planting at Maketu Spit Harbour MarginMay 12 @ 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Come give us a hand with our winter planting on Maketu Spit! This will be a chance to meet new people, and help us in our work to restore and maintain an essential area of wetland. The bird life here is plentiful, with a chance to see oystercatchers, dotterel, spoonbills, red billed gulls, and possibly even the rare black billed gull. >> Find out moreManawahe Eco Trust Working Bee
Come and join us to maintain the grounds at the old Manawahe School. We need to give the gardens a good cleanup; Pruning, weeding, sweeping, we have jobs for all. Morning tea and lunch provided. No pressure to complete anything, feel free to drop in for a short period of time >> Visit the trust’s Facebook page for more infoNZ Permaculture HuiJoin the Permaculture community of Aotearoa and beyond as we converge at Te Rau Aroha in Waihi Beach for four days of connecting, celebrating, teaching, learning and furthering the Permaculture movement. Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 May 2018 You can join the facebook event page and find out more on the Permaculture in NZ website. Edible Weeds WorkshopLimepeace Organics
Email Julia: julia@juliasedibleweeds.com Birdcalling ID TrainingDue to popular demand... Second Birdcalling Training on Saturday 5th May 2 - 4 pm!Have you been out walking in the bush and heard a bird song but had no idea which bird made it? Did it ruffle your feathers, even just a little or spark an interest into knowing which bird it was? Well, come along to our training session with the super knowledgeable bird expert Paul Cuming from Western Bay Wildlife Trust and hone your bird calling ID skills. The session aims to cover the most commonly observed birds in the Bay of Plenty, but will also answer your tricky questions. The outcomes of the course will mean that you'll be more familiar with the birds and their calls surrounding the habitats that you work and play in.
STEAM Education Summit
STEAM is an educational approach that encourages teachers to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths in a cohesive and integrated approach. There has been great importance placed in this approach as it equips students with the knowledge and skills they need for a life beyond school. The benefits of a STEAM teaching approach are many such as equipping students with critical thinking and problem-solving abilities but more importantly addressing the skills shortages in the job market today and preparing students in order to be able to bridge this gap in the future. Our aim at the inaugural STEAM Education Summit is to address the shift in teaching from traditional teaching methods to a modern approach. It will address what this means to the New Zealand Curriculum especially with the launch of the new Digital Curriculum. >> Visit the website to find out moreGrowPlenty
Over 2 days, through four future focused workshops, participants will explore technologies and possibilities for the future. GrowPlenty is an ‘ecosystem-in-action’ event with examples of some of the leading edge technologies shaping our world. The two day ideation challenge element will deliver hands-on learning support for aspiring founders of the future of all ages and stages (College aged+) to plant ideas, begin to think of their future and growing enterprises which flourish. Participants will connect with experts, mentors, stakeholders who are already working on new technologies and see some of those demonstrated. The finalé of each day, the showcase element will demonstrate some of the ideas and possibilities generated by participants. All are welcome! Sessions from 1-4pm and 5-8pm with an hours showcase at the end of each day. >> Part of TechWeek 2018 |