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WHAT'S
NEXT
September 2017
Scientific research - both internationally and within New Zealand - has highlighted the critical importance of a baby’s first 1,000 days. In those first three years a young child’s brain can form up to 1,000 neural connections a second - and the connections made in the first three years are the building blocks for everything that happens to that child later in life.
NEXT has chosen the first 1,000 days as one of its three investment focus areas in education - and in this newsletter we bring you two stories from New Zealanders dedicated to making a real difference for our youngest children. NEXT was privileged to have The Children’s Commissioner, Judge Andrew Becroft, address a NEXT Outlook breakfast in Wellington where he spoke to “It’s all won or lost by the 5th birthday”. We also share a video from NEXT supported initiative Talking Matters - where cutting edge technology is being trialled to help parents engage with their babies. And we were delighted to see the launch this month of a new campaign delivering the same messages – called “Love Grows Brains” - supported by the Wright Family Foundation.
From our environmental projects we bring you a story from the Abel Tasman National Park where 20 pāteke / brown teal are spending their first days in their new home. And we introduce you to Troy and Katie - two young Christchurch musicians who allow NEXT to use their music as part of our great relationship with the Play it Strange Trust.
Yours in education and the environment
Bill Kermode
CEO, NEXT Foundation
It's all Won or Lost by the Fifth Birthday
NEXT was privileged to host the Children’s Commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft at a NEXT Outlook breakfast – where he outlined issues needing to be addressed to give New Zealand children the very best start to life….
Talking Matters Introduces Technology
Talking Matters – a NEXT supported initiative promoting the importance of richer language in babies first 1000 days – has been trialling new technology as a tool to encourage parents to communicate more with their young children. Mothers at the Anglican Trust for Women and Children are finding it useful… “We talk more … a lot more.”
Pāteke / Brown Teal release in Abel Tasman National Park
Twenty pāteke / brown teal have been released into the Abel Tasman National Park – another milestone for Project Janszoon, an environmental initiative NEXT supports to grow biodiversity in the Park. There are only two South Island sites where these species are found … and they are settling well into their new home.
Meet the Musicians
Troy Scott and Katie Miller turned to music and songwriting to help them get through the stress of the Christchurch earthquakes. In this interview with the Play it Strange musicians they talk about what music means to them - and their single “Turn to Me” that they kindly allow NEXT to use on our video about education leadership initiative Springboard Trust.
