Our Place

The official opening of Our Place on 8 November 2011 by The Hon. Dr. Nick Smith, Minister of the Environment marked a significant milestone for the Henderson Creek team.

Our Place is a stream restoration project that works with at-risk youth to restore the stream side margin along Cranwell Park, Falls Park and adjacent areas in Henderson.

The team secured funding from the Ministry for the Environment’s Community Environment Fund to provide targeted opportunities for young people to gain practical skills in environmental restoration.

The funding recognises the expertise Community Waitakere has developed in restoration planting and environmental education since it came on board with Project Twin Streams in 2005 and is a successful example of the wider community development objectives of Project Twin Streams in action.

Participants take part in practical on site workshops ranging from eco-sourcing native seeds, raising seedling and exploring the methodologies behind restoration planting schemes, such as the work undertaken on Project Twin Streams. The project connects high needs and offending youth with the environment through dedicated face-to-face sessions and hopes to foster long-term behaviour change for those individuals involved. 

Project Partners

Our Place builds on the existing ties Henderson Creek have formed with Child Youth and Family (Waitakere) and ZEAL West Auckland to deliver the project via a partnership model that draws on the strength of these organisations. 

James Harris, Youth Worker from partner organisation ZEAL West Auckland has already seen changes in those youth involved. “The young people who we work with treat ZEAL facilities with respect, but some were responsible vandalising in our local area. Our involvement with Our Place has allowed us to extend that respect and sense of care and ownership into the local natural environment which is fantastic,” he says.

Project Objectives
 

  • Engage high needs young people with Henderson Creek stream restoration and raise awareness of local stormwater and environmental issues.
  • Restore the riparian margin along Cranwell Park, Falls Park and adjacent margins following the most appropriate methodology for the site.
  • Gain an understanding of the partial impact of the restoration programme on water quality in the streams.
  • Develop a nursery that will produce seedlings for the project and potentially local youth employment.
     

Key Achievements

In its first four months of operation the project has resonated well with those youth involved and has already achieved:

  • 11 streamside sessions,
  • 745 native seedlings were planted,
  • 1,000 eco-sourced seeds have been sown,
  • hundreds of seedlings have been potted in the project’s nursery.

One young person added to his ‘any other comments’ section of the session’s feedback form that he wanted to “just look after the community.” These comments are a fantastic indication of some of the early successes of the project.

Next Steps

The Henderson Creek Our Place team are currently working on a bespoke educational resource with a distinctive ‘Westside’ flavour. It will step through the history of Henderson Creek, explore Te Ao Maori (Maori worldview) and focus on issues surrounding water quality and management and stream restoration. This youth orientated book involves the creative skills of some of the young people working on the project.

While only in its infancy, the Henderson Creek Our Place team is already looking to the future. The team have established a steering group with guidance and involvement from Te Kawerau a Maki’s kaumatua Eru Thompson, Auckland Council, Child Youth and Family Services, ZEAL West Auckland, Community Group Te Korowai and local youth. They are also looking to explore new opportunities with other community groups, businesses, iwi, as well as education and training institutions to ensure the long term sustainability of the project.