Sport Hawke’s Bay has recently funded 11 new projects, all promoting play across the region.

Play is one of the ways Sport Hawke’s Bay supports the region to get active, alongside physical education, active recreation and sport.

A child’s earliest physical experiences are through play and it’s also where they develop and practice life skills. Play allows children to experience fun, joy and laughter in a way that is important to them.

Through the Sport Hawke’s Bay administered Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa fund, physcial activity providers, schools and kura and organisations are able to apply for funding to support tamariki and rangatahi to be active in a way that they want to be.

Sport Hawke’s Bay developed a contestable fund that was open across October to support Play specific projects. The Healthy Active Learning Advisors and Play Lead at Sport Hawke’s Bay worked alongside schools and kura throughout the region to develop projects, using students voice that will get more tamariki active through Play.

Community Partnership Advisor, Kate Benny says “It was great to see so many great examples of tamariki voice being used to help develop new projects that are low cost but high impact”.

A total of 11 projects were successful in acquiring funding. This included Parkvale Primary School who through the funding will purchase chalk, stencils and paint that will be used to decorate concrete areas of the school with various coloured markings and designs. The aim is that this will inspire play and active movement from all ākonga throughout the school day (and beyond), with the possibility of supporting learning of other curriculum areas.

 Sport Hawke’s Bay Play Lead, Nicki Heremaia says “When kids play they discover and learn through movement and having fun. It's through these positive experiences that tamariki start to develop a life-long love of being active.”

“This new fund allows us to raise awareness that as enablers of play it’s important for adults to give tamariki the time, the place and the permission. Play doesn't require lot's of money or huge involvement from adults. It can be as simple as setting aside a specific time each day - just to play, switching off the screens, getting outside, and letting tamariki explore and interact with their environment. Let them take the lead.” “The success of these projects will be evaluated by working alongside the successful applicants and will focus on feedback from young people through the duration. We look forward to working alongside these 11 projects to see the benefits they will have on tamariki” Kate adds.

Round 3 for the Fast Fund is now open and projects or initiatives that are requesting funding up to $10,000 are welcome to apply.

Funding is available for a wide range of organisations from throughout the region. Sport Hawke’s Bay encourages anyone thinking about applying for funding to make contact before making an application.

A full list of successful Play projects can be found below:

Article added: Friday 04 November 2022