Tu Kokiri students have spent the year working hard towards gaining the skills, confidence, attitudes, and independence to enter the adult world.

Tyrese, Jonathan, Charlie, Sebastian, Whiti, and Tane were lucky enough to gain work skills, confidence, and pride working alongside Deaf community members to complete maintenance on the Auckland Deaf Society building. They painted, sanded, demolished, and installed alongside skilled Deaf tradesmen. Lots of laughs and fun were had and relationships built. Tyrese, Sebastian, Whiti, and Tane all gained full-time paid employment through the work experience programme and have left school to begin their work lives.

Both Harry and Rahui took up part-time tertiary study at the beginning of 2021, Rahui in Deaf Studies and AUT and Harry, a bridging course leading to a future goal of Architecture. Both young men juggled school and university programme, navigating public transport, deadlines, and university life with maturity and independence. Anuishka also began tertiary study in Semester 2 with an IT course through Open Polytechnic.

A Learners Drivers Licence is always a keenly sought after prize, that requires commitment and sustained focus. Charlie got his licence early in the year, while Whiti worked tirelessly to get his Learners Licence before leaving school. Both Courtney and Anuishka hope to have their licences by the end of the school year too. Jonathan and Kingi are working towards gaining theirs early in 2022.

Levi and Alafati have both benefitted from, and look forward to their weekly crossfit gym sessions in New Lynn. Alafati has impressed with his commitment and enthusiasm for his weekly work experience in the preschool, and Levi has taken responsibility for plant maintenance and the Fruit in Schools distribution.

Our Deaf Lives programme gives students the opportunity to meet and gain inspiration from a varied and interesting selection of Deaf community members who generously shared their life stories, adventures, and advice. After one such session, one student commented that it was the most impactful thing ever in his life!