Recreate NZ - Christchurch

20/10/2026

For more than 10 years, Haven has been a part of the Recreate NZ community in Christchurch. Today, the Moxie Community & Gardening programme is one of the biggest highlights of her week. ☀️

Every Tuesday, Haven spends time with a group of like-minded people, Recreate leaders and volunteers, and the staff and volunteers at Richmond Community Garden. Charmaine, Haven’s Mother, has seen a huge change in Haven over the years.

“In the past Haven was shy and socially anxious and found it difficult to communicate with people she did not know well. She is now confident and conversing with a wide range of people and also enjoys educating others on all the things she knows about gardening!”

Gardening has become a real passion for Haven. She moves growing fruit and vegetables, including varieties that are less commonly grown in the South Island, such as passion fruit. Discovering new plants also sparks her curiosity- she researches them online and in books, building her reading and research skills.

The garden provides something even more important: a place to connect with nature. During 2025, Haven and her family were away from their home for up to a year and did not have access to their own garden beds. Having somewhere to grow and nurture plants has been an important part of Haven’s wellbeing. 🧘‍♀️🪴

The programme has also helped Haven connect with the wider community and try new experiences, from making badges at the library and learning African drumming to visiting a working farm.

Most importantly, Haven now has a goal for her future. She hopes to work at a plant nursery or market garden, and Moxie is helping turn that dream into a realistic possibility.

“This programme has meant that her dream now has a real chance of coming true”, says Charmaine.

Haven’s story shows the power of meaningful opportunities. Through Moxie, she is building practical skills, confidence, independence and stronger connections with her community - while taking steps towards a future she can see herself being part of. And finally, thank you to the Christchurch City Council Christchurch City Council for supporting our Moxie programme! 🤩☀️🪏🪴👩‍🌾

18/08/2026

We can’t wait to release our Term 4 / Spring programmes for the months of October, November and December 2026!

Please check in at www.recreate.org.nz from 10am, Saturday 22nd August to see what we have to offer! 😁🌸☀️‼️

30/07/2026

Once again we are supported by such a generous and considerate group of funders who value our contribution to the lives of many in Christchurch and Canterbury! 😁

1. Aotearoa Gaming Trust for supporting our Programme Coordinator and Facilitator staff wages

2. Christchurch Casino for supporting our Moxie programmes and Youth Camp

3. Blogg Charitable Trust for supporting our staff wages for 3 months

4. Community Trust Mid and South Canterbury for supporting our Mid and South Canterbury Getaways

5. Kiwi Gaming for supporting our Christchurch rent for 6 months and 3 new laptops.

6. Mackenzie Charitable Trust for supporting our Youth Camp to Peel Forest in January 2026

7. Rata Foundation for supporting our Christchurch Operations

Thank you to this amazing group of funders that enables us to keep providing life-changing experiences! 🤩

17/06/2026

Last year we loved venturing south into the heart of Central Otago on our Outdoor Adventure Otago Road trip! 🚐🏔️

This experience was all made possible through the generous support of the Kingston Sedgfield Charitable Trust. We had a pizza night party in Wānaka with our friends from MINT Charitable Trust, so much fun!!

We were also so fortunate to cruise upon the TSS Earnslaw on Lake Wakatipu, and we got as close as we could to the mighty Aoraki. What an adventure to remember! 😎🏔️☀️

29/05/2026

Our Ask

“A donation towards Recreate is a donation to opening up and widening the lives of these kids. I think for people who are looking to support, I think you’ve got to look beyond what a financial contribution is. I want you to look at what it does to your life, what it opens up in your life, what it brings into your life. So I encourage you to really think beyond the monetary value, to look beyond what it brings into your life.”

With Recreate NZ’s not-for-profit status with no direct government funding, our operations team and Funding Officers work tirelessly to apply to funders throughout Aotearoa. We couldn’t do what we do without the generous support of our funders and individuals who donate to Recreate NZ.

We endeavour to keep costs down on all fronts to keep Recreate NZ sustainable for the families we set out to serve. We also run regular fundraisers for certain projects that feed into keeping the dream alive.
Support the friendships formed, the adventures enjoyed, and the work experience or employment gained by giving towards our range of programmes and courses. Please consider becoming a 'Friend of Recreate', and support the life changing opportunities we provide to young people and their whanau.

To learn more about donating to Recreate, please go to www.recreate.org.nz/donate

28/05/2026

Our Team

“You carry something that goes beyond what it is a job, it’s something that comes from here, and to me that’s really important. And I think the children themselves, the kids that come to Recreate recognise it. They wouldn’t be as free I don’t think, as what they are, if they didn’t recognise that they are valued, they are looked upon with caring and with welcome.”

All staff members at Recreate NZ love what they do and who they do it for. Our national operational team consists of 38 permanent employees, including General Manager, Programme Coordinators, Facilitators and Administration Support, including 7 disabled or neurodivergent young people. Additionally, Recreate NZ relies on the contribution of over 400 volunteers to help run our programmes, which helps to build upon an all-inclusive society.

Our Programme Coordinators have dual responsibilities; office-based coordination and programme-based facilitation. If there is a slight delay in responding to a query this is due to a portion of the week out of the office. Our staff are always doing their best to:

• Offer as many positions on programmes as per our health and safety standards
• Manage behaviours as per our Behaviour Expectation and Procedure Policy
• Respond to queries as quickly as possible, keeping in mind we are part-time, and we are often out on programmes.
• And most importantly ensure that young people are having a positive and rewarding experience on a programme.

Our facilitators also have a minimum of Level 1 First Aid Certificates, most have a certificate in de-escalation training and epilepsy. We have a fantastic network of trained and vetted

27/05/2026

26/05/2026

Our Spaces

“She always wants to go, Recreate it just her happy place. Its where she goes and enjoys herself and has all those friends and relationships.”

When disability is not viewed positively, it puts disabled people at high risk of social exclusion. Recreate NZ programmes and events are inclusive, utilising mainstream venues and activity providers, teaching the community to be more thoughtful about individual capabilities, and increases acceptance of functional diversity in society.

Participants develop skills and connections on our programmes that enable greater community contribution, and at the same time barriers are broken down, creating more accessibility. Positive experiences promote achievement and elicit responses in other areas of life such as, further education, independent living, employment opportunities, increased socialisation and an active role in community life.

25/05/2026

Our Impact

“The relief, that I can actually just relax and go, ah, he’s at Recreate for this many hours. I don’t have that responsibility hanging over me. I don’t think theres a word in English for it, or any other language! It’s wonderful.”

Recreate NZ provided 9,972 days of respite in 2024-25. Family, whānau and caregivers have the opportunity for much needed respite while their young people are enjoying the personal benefits of our meaningful programmes.
Research frequently highlights the importance of a break from caring duties, which is far more rewarding when the young person is also having a positive and enriching experience. Ministry of Health Respite Strategy (2017-2022) states: When we support respite for carers, we invest in protecting the health and wellbeing of the whole family/whānau.

25/05/2026

Our Story
“Recreate is all about life-changing opportunities for young people. At Recreate NZ, we provide programmes for young people, whether that’s the adventure programmes, the youth camps, the recreational opportunities, the social connections we provide, and the life skills and work experience programmes”

Recreate NZ is a down to earth, youth focused, family orientated charitable trust that is offering positive development and out of home experiences for children, youth and young adults with disabilities. For the 2024/25 financial year, Recreate NZ delivered over 6,275 opportunities across a range of 680 unique adventure, recreation, social, education and work-skills programmes in the Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, Bay of Plenty and Christchurch regions. Programmes range from ½ day to 5-days and cater to over 600 young people between the age of 10 and 35. Recreate NZ strives to facilitate relationships and engage with community, creating greater inclusion and changing community perceptions towards disability and neurodiversity.