Victim Support to benefit from students' efforts

For the third year in a row a local charity has benefited from students studying at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

As part of the NZIM Certificate in Management programme students can undertake a course in Managing Small Projects.

“Rather than just working out of the text book we realised early on that students would learn best given a real life project,” says Greg Bold, Polytechnic NZIM course tutor. “Being able to do this and benefit a local charity is an added bonus.”

Students are given a project of establishing and running an event to benefit a local charity. They get to select the charity and this year decided to work with Victim Support Tauranga Moana.

The team of Penny Gair, Tim Weeks, Zandrier Todd, Sophie Mauheni and Melissa Campbell developed, marketed and managed a charity event held at Rialto Cinemas that saw just over $630 being raised from a mix of ticket sales and donations as well as a silent auction that included artwork by local artist Owen Dippie.

Victim Support Tauranga Moana spokesperson Maree Nicholson said the organisation was very grateful to the NZIM Project t Management Team for all the hard work they put into such a successful event.

“It is the support of community-minded individuals and groups who, with their generosity, make our work with victims and the provision of support during times of crime and trauma that much easier,” said Maree. “This event had the double effect of creating interest from individuals who feel they could also be there for victims and we welcome applications to volunteer from them.”

For more information about how you can be a volunteer with Victim Support, phone Maree on 07 577 660.