Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation is set to open its Thriving in Murihiku fund for the second year running since it started work in Murihiku Southland in 2021. The fund aims to deepen relationships in Murihiku and to assist the community in driving change for rangatahi experiencing disadvantage and exclusion.

The fund has a minimum of $375,000 to allocate to the community and is focused on providing financial support to organisations creating positive outcomes for rangatahi in Murihiku, with a focus on Waihōpai (Invercargill) and Motupōhue (Bluff).

With Motupōhue in mind, for the first time, $60,000 of the fund will be ringfenced for the Bluff Activation Fund to support new initiatives, feasibility studies, and projects looking to drive change for rangatahi in the Motupōhue rohe.

“Through conversations with the community, the team in Invercargill identified gaps in funding allocated to the Bluff area. As one of our communities of focus, we want to ensure we are providing targeted opportunities to the organisations working with rangatahi in Bluff,” Te Rourou developmental evaluator Sharon Reece says.

As a community-driven initiative, the final decisions for all funding allocated will be made by a panel of community members who can represent the best interests of rangatahi in Invercargill and Bluff.

Te Rourou Head of Foundation Kirsty Buggins says the Foundation team is excited to be relaunching the fund, and for the team to continue supporting the excellent work unfolding in the region.

"We are looking forward to hearing from current and new community partners in Murihiku, with their perspective on how to best to support rangatahi to achieve what they want for themselves, their whānau, and their communities, and to help to remove the obstacles that are getting in the way," she said.

Initiatives funded in the first round of Thriving in Murihiku included employment pathway programmes for rangatahi, mentoring and support services, and programmes to support rangatahi to connect to their culture.

“Te Rourou formed some amazing relationships with the Murihiku community after the first round of funding. We’re looking to further support those relationships, while making new connections and partnerships in the second round,” Buggins says.

Applications will be open on Monday, 29th of May until 5pm Friday, 30th of June.

For more information and to apply for the fund, visit https://terourou.one.nz/funding-information/