Recreate NZ - Christchurch

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

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

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.

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.

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.