Te Ranga Primary School is the first recipient of a pizza oven and seated area made by students from the pre-employment programme, Imagine Believe Achieve.

The community project was made using donated materials and labour from various businesses including Bunnings Rotorua and C3 Construction.

'Part of our planning is to instil a stronger sense of community in our students and show them how important it is to learn to give back to the community,” says programme facilitator Andre Jay.

'The team and I are pleasantly surprised (at) how large the school is, how animated the students are, and how interested and willing they are to help out.”

The Imagine Believe Achieve programme is a 13-week programme for youth at risk, aged between 15 and 24 years.

It aims to provide a unique learning experience using Te Whare Tapa Wha, a Maori health model that focusses on physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

On completion of the programme, students receive up to one year of pastoral care to ensure they stay employed.

The programme is organised by the Bay of Plenty Youth Development Trust, which also run the successful, Tauranga Boxing Academy.