This year the Graeme Dingle Foundation is celebrating several exceptional national award winners from the wider Western Bay of Plenty, a testament to the region’s commitment to empowering youth.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation, a youth development charity with a 30-year history of empowering young New Zealanders, celebrated its annual National Excellence Awards at the Hyundai Marine Sports Centre on October 17.

This much-anticipated event shone a spotlight on the remarkable achievements of tamariki, rangatahi, staff and volunteers who have demonstrated exceptional courage, resilience, and leadership over the past year.

Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty manager Dan Allen-Gordon, Spencer McNeil and Sir Graeme Dingle. Photo: Supplied.

Led by the local Foundation trust and its dedicated leader, Dan Allen-Gordon—kindly regarded as a 'legend' by students—Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty continues to demonstrate its unwavering support for young people’s success.

A highlight of the evening is celebrating the Foundation’s pillar programme, Project K, which has supported the growth of hundreds of students across Western Bay of Plenty and continues to achieve remarkable results in rangatahi.

Will Kelly-Harding receiving an excellence award. Photo: Supplied.

This year, two rangatahi were awarded the Project K Excellence Award sponsored by Kathmandu, Will Kelly-Harding from Mount Maunganui College and Layla Mckenzie from Otumoetai College for their achievements throughout the programme.

“Because of Project K, I’ve learnt the importance of taking the opportunities life offers you. I’ve learnt how valuable new experiences are and how life out of your environment, even if only for a couple of weeks, can change your mindset and motivate your improvement,” Will said as he addressed guests at the awards ceremony.

He finished his speech highlighting the positive impact Allen-Gordon has on the rangatahi in the region by saying “I am up here giving my speech because of Dan and Project K, and I could never be grateful enough.”

Layla Mckenzie. Photo: Supplied.

Another standout moment was when Akshita Saxena, a student in the Foundation’s Stars programme, received recognition for her outstanding leadership and positive mentoring, setting an exemplary standard for other Peer Mentors and young people at Otumoetai College. The Stars Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor Award was proudly sponsored by Stride.

It doesn’t stop there for the local trust. The Foundation’s Primary School Programme, Kiwi Can, supports over 22,000 tamariki every week working in partnership with schools to teach tamariki values such as respect, resilience, integrity and positive relationships.

Fairhaven School Deputy Principal Tatai Takuira-Mita and Kiwi Can Leaders Gemma Tidswell and Atutahi Henare. Photo: Supplied.

This year, the highly anticipated Kiwi Can Outstanding School award, sponsored by New Zealand Steel, was given to Fairhaven School.

Accepting the award on behalf of Fairhaven School were Deputy Principal, Tatai Takuira-Mita and Kiwi Can Leaders Atutahi Henare and Gemma Tidswell, who shared the positive impact that the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s Kiwi Can programme has had on the school community.

Concluding the afternoon's celebrations was the announcement of the Sir Edmund Hillary Achievement Award, which was awarded to Project K Alumni Spencer McNeil owner of Barber Spence & Co.

The sought-after Sir Edmund Hillary Achievement Award serves to acknowledge individuals who have, since their time in a Graeme Dingle Foundation programme, demonstrated exceptional resilience while overcoming significant obstacles - much like Hillary himself did when conquering Mount Everest. In addition, the criteria require the recipient to have given back to their community or other voluntary activity.

Spencer McNeil addressing guests. Photo: Supplied.

“If I didn’t do Project K, I actually don’t know where I would be. I was so lost, hanging out with the wrong people and was not happy in myself. The Project K course pushed me to do things I would never have done and opened doors to me finding a new level of myself, and finding my true potential. I cannot recommend Project K enough - it taught me so much about life and myself,"  McNeil said.

“I am also proud to be a part of an amazing community who have believed in me and supported me with my business allowing me the opportunity to make a difference in my community and to keep pursuing my dreams through my businesses.”

The Foundation’s youth development programmes—Kiwi Can, Stars, Career Navigator, and Project K—each played a pivotal role in the success stories celebrated, highlighting the diverse ways the Foundation equips young people with the skills and resilience needed to thrive.

“Change isn’t linear and it doesn’t follow a schedule set by others," said Foundation CEO Jo Malcolm-Black.

"This event is a powerful reminder of what is possible when we give young people the tools and opportunities to realise their potential. Tamariki and rangatahi are the changemakers of tomorrow, and their journeys inspire us all to continue working towards a brighter future. The role of supporters is to give rangatahi the biggest shout out we can, in whatever way we can.”

Malcolm-Black invites the public to celebrate the National Excellence Awards winners and support the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s ongoing work by visiting dinglefoundation.org.nz

The awards event live stream including speeches can be viewed in full here.

Award Winners List:

Sir Edmund Hillary Achievement Award

Spencer McNeil – Western Bay of Plenty

Stars – Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor
Sponsored by Stride

Grace Motusaga - Auckland

Stars – Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor

Sponsored by Stride

Inga Hiko - Auckland

Stars – Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor

Sponsored by Stride

Jacqueline Colliar - Waikato

Stars – Outstanding Contribution from a Peer Mentor

Sponsored by Stride

Akshita Saxena – Western Bay of Plenty

Career Navigator – Outstanding Achievement of a Participant

Sponsored by AIG

Finn Mckenzie - Marlborough

Career Navigator – Outstanding Achievement of a Participant

Sponsored by AIG

Corbin Blackett - Waikato

Project K Excellence Award

Sponsored by Kathmandu

Cruz Iako - Auckland

Project K Excellence Award

Sponsored by Kathmandu

Layla Mckenzie - Western Bay of Plenty

Project K Excellence Award
Sponsored by Kathmandu

Will Kelly-Harding – Western Bay of Plenty

Project K Excellence Award

Sponsored by Kathmandu

Bronté Woolley – Canterbury

Kiwi Can - Outstanding School Award

Sponsored by NZ Steel

Fairhaven School – Western Bay of Plenty

Kiwi Can – Outstanding Leader Award
Sponsored by Bidfood

Jeremy Birchall – Far North

Outstanding Secondary School Award

Hornby High School - Canterbury

Best Community Project Award
Sponsored by Mitre 10

Bay of Islands College – Far North

Outstanding Staff Award

Sian Neary - Canterbury

Outstanding Staff Award

Terry Faleva’ai - Waikato

Outstanding Volunteer Award

Matthew Preece - Marlborough

Graeme Dingle Foundation 

The Graeme Dingle Foundation is youth charity named in recognition of Kiwi adventurer Sir Graeme Dingle who founded the not-for-profit organisation alongside Jo-anne Wilkinson Lady Dingle in 1995.  

Sir Graeme and Jo-anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle had a vision to improve New Zealand's negative youth statistics. They have helped over 385,000 young Kiwis be more confident, find purpose and direction, and achieve success.  

An Infometrics report in 2024 found that every $1 invested in the Graeme Dingle Foundation’s programmes equals a $10.50 return to New Zealand’s economy in the form of reduced crime, young people getting better jobs and fewer young people becoming dependent on benefits.

The Graeme Dingle Foundation continues to run school-based programmes for thousands of Kiwis aged between 5 and 24 – Kiwi Can, Stars, Career Navigator, Project K and Kiwi Tahi. These initiatives aim to broaden horizons, offer opportunities, and give young people the chance to become the next generation of successful parents, leaders, and businesspeople.  

For more information visit www.dinglefoundation.org.nz