PHOENIX NOW HAS CLAWS
Both men's and women's senior Phoenix professional football teams from Wellington whose training base is at the Heretaunga sports institute, won their matches today at Auckland's Mt Smart. And both defeated teams at or near the top of their A-League competitions prior to today.
This would have been unheard of in the last two seasons when our women's team was formed and the men had been struggling prior to that of the 2022-23 season.
It is as if the imminent formation of Auckland-based teams to rival the Phoenix club as NZ's representatives in the Australian leagues, is a spur to go so much better this season than ever before. I think the women Phoenix had not won as many games in the league in both past seasons combined as this season which is only in its sixth round.
Meanwhile Phoenix men have never done as well as early as in this season's comp since it was formed 15 years or so ago.
No longer are these teams regarded as walk-overs and they have gained the respect of the Australians including their referees who largely though not completely now treat Phoenix evenhandedly.
The coaching has a lot to do with the new found success of both Phoenix teams - as well as the world class facilities in Upper Hutt. Something by the way that the Auckland Black Knights football teams will lack.
I was at the Tuki Cafe at the sports institute last Friday and this little gem of a cafe is just another reason for the plaudits given to this amenity.
Funny enough, a few weeks ago I had a brief conversation with former economist whizz Gareth Morgan. One of the owners of the Phoenix club, Morgan has some excellent ideas about cats in restricting their opportunities to kill birds. Morgan also wanted Phoenix to loosen its defensive shackles and play an entertaining, attacking style all those years ago. Happy to say that Morgan's ambitions for Phoenix and its supporters came to fruition and these days they play crowd pleasing, goal scoring football.
Poll: Have you ever been bullied?
People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.
This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.
Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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79.8% Yes
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19.9% No
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0.3% Other - I'll share below
Vacancies at Volunteer Wellington
🌟Two opportunities to join our team! 🌟
➡️ Manager Member Services
This is a part time role working 25 hours per week.
In this busy and varied role, you will be managing and developing our member services programme which will include expanding the membership base, raising the profile of the volunteer sector, and developing meaningful relationships with key organisations.
Bringing experience across the NFP/Volunteer sector will be the foundation to your success. You will be experienced in managing and developing a member services programme, be proactive, truly believe in the value of volunteering and have a strong community focus.
You will be required to work all day Monday and Wednesdays with the rest of the hours to be negotiated around what works for you. Working in a small team of 8 passionate people, you will have a great level of support and assistance around you, to deliver great results.
The day-to-day responsibilities will include: leading the Member Services Programme; retaining and growing membership; developing and delivering resources; attending events and evaluating the service offerings of our organisation.
The preferred candidate will: have experience working in a NFP/NGO/Charitable organisation; have a passion for volunteering with experience or exposure to volunteer services; with strong communication skills and exceptional customer service.
If this sounds like an opportunity you would like to discuss further and you have the relevant skills and experience, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Forte Recruitment link below:
🌐 forterecruitment.co.nz...
➡️ Coordinator Preparation for Employment programme
Fixed term contract: 20 hours per week
Are you someone who enjoys making a difference in people's lives?
We are seeking a part time Coordinator for our successful Preparation for Employment Programme on a one year fixed term contract from 1 June 2024 to July 2025. You will work closely with people on a main Work and Income benefit and support them into volunteering as a pathway into employability. Our goal is to help remove some of the barriers to sustainable employment for our clients and we know volunteering is a great pathway towards this. You will be required to work all day Monday and Wednesdays with the rest of the hours to be negotiated around what works for you.
Primary Objectives of the role include: engaging with, and motivating our Work and Income clients to identify their strengths and overcome their barriers to employment; accurately recording information and fulfill accountability reporting criteria. Building relationships with key Work and Income staff and with our community membership is essential to develop meaningful support to the clients.
To be successful in this role you will have: motivational interviewing interviewing skills; experience with one to one mentoring; empathy and an ability to motivate and build confidence in clients; an awareness of the complexities and impacts of being out of the paid workforce. And above all patience, perseverance, and a positive attitude. If this sounds like you please apply via the seek link below:
🌐 tinyurl.com...
Be aware of this WhatsApp scam
Police are warning people to be wary of a WhatsApp scam following an increase in reports in the Wellington District.
In this case scammers use WhatsApp to impersonate family members or friends in saying they need help and in particular need money.
Victims of this scam have received a message from an unknown number, claiming to be a loved one who has just lost their phone and got a replacement.
The scammer then attempts to obtain the victim’s credit card information.
These kinds of scams run constantly and while most people will not respond or buy into them, some people are more vulnerable.
We urge people to have conversations with vulnerable or elderly family members, to help ensure they are aware of the tactics often used by scammers and don't become victims.
If you are in doubt because a person is claiming to be a family member or friend, ask them a personal question – for example their date of birth, maiden name, pet name or name of a sibling.
Do not provide a password, credit card or bank details without making absolute sure, it is someone you know.
No legitimate agency will contact you and ask for your bank details or credit card out of the blue.
Police’s message on scams like this is simple – do not engage with anyone on the phone, and if you think you are being scammed report the incident immediately.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of a scam, in person, over the phone or online, should immediately report it to their bank, and then to their local Police.
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