Christchurch sports charity gives record number of kids skills for life

A Christchurch charity giving local children the opportunity to play sport has helped a record number of kids in the last year, and says it is seeing strong demand from the community.

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Tamai Sports was founded eight years ago to help tamariki from low-income and marginalised homes access quality sports programmes.

In its first year the project had 17 participants, but it has grown fast and in the year to April 2025, 1937 children aged 8 to 12 found a place in its programmes.

"We provide them with gear, transport to get them to training and dinners after training. But what is really key is our hauora (wellbeing) programme, which celebrates cultural identity and diversity by using key Māori and Pasifika values,” Programme Director Matt de Vries said.

In the last year, Tamai’s programmes helped 1570 whānau and saw 12,747 people in the wider Christchurch community participate in its activities.

It currently works with eight schools in East Christchurch and runs free after-school programmes for about 250 kids each week, with a focus on cricket, touch rugby, netball, rugby and football.

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Above: Tamai Sports' Programme Manager Jono Kitto

“We try to provide a place where kids can fail and actually learn that it's okay to fail - that it’s actually part of the learning process,” Programme Manager Jono Kitto said.

“We see it here with a cricket ball or a football, but it’s also true when it comes to reading or writing, making friends, or one day, when they are adults, all aspects of life,” Kitto said.

It’s an approach that works, with analysis by Ihi Research finding there were a number of benefits for those involved.

The research found it increased confidence and self-esteem, improved self-management, and resulted in greater positivity, increased physical activity and improved attitude and attendance at school among those involved.

“We're really starting to see whānau members connect as well, and I think that's what is so special, we're trying to bring a community together,” said de Vries.

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Tamai Sports relies largely on donations, including the support of the ANZ New Zealand Staff Foundation, which gave it a $10,000 grant late last year.

“The support from the ANZ New Zealand Staff Foundation has been a great help, and has gone towards funding our programme manager’s salary,” de Vries said.

“Support like this, and from our other stakeholders and sponsors, means we can continue to run the programme and seek to grow it.”

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Above: ANZ Branch Area Manager, Sean Dudson 

For one of the Foundation’s board members, ANZ Branch Area Manager Sean Dudson - who grew up in the area - the work being done by Tamai hits close to home.

“Whether it's providing bus rides for the kids, kai after practice, giving parents, rangatahi and tamariki a safe space to connect, or even putting on a simple sausage sizzle for the players on the weekends, Tamai Sports has a massive impact on our community,” he said.

“We're incredibly lucky to have them here, and I’m really pleased the ANZ Staff Foundation was able to help support the programme."