Welcome to The Runway Foundation – Term 2 Newsletter 2025!

It’s been another fantastic term with our Kids Clubs and Youth programmes, and we’re so grateful for the incredible volunteers who make it all possible.

In this edition, we’re sharing some highlights from the term, some tips and tricks for surviving the wet weather, and a few dates to mark on your calendar!

Thanks for being part of the journey.

A message from Terese: Chief Encouragement Officer!  

Kia ora everyone,

I hope you and your whānau are keeping well during these short days and long nights. After the shortest day of the year, I always begin to look forward to longer days—and the hope that spring will come.

It reminds me of the season I faced 15 years ago when my son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5. That time felt like winter. I knew little about ADHD, and nothing seemed to be working. Navigating school was tough. I dreaded calls from teachers. Learning was a struggle, friendships were emotionally intense, and sports felt like trial and error. Even as a trained teacher, I felt like I was failing—both professionally and as a parent. But hardest of all was watching my son try so hard, only to be misunderstood and blamed.

Back then, there was no ADDventurers—no Kids Club or Youth Programme, and no parent support group. When you're in the middle of winter, it's hard to imagine spring.

If this resonates, I want to encourage you: spring is around the corner. My son is now a kind, responsible, hardworking young man. His empathy and resilience amaze me—and he is the inspiration behind The Runway Foundation and ADDventurers. Everything we offer—Kids Clubs, Youth Programmes, parent groups, whānau and teacher support—comes from what our family needed along the way.

We’re not a one-off six-week programme. We walk alongside you, through the highs and the lows. Because true support takes time, trust, and heart. Our team loves spending time with your incredible tamariki and rangatahi, discovering their talents and cheering them on—as we do for you too.

You’re doing an amazing job. It may not feel perfect (it never does), but keep going. Keep connecting with your children, their educators, other parents and mentors. Focus on their strengths, enjoy them, and know you’re not alone. The daffodils will bloom.

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into what our ADDventurers have been up to—and be sure to mark your calendar with our upcoming events. We’d love to see you.

Ngā mihi nui,

Terese Marr

Chief Encouragement Officer

ADDventurers Kids Club – Term Two

Theme: “My ADHD”

This term, we explored both the positives and challenges of living with ADHD. The children created powerful acrostic poems that celebrated their unique strengths—and their level of focus during this activity was so impressive, we even experienced a few moments of silence (a rare and welcome surprise!)

We also enjoyed watching clips from Bluey and Over the Hedge, using them to spot and discuss different ADHD characteristics. It sparked thoughtful conversations and helped us all see that ADHD looks different for everyone—there’s no such thing as “one size fits all.”

As Term 2 comes to a close, we’re already planning more exciting indoor activities for Term 3 and looking forward to a fun-filled holiday programme!

Aroha nui,
Ilse Breytenbach

ADDventurers Youth – Term Two

Kia ora whānau,

Wow, this term has flown by! It’s been a great opportunity to reflect on the many positives we’ve seen in our rangatahi (youth).

A big shout-out to all our young people in high school and college who recently sat exams. We’re proud of you for showing up, giving it your best, and seeing where you’re at in your learning journey. Ka pai!

It’s been a real highlight getting out to the schools and spending time mentoring our youth. They continue to impress us with their creativity, adventurous spirit, and willingness to share their thoughts and ideas. Whether it’s a quick golf lesson, a chat and laughing on the swings, or a walk to the wharf, these moments are always great listening to our youth and how they are going.

Our Youth Nights have been full of energy and laughter, with games, great kōrero (conversations), and some discussions around ADHD, with pizza in hand!

Nga mihinui,

Kelvin Moana

Professional Development

Kelvin and Ilse had the awesome opportunity to attend the South Auckland Youth Network Conference, where they heard from some great speakers, took part in practical workshops, and connected with other youth workers to share ideas and learn from each other.

We also had some of our team complete their first aid refreshers this term. Staying up to date with these important standards is a priority for us and key to ensuring the safety of our team and the children and youth we support.

Celebrating Our Amazing Volunteers

Our volunteers have gone above and beyond in the first half of 2025. They embraced a few changes to our volunteer programme with such positivity and took part in a valuable training day earlier this year.

To thank them for their incredible support, we shared a special dinner together at a local Indian restaurant in Pukekohe. It was a wonderful evening with a great turnout, filled with good food and even better company.

We are constantly amazed at how blessed we are to have teenagers volunteer their time to show care and attention to our kids.  

Tips, tricks, and ideas to try. 

ADDy's Corner is where we share helpful tips, tricks, and ideas that might make life a little easier. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we believe that by sharing as a community, we can support each other through the challenging, yet rewarding, journey of parenting our children with ADHD.

Hyperactivity Help for Indoor-Weather Days

It’s the school holidays, and we know keeping our small people entertained - especially on cold, wet days - can be a real challenge!

We came across some fantastic suggestions from ADDitude Magazine to help you keep the energy flowing in a fun and positive way. These ideas are especially great for supporting kids with ADHD indoors (or when the weather isn’t on your side):

• Try movement-based indoor options: Hip hop or dance Youtube videos, swimming, gymnastics, and even boxing can help burn energy and build focus.
• Get creative with your space: Set up an indoor obstacle course, create a mini gym using household items (think chairs, cushions, or cans as weights), build blanket forts and indoor cities - or turn the garage into a make-believe outer space adventure!
• Use chores as calming tools: Washing the car, vacuuming, cleaning the windows, and heavy work like carrying firewood can have a regulating effect!
• Incorporate fun tech: A Nintendo Wii session can be a great way to combine movement and fun indoors.

And remember to switch it up often, kids with ADHD may lose interest quickly, so plan a mix of short, engaging activities.

These ideas can help keep everyone sane (and maybe even smiling) through the rainy days!

Welcome Eva Croft!

We are so excited to be welcoming Eva to the Runway team! She’ll be supporting our youth mentoring and kids club programmes in a part-time capacity - and we couldn’t be happier to have her on board.

Eva brings a fantastic work ethic, a positive attitude, and valuable experience working alongside tamariki. When she’s not with us, she’s busy supporting students in her role as a teacher aide at Tamaoho School.

Welcome to the team, Eva!