Sports Plus is designed to create opportunity for New Zealand young people to intern with Ignite Sport, get a taste of what Youth Work can be like and be involved in a wide range of sports-specific projects aimed at serving both schools and the wider community.
Entry into the Sports Plus programme comes from referral through WINZ or Youth Inspire (external link) .
Sports Plus is designed to achieve the following outcomes:
Please contact Alex at the office if you are interested in finding out more.
We offer other types of internships if you are studying youth development or are interested in supporting Ignite whilst on a gap year - please see our Make a Difference page for more information on these.
I am from a small town called the Nui (Wainuiomata), where I currently still live surrounded by the beautiful Pukeatua hills. I went to kura there and played many sports such as netball, cricket, softball, squash, league and badminton.
I have only been at Ignite Sport for 3 months and I have already gained some interesting skills and experiences such as working with a variety of young people and helping them to become positive leaders.
I also have many highlights at Ignite Sport, some of them that stand out the most are the Tongariro trip, Easter camp and being part of Ignite’s first ever Taita College leadership training programme.
This journey has been very pleasant, and Kia Ora to the Ignite team for being very inspiring and family orientated. I am thankful to be part of the team as an intern. “Salute my soldiers”.
I'm 18 years old and I live in Wainuiomata. At the moment I am working with Ignite Sport as a sports plus intern for 6 months. It has only been 3 months and so far it has been such an incredible experience and I've enjoyed every minute.
I've met amazing people and accomplished so many things I never thought I'd do. I've gained more confidence as well and have come out of my comfort zone. While working with Ignite Sport I've become more passionate about working with youth.
My wish is to help others and impact people in my community, whether that be through sports or something else. I'm looking forward to getting amongst my community more and creating a positive influence all around.
My highlights would be the 'Thumbs Up' event we did on our very first day. This was an event we did with people with disabilities and after the day spent with them they were really happy and it felt awesome to be a part of that. The Tongariro Alpine Crossing I went on with Porirua College was also a highlight for me, it definitely pushed me and was a challenge but I'm proud to say that I completed it.
Over all my time so far with Ignite Sport has been fantastic and I feel blessed to have had this opportunity to work with them.
While growing up in Wainuiomata, I played/participated in various sports, such as soccer, netball, basketball, and badminton. Being a part of Ignite Sport has helped me rekindle with these sports and has made me realise how much I missed some of them.
Although I have only worked here for 3 months I have improved my networking skills with young youth and I have also learnt some valuable life skills that I definitely will be using on a daily basis. These life skills have also helped me choose what I would potentially like to do for my future job.
Being a part of the team here at Ignite is something I will definitely miss when our internship finishes. My top highlight of working here would have to be playing games, learning about different cultures and meeting new students.
So big ups to yous Ignite Sport, I am truly blessed for the wonderful experience yous have blessed me with. “Drops the mic and walks out”
I started working as an intern at Ignite Sport in February 2017. I was born and raised in Auckland, North Shore. My family and I decided to move down to Wellington in November 2016. I also enjoyed playing sports all through my schooling years.
This is my first experience working with youth and doing youth work with Ignite. Working here I have gained more confidence with myself and I have widened my range of networking skills and abilities. I am thankful for all the opportunities I have been given by connecting with the students on programmes and with the Ignite staff. There have been challenges that I have had as an intern but they all help me grow as a person.
My highlights working at Ignite are being part of a supportive team, going on programmes and meeting all the students at the schools. I have really enjoyed working and being a part of Ignite Sport. My experiences of working here has made me build relationships with the youth. Stepping out of my comfort zone has been a big challenge for me but knowing that I enjoyed what I did here has made me more open and accepting.