30 Sep 2015

Design skills for Kaikohe's disadvantaged youth

From Nine To Noon, 11:27 am on 30 September 2015

Social enterprise entrepreneurs Ana Heremaia and Felicity Brenchley wanted to do something about the high rates of truancy, drug and alcohol abuse, youth offending and high unemployment in the Far North. With colleague Ruby Watson, they established ĀKAU – a design and architecture studio in Kaikohe where at-risk youth produce beautifully crafted, high-quality furniture items.

Kathryn Ryan talks with Ana Heremaia and Felicity Brenchley.

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Jayden Ruru, youth designer who helped develop the concept for the paddle stool. (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

“It has helped with my confidence" - 18 year old designer Jayden Ruru (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

Youth designers were asked to develop conceptual ideas based on the traditional waka. (Photo by Jess Burges)

All profits from the sale of AKAU products help fund the youth program and community development in Kaikohe. (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

(Left to right) Ruby Watson, Felicity Brenchley, Ana Heremaia, and Jayden Ruru. (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

The Paddle Stool is constructed with traditional woodworking joints cut using CNC technology and fitted together by hand. (Photo by Jess Burges)

(Left to right) Ana Heremaia, Ruby Watson and Felicity Brenchley. (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

The stools are manufactured locally, in keeping with the AKAU kaupapa. (Photo by Jess Burges)

(Left to right) Ana Heremaia, Ruby Watson and Felicity Brenchley of AKAU workshop. (Photo by Bev Meldrum)

The plywood is manufactured in New Zealand using locally grown FSC certifed radiata pine. (Photo by Jess Burges)

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Design skills for Kaikohe's disadvantaged youth

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