Three members of the Awa City Computer Clubhouse have been selected to attend the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network 2012 Teen Summit in July.

Joseph Wilson, Roland Mead and David Lockett will be accompanied by Clubhouse Coordinator Masina Kenworthy on the week long trip to the USA, where they will meet young people from other Computer Clubhouses from around the world.

There are more than 100 clubhouses in 20 different countries and Wanganui is one of five centres in New Zealand to have a clubhouse. The Computer Clubhouse provides a creative and safe after-school learning environment where young people aged 10 to 18 years work with adult mentors to explore their own ideas, develop skills, and build confidence in themselves through the use of technology.  The Clubhouse has 15 computers with design software and a recording studio. Youth are producing projects including writing and recording their own songs, music videos, photoshop, Animations, stop motion clips and video games.

The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network supports community-based clubhouses around the world and organises a biennial Teen Summit and funds up to three members and a chaperone to attend the summit.  The summit is an expo of new technologies, presentations and demonstrations by industry professionals of the power of technology as a tool for creativity. There will be time to work together on collaborative design projects including music, videos and animation. The members will also have the opportunity to use technology tools to capture images and document the Teen Summit and their experiences in Boston.

"The goals of the Teen Summit experience are to enable clubhouse youth to share experiences, knowledge and resources with other youth from around the world and expose them to new ideas and opportunities that they can then share back home," says Cr Jack Bullock, member of the Digicom governance group which oversees the Clubhouse. 

"To have the chance to travel overseas and mix with young people from around the world is an unforgettable experience and will give our youth an appreciation of different cultures. They will have access to the best and latest in new technologies and this amazing opportunity will benefit them in their personal development and future career paths."

The theme of the 2012 Teen Summit is focused on the changes that clubhouse youth can make in their neighbourhoods and communities. At the Teen Summit members have the opportunity to discuss global concerns with their peers and decide how they should impact that issue through a creative and collaborative technology project in their own community when they return home.

Want to know more about the Awa City Computer Clubhouse?

The Computer Clubhouse is at 7 Park Place, in the Youth Services Trust building. There are currently more than 400 members.

Membership is free and open to young people aged 10 to 18 years.

The Clubhouse runs from 3.00pm to 7.00pm during school term-times as well as running special holiday workshops.

To join call in to the Computer Clubhouse and collect a form or call Masina Kenworthy, phone 348 4926, email or find us on Facebook here.

With the school holidays well under way check out some of these fun events to keep the children busy.

Slinky Malinky Tales - daily storytime
Monday, April 16 – Thursday, April 19, at 10.00am at the Davis Library.
Friday, April 13 and 20, at the Gonville Café Library at 1.00pm.
Children three years and older can come and join us as we share our favourite Lynley Dodd stories along with other fabulous tales. You will get to listen to some awesome heroes from our community reading each day.

Sarjeant Gallery - Lynley Dodd: A Retrospective Exhibition
Monday, April 16, to Thursday, April 19, at 10.30am
An opportunity to view an exhibition of original artworks featuring all your favourite Hairy Maclary friends, followed by a fun art activity where children will create their very own animal artwork to take home.  For five to nine year olds. Spaces are limited. To make a booking please contact the Sarjeant Gallery, phone 349 0506. (Please note that the Wanganui District Council has determined the Sarjeant is an earthquake-prone building.)

Books By Moonlight
Davis Library at 7.00pm on Thursday, April 12
Kids - come along in your jim-jams and listen to wonderful stories while enjoying yummy Fairtrade hot chocolate with this evening storytime for families and children aged four to eight years old.  

Splash Centre
Take on the Splash Centre’s Amazing Race challenge during the holidays and be in to win a great prize. For details check out the Splash Centre website here. The pool is open Monday to Friday, 6.00am to 8.00pm, Saturday to Sunday, 8.00am to 6.00pm.

Parks and reserves
If the weather is great don’t forget to visit some of Wanganui's many parks and reserves. You can feed the ducks at Virginia Lake, check out the playgrounds and skate parks at Kowhai Park and Castlecliff Domain or enjoy a picnic or barbecue at Bason Botanic Gardens.

Carlton School’s class treaty signed in Chambers

Year Six students from Carlton School’s Room 5 recently joined Cr Jack Bullock in the Council Chambers to sign a special treaty.

The class spent the last school term studying topics relating to the Treaty of Waitangi and the making of laws and rules. The culmination of their work included a class treaty which all students signed and the Council Chamber was chosen as the venue for this special event. Cr Bullock witnessed the treaty signing and congratulated the students on their hard work.

Positive Ageing Forum highlights
March 2012

Neighbourhood Support
The importance of communities belonging to a neighbourhood support group to assist people in emergencies was raised. To find out if a group is operating in your street or how you can form a new group contact Trudi at Wanganui Neighbourhood Support, phone 348 0568 or email nsg.wang@xtra.co.nz.

Wanganui District Council 10-Year Plan
The public will have a month to make submissions to the 10-Year Plan, from late-April and closing late-May.  Anyone can make a submission and all submitters have the opportunity to speak to their submission before Council makes a final decision on the plan.

Digital Communities
Statistics on internet usage show that 12% of users worldwide are aged 55+.  Currently in New Zealand 24% of internet users are aged over 55 highlighting the uptake of computer use in the older age groups.

May Day 2012 Disability Expo
The community is invited to attend the May Day Expo on May 4 at the War Memorial Centre. This is the 10th May Day Expo to be held in Wanganui and it will focus on ‘accessible Wanganui’ and be an anniversary celebration as well.

Whanganui District Health Board
The Disability Quality Awards are to be held again this year and more information will be available soon. The awards will be held in October 2012.

People are encouraged to submit to the Regional Women’s Health proposal and write and/or speak to the DHB as part of that process

Presentation:  Dr Cheryll Smith, Coordinator of Wanganui Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust
Dr Smith talked about the challenges faced by grandparents raising grandchildren and the positive effects of the concept along with local and worldwide statistics.

For further information about Positive Ageing in Wanganui click here.

Sarjeant Gallery events

Artist talk - Adrian Jackman
Wednesday, April 18 at 7.30pm

Painter Adrian Jackman is the new Tylee Cottage artist-in-residence.

Adrian arrived in Wanganui in March and is resident until the end of May. Adrian’s work explores the tension between representation and abstraction.

While in Wanganui he aims to create a new body of work which draws inspiration from the architectural, historical and geographical significance of the region. Part of the project will include the making of a hardcover book that will act as a journal of ideas and processes.

Adrian will give an illustrated talk about his work on Wednesday, April 18 at 7.30pm at the Sarjeant Gallery. Admission is free, gold coin donation welcome.

Collection Focus – Photography
The Sarjeant Gallery has one of the finest photographic collections in New Zealand. This small exhibition features a selection of works by three photographers – Laurence Aberhart, Richard Wotton and Peter Peryer of whose work the Gallery has strong holdings.
The commonality between all three photographers is their carefully attuned eye to overlooked interiors, sites, patterns and symbols.
The exhibition runs until June.

E-books at Wanganui Library

Did you know that e-books are available to Wanganui District Library members?

The Library is part of a consortium of libraries around the lower North Island offering e-books to members through the Overdrive digital library. All you need to access e-books is your library card and a computer connected to the internet.

For more information about e-books visit the library website at www.wanganuilibrary.com or call the library on 349 1000.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings.

Council (Extraordinary meeting) – April 12 (2.30pm, Council Chamber)

• The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Council’s response to the Whanganui District Health Board’s Regional Women’s Health Service Proposal.

Community and Environment – April 12 (4.00pm, Council Chamber)

• Informed Decisions Presentation; Community and Cultural Portfolio Activity Report; Community Taskforce on Youth Wellbeing ‘Quality    Services and Innovation Fund’ Proposal; Council Representation on Community Organisations; Insulation of Wanganui Homes Project; Customer Services Group Report; Annual Plan Submissions 2011

Strategy and Finance – April 17 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• INTRANZ Presentation; Finance and Corporate Activity Report; Elected Members’ Remuneration – 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013; Elected Members’ Expenses and Allowances List for Period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013; Policy and Planning Activity Report; Earthquake Prone Buildings; Schedule of Documents Sealed. Confidential items: Wanganui Gas Limited’s Report – 30 March 2012; Wanganui District Council Holdings Ltd’s Report; Debtor Write-offs; Rating Issues; Rates Repayments

Hearings and Regulatory – April 20 (10.00am, Council Chamber)

• Liquor Licence Objection Hearing

Council – April 30 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• The Council will consider the reports from Committee meetings held in April along with reports direct to Council.

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.