Young Marists

The Foundation champions the Young Marists, pledging five years of support for the Young Marists Neighbours Programme, a vital social justice initiative conducting seven annual outings. This program escorts students from Young Marist network schools to remote, chiefly Māori communities across Te Urewera, the East Coast, and Northland. Here, participants directly confront the realities of systemic poverty and unemployment through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching.

The initiative’s core objective is to catalyse a paradigm shift in how participants perceive social issues, nurturing both personal growth and societal transformation. Testimonials attest to the profound impact, labelling the experience as “life-changing,” fostering fresh perspectives and a deeper connection to faith and community engagement.

Beyond enriching the lives of participants, these visits forge enduring bonds with the visited communities, transcending geographical barriers and providing platforms for sharing narratives. Moreover, the initiative extends educational pathways to select individuals within these communities, exemplified by four students securing full scholarships to Marist network schools in the previous year.