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A hands-on coral gardening programme for Aitutaki youth aged 12–16, helping them learn how to care for the lagoon and protect marine life. Tamariki will work with local mentors to grow and plant coral using coral tables, lines, clips, and fragments. They will help build and look after coral gardens in the lagoon, while learning why coral is important for ocean health.
This programme teaches youth to respect the sea, share what they learn, and take pride in looking after their island environment.
Lead Organisation: GROW Aitutaki working alongside Aitutaki Coral Restoration, PRA REEF Revival and Richard Story
A fun and hands-on marine programme for Aitutaki youth aged 9–13, focused on learning about turtles and how to protect them. Tamariki will explore the lagoon with local guides and a turtle expert from Hawai‘i, helping to spot, identify, and learn about the turtles that live in our waters. They will also learn why turtles are important, how to care for the ocean, and ways we can all help protect marine life.
This programme helps young people grow their knowledge and love for the lagoon and the ocean.
Lead Organisation: Te Ipukarea Society and George Balazs (Hawai‘i)
A planting programme for Aitutaki youth aged 5–16 that teaches tamariki how to grow, care for, and plant native trees. Youth will collect seeds, learn seed propagation, and take part in planting along coastal areas to help reduce erosion and restore the environment. Guided by local experts and elders, they’ll learn about traditional knowledge, the role of plants in island life, and how regenerative planting supports a healthy future.
This programme helps young people care for nature and keep Aitutaki green and strong.
Lead Organisation: GROW Aitutaki
An exciting learning trip for Aitutaki youth aged 9 –13, combining technology, culture, and the environment. Tamariki will take part in a daily robotics and coding programme with the Centre of Excellence and Information Technology (CEIT) Code Avengers, learning new skills in coding, problem solving, and innovation. Each afternoon, they will visit key places around Rarotonga to explore conservation, sustainability, and Cook Islands culture. Outings include Te Ipukarea Society + Ocean Toa, an aviation hangar tour with Air Rarotonga, Korero o te Orau, and coral gardening with Te Ara o te Akau Inc.
This adventure helps young people grow in confidence, connect with the wider world, and be proud of who they are.
TO'ORA
TO'ORA
WHALE WATCHING EDUCATION
A fun and hands-on whale education programme for Aitutaki youth aged 10–16. Run during whale season (August–October), it gives tamariki the chance to go whale watching, learn about whale behaviour and migration, and hear local stories about their cultural importance. Young people will take photos, listen to whale sounds, and map where whales travel.
This programme helps tamariki connect with the ocean, care for marine life, and share what they learn with their community.
Lead Organisation: GROW Aitutaki
NGAPUARIKI
NGAPUARIKI
VOYAGING AND NAVAGATING AITUTAKI
A fun and hands-on voyaging and navigation programme for Aitutaki youth aged 10–16. Run in partnership with vaka experts and local elders, it gives tamariki the chance to learn traditional wayfinding skills, explore ancestral migration routes, and experience sailing on a vaka. Young people will learn to read stars, swells, and wind, and hear stories passed down through generations about Aitutaki’s proud voyaging heritage.
This programme helps tamariki connect with their culture, develop confidence on the ocean, and celebrate the wisdom of their tūpuna.
Lead Organisation: Te Puna Marama Voyaging Foundation
'ATUI'ANGA KI TE TANGO (AKTT)
'ATUI'ANGA KI TE TANGO (AKTT)
YOUTH CULTURAL EXCHANGE - OCTOBER 2025
An exciting cultural exchange programme bringing together Aitutaki youth and the ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango (AKTT) students from Rarotonga. Held in October, this inter island visit gives young people the chance to build connections, share cultural knowledge, and explore shared values around environmental stewardship and identity. The exchange includes storytelling, traditional skills workshops, and place-based learning in both lagoon and land environments.
This programme supports cultural pride, peer-to-peer learning, and strong relationships between islands.
Lead Organisation: Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau
SWIM SAFE
SWIM SAFE
WATER CONFIDENCE AND OCEAN SAFETY
Grow Aitutaki, in collaboration with the Aitutaki Aquatics Club, aim to deliver a Swim Safe Project to teach local children and youth vital swimming and water safety skills. Surrounded by the lagoon and ocean, our community benefits from tamariki gaining confidence, competence, and respect for the marine environment. Through supportive lessons with trained instructors, we aim to prevent accidents, build lifelong skills, and create pathways into activities like diving, marine conservation, and tourism. Together, we are making Aitutaki a safer, more water smart island.
Lead Organisation: Aitutaki Aquatics Club
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