Unlock the Potential of the Kilmarnock Academy
By Islay
PledgeMe.Project
Community,
NZ $52,997 pledged
200 people pledged
Closed
NZ $50,000 minimum target
This campaign was successful and closed on 14/12/2017 at 5:00 PM.
Make a PledgeAbout
Unlock The Potential Of The Kilmarnock Academy
Project 2017-10-18 15:45:22 +1300
The Kilmarnock Academy is a new approach, providing a personalised, coordinated pathway to employment for people with an intellectual disability.
The Kilmarnock Training Academy is giving people with intellectual disabilities another chance to excel in education. With your support we can grow our existing pilot programme to reach 20 people within the first year, and open our doors to another 20 people with disabilities, many from outside of Kilmarnock, the following year. You will be helping to provide a transitional programme of work experience and formal (NZQA) qualifications that will assist talented people to find meaningful, sustainable employment outside of Kilmarnock. This is the first time in nearly sixty years of operations that we’ve had a project that the community can actively contribute to - and we’d love for you to join us on this exciting journey.
Choose your rewards, pledge your amount, and help the Kilmarnock Academy come alive.
This funding will help us take another 20 people on the same journey as Allan, Despina, Dave, Bradley, and Rachel in 2018 to gain meaningful training and qualifications.
This is just the start of the Academy. We want to scale and build partnerships to provide a pathway to employment, beyond Kilmarnock, for people with an intellectual disability.
What?
The Kilmarnock Academy is opening doors and unlocking potential for people with an intellectual disability, empowering them to find purposeful employment and a valued place in the community. Through recognised NZQA qualifications, our graduates can discover new talents and opportunities. This is what the Academy does…
Kilmarnock
At Kilmarnock, we believe in a world that values diversity, and so we are changing attitudes towards disability through education, employment, and opportunity, empowering people with disabilities to lead purposeful and dignified lives. We balance this social mission with achieving incredible results in a commercial environment as a contract manufacturer. We work with some incredible customers such as Air New Zealand, The Gough Group, Foodstuffs, and Trade Aid to help deliver excellent results to their customers.
To read more: www.kilmarnock.co.nz
To see more: Visit our Youtube channel
Find us: On Facebook or Twitter
Or read about what others think here: New Zealand Listener, and here: Latitude Magazine
Or just read about my (Islay) experience at Kilmarnock here.
Our Rewards
We have collected some incredible rewards, to acknowledge your support.
There is a great range to choose from including original designs from local artists (see them below), handcrafted wooden gifts made by the Kilmarnock team, and gifts and vouchers from local businesses such as HAPA, Fill Their Lunchbox, Parry Field Lawyers, The Grow Good Guy, Yoga By Kotte, Sonder Wallets, Chirny Coffee, Auspicious Victory. There is also an awesome collection of Kilmarnock experiences from tours, to presentations, to Kilmarnock workshops and your own named carpark! Stay tuned for the amazing mystery wine draw…
Also, do you like Fiji?
We do! That’s why we have partnered with Air New Zealand (one of our awesome customers) to get you there. ALL pledges over $50 will go into the draw to win a return trip for two to Fiji. Just pledge, and share on your social media with the #kilmarnockacademy
The artists
We are so lucky to know such wonderfully creative people! Four of our favourite artists have created for us some beautiful illustrations themed around education and inclusion.
Sean Bremen, An extremely talented local graphic designer, tackles the quote "If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid".
Ietje Beets, An Auckland based sculptor and printmaker has created two prints that bring to life the beautiful texture of multiplicity and diversity.
and Intersection
Design 1: Multiplicity
Design 2: Intersection
Writer and illustrator, Jenn Rackham, loved the quote, “When people call me weird, I say thank you”.
An extra thank you
The names of any donors of $50 or more will be listed on a thank you board in the Kilmarnock Academy as an extra way of acknowledging your generosity and reminding us of all the incredible people who have supported us from the very beginning of this journey.
Comments
Updates 3
7 Days to go!
07/12/2017 at 4:25 PM
Hello friends!
It's been a big day today!
We reached 100 pledges, we celebrated one week to go (It's the final countdown do-do-do-doo), AND our second group of graduates had their final day of classes!
Mary, Tim, Tania, Jareth and Todd are now getting prepped for their graduation ceremony next week! At that graduation, we will introduce the next group of participants who will be re-starting their academic career in the new year. We still need your help to make this happen!
Reaching the target before the 14th of December will guarantee the Academy can go ahead next year.
So if you are willing, we would love for you to speak to all your networks and help us on the final push. Plus, there are flights for two to Fiji to win for any pledges over $50! Just make sure you have shared the campaign with the hashtag #kilmarnockacademy to be in to win!
P.s We were in the news today! Read about it here.
Thank you!
Islay and the Kilmarnock Team
You need to pledge to see this update.
Thank you, Despina for letting us share your story!
21/11/2017 at 2:39 PM
I've been working at Kilmarnock for just over two years, and I was one of the first people to join the Kilmarnock Academy.
I left school pretty early and didn't get school cert or anything. Later on, I did a course for a while, but it didn't give me any qualifications.
I had a job in Australia making the plastic moulds for tomato packets. It was too hard, so I left after a few weeks. After that, I spent a lot of time watching TV, hanging out with friends, and walking my dog.
When I moved to New Zealand, I still couldn't find work. After a while I found Kilmarnock. I like the variety here. I get to try heaps of different things. My favourite jobs are labelling the bottles for Glass Eye Creek, packing UHT milk for Nestle and Fonterra, and sewing.
The Academy has been awesome. I have learnt heaps of stuff, but my favourite has been learning about managing relationships, friendships, and grief. Also goal setting.
I'm pretty proud to have qualifications now. I never thought I could do that.
Please help others like Despina find their confidence and get a second chance at education. Support the Kilmarnock Training Academy and pledge on our crowdfunding campaign.
Pledgers 200
15/11/2017 at 9:40am
15/11/2017 at 9:39am
14/11/2017 at 9:40pm
14/11/2017 at 8:47pm
14/11/2017 at 8:07pm
14/11/2017 at 6:16pm
"Well done Islay can't wait to hear from you xx"
14/11/2017 at 3:55pm
"What a wonderful initiative and organisation, creating a world that values diversity :-)"
14/11/2017 at 2:15pm
"You guys are brilliant, keep up the good work!"
14/11/2017 at 12:48pm
"The leaders at Kilmarnock are awesome at assisting the people who work there to find their potential"
14/11/2017 at 11:42am
14/11/2017 at 11:02am
14/11/2017 at 10:48am
"Beautiful cause! All the best team and thank you for your work."
14/11/2017 at 10:00am
"Well done Kilmarnock...and best of luck. Mac x"
14/11/2017 at 9:26am
"inspirational project"
14/11/2017 at 9:10am
14/11/2017 at 8:44am
14/11/2017 at 8:40am
14/11/2017 at 8:28am
"You can do it!!"
14/11/2017 at 8:27am
"Go Kilmarnock!"
14/11/2017 at 7:46am
"Woohoo! Love your work Kilmarnock! "
Followers 2
Followers of Unlock the Potential of the Kilmarnock Academy
Unlock The Potential Of The Kilmarnock Academy
Project 2017-10-18 15:45:22 +1300
The Kilmarnock Academy is a new approach, providing a personalised, coordinated pathway to employment for people with an intellectual disability.
The Kilmarnock Training Academy is giving people with intellectual disabilities another chance to excel in education. With your support we can grow our existing pilot programme to reach 20 people within the first year, and open our doors to another 20 people with disabilities, many from outside of Kilmarnock, the following year. You will be helping to provide a transitional programme of work experience and formal (NZQA) qualifications that will assist talented people to find meaningful, sustainable employment outside of Kilmarnock. This is the first time in nearly sixty years of operations that we’ve had a project that the community can actively contribute to - and we’d love for you to join us on this exciting journey.
Choose your rewards, pledge your amount, and help the Kilmarnock Academy come alive.
This funding will help us take another 20 people on the same journey as Allan, Despina, Dave, Bradley, and Rachel in 2018 to gain meaningful training and qualifications.
This is just the start of the Academy. We want to scale and build partnerships to provide a pathway to employment, beyond Kilmarnock, for people with an intellectual disability.
What?
The Kilmarnock Academy is opening doors and unlocking potential for people with an intellectual disability, empowering them to find purposeful employment and a valued place in the community. Through recognised NZQA qualifications, our graduates can discover new talents and opportunities. This is what the Academy does…
Kilmarnock
At Kilmarnock, we believe in a world that values diversity, and so we are changing attitudes towards disability through education, employment, and opportunity, empowering people with disabilities to lead purposeful and dignified lives. We balance this social mission with achieving incredible results in a commercial environment as a contract manufacturer. We work with some incredible customers such as Air New Zealand, The Gough Group, Foodstuffs, and Trade Aid to help deliver excellent results to their customers.
To read more: www.kilmarnock.co.nz
To see more: Visit our Youtube channel
Find us: On Facebook or Twitter
Or read about what others think here: New Zealand Listener, and here: Latitude Magazine
Or just read about my (Islay) experience at Kilmarnock here.
Our Rewards
We have collected some incredible rewards, to acknowledge your support.
There is a great range to choose from including original designs from local artists (see them below), handcrafted wooden gifts made by the Kilmarnock team, and gifts and vouchers from local businesses such as HAPA, Fill Their Lunchbox, Parry Field Lawyers, The Grow Good Guy, Yoga By Kotte, Sonder Wallets, Chirny Coffee, Auspicious Victory. There is also an awesome collection of Kilmarnock experiences from tours, to presentations, to Kilmarnock workshops and your own named carpark! Stay tuned for the amazing mystery wine draw…
Also, do you like Fiji?
We do! That’s why we have partnered with Air New Zealand (one of our awesome customers) to get you there. ALL pledges over $50 will go into the draw to win a return trip for two to Fiji. Just pledge, and share on your social media with the #kilmarnockacademy
The artists
We are so lucky to know such wonderfully creative people! Four of our favourite artists have created for us some beautiful illustrations themed around education and inclusion.
Sean Bremen, An extremely talented local graphic designer, tackles the quote "If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid".
Ietje Beets, An Auckland based sculptor and printmaker has created two prints that bring to life the beautiful texture of multiplicity and diversity.
and Intersection
Design 1: Multiplicity
Design 2: Intersection
Writer and illustrator, Jenn Rackham, loved the quote, “When people call me weird, I say thank you”.
An extra thank you
The names of any donors of $50 or more will be listed on a thank you board in the Kilmarnock Academy as an extra way of acknowledging your generosity and reminding us of all the incredible people who have supported us from the very beginning of this journey.
Comments
7 Days to go!
07/12/2017 at 4:25 PM
Hello friends!
It's been a big day today!
We reached 100 pledges, we celebrated one week to go (It's the final countdown do-do-do-doo), AND our second group of graduates had their final day of classes!
Mary, Tim, Tania, Jareth and Todd are now getting prepped for their graduation ceremony next week! At that graduation, we will introduce the next group of participants who will be re-starting their academic career in the new year. We still need your help to make this happen!
Reaching the target before the 14th of December will guarantee the Academy can go ahead next year.
So if you are willing, we would love for you to speak to all your networks and help us on the final push. Plus, there are flights for two to Fiji to win for any pledges over $50! Just make sure you have shared the campaign with the hashtag #kilmarnockacademy to be in to win!
P.s We were in the news today! Read about it here.
Thank you!
Islay and the Kilmarnock Team
You need to pledge to see this update.
Thank you, Despina for letting us share your story!
21/11/2017 at 2:39 PM
I've been working at Kilmarnock for just over two years, and I was one of the first people to join the Kilmarnock Academy.
I left school pretty early and didn't get school cert or anything. Later on, I did a course for a while, but it didn't give me any qualifications.
I had a job in Australia making the plastic moulds for tomato packets. It was too hard, so I left after a few weeks. After that, I spent a lot of time watching TV, hanging out with friends, and walking my dog.
When I moved to New Zealand, I still couldn't find work. After a while I found Kilmarnock. I like the variety here. I get to try heaps of different things. My favourite jobs are labelling the bottles for Glass Eye Creek, packing UHT milk for Nestle and Fonterra, and sewing.
The Academy has been awesome. I have learnt heaps of stuff, but my favourite has been learning about managing relationships, friendships, and grief. Also goal setting.
I'm pretty proud to have qualifications now. I never thought I could do that.
Please help others like Despina find their confidence and get a second chance at education. Support the Kilmarnock Training Academy and pledge on our crowdfunding campaign.
15/11/2017 at 9:40am
15/11/2017 at 9:39am
14/11/2017 at 9:40pm
14/11/2017 at 8:47pm
14/11/2017 at 8:07pm
14/11/2017 at 6:16pm
"Well done Islay can't wait to hear from you xx"
14/11/2017 at 3:55pm
"What a wonderful initiative and organisation, creating a world that values diversity :-)"
14/11/2017 at 2:15pm
"You guys are brilliant, keep up the good work!"
14/11/2017 at 12:48pm
"The leaders at Kilmarnock are awesome at assisting the people who work there to find their potential"
14/11/2017 at 11:42am
14/11/2017 at 11:02am
14/11/2017 at 10:48am
"Beautiful cause! All the best team and thank you for your work."
14/11/2017 at 10:00am
"Well done Kilmarnock...and best of luck. Mac x"
14/11/2017 at 9:26am
"inspirational project"
14/11/2017 at 9:10am
14/11/2017 at 8:44am
14/11/2017 at 8:40am
14/11/2017 at 8:28am
"You can do it!!"
14/11/2017 at 8:27am
"Go Kilmarnock!"
14/11/2017 at 7:46am
"Woohoo! Love your work Kilmarnock! "