Make a Difference (MAD) Marine
What is MAD Marine?
MAD Marine is an annual programme for potential youth leaders aimed at giving secondary students an exciting marine experience and new found marine knowledge over a three day camp on Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The programme was partnered with the Auckland Regional Council and now with the Auckland Council.
Students are then challenged to take their new found marine knowledge and share it with their schools and communities in actions and events during Seaweek in March.
Read a transcript of the MAD Marine three day camp video
Students wearing MAD Marine 2010 t-shirt
When did it start?
MAD Marine was a piloted in January 2009 with 25 students from 12 schools participating. In 2010 36 students from 19 schools participated.
Collectively these students have reached in excess of 30,000 school and community members with their marine messages before, during and after Seaweek. MAD Marine 2011 has 34 students from 16 schools participating.
How can students get involved?
Invitations to nominate students are sent to every secondary school and kura kaupapa in the Auckland region in July, with students being asked to apply showing their interest in sustainability and the environment. Two students are selected from each school to allow peer support back in their schools.
MAD Marine programme
During the camp students work in, on and under the water learning skills such as kayaking and snorkelling. Seaweek has a different theme each year and the camp links to this. 2010's theme was fishing into the future, so MADsters fished on their way to Motutapu Island while hearing about fish quota and size from Ministry of Fisheries guests.
Students ready to investigate the underwater world
Other activities were waka ama paddling, historic batch visits, climbing Rangitoto, learning about the Motutapu-Rangitoto restoration project and the Motutapu Restoration Trust.
At night students were mentored by previous MADsters and assisted in forming their action plans for events in Seaweek. These young mentors gave advice about what works and what doesn't, how to promote events and seek media coverage and sponsorship.
During Seaweek students initiated actions in their community and schools to pass on the marine knowledge they had gained. Beach clean-ups, DVD presentations, mufti days, a blog website, plastic bag installations, library displays and riparian plantings were just some of the events which touched over 30,000 people in their communities from Warkworth to Mangere, Botany Downs to Green Bay.
Leaders in the making
MAD Marine participants have gone on to be Sir Peter Blake National Youth Forum Participants, volunteer guides on Tiritiri Matangi, a winner of the Auckland Zoo Conservation Week Youth Award 2009, observers at the UN World Climate Change Conference 2009, a leader of a youth group to India for conservation work, and a successful candidate for 2010 local board election.
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