Kiwi kids will have the opportunity to share their dreams with New Zealand, as a nationwide collection of young New Zealanders hopes and aspirations for the future launched today.
And to encourage Kiwis, aged five to 18, to contribute their dreams, via an online portal called the Dream Bank, Westpac and the Sir Peter Blake Trust have enlisted the help of some of the country’s most inspiring leaders to share their dreams too, including Paralympic gold medalist Sophie Pascoe, New Zealand’s Governor General, The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, Willie Apiata VC, Sir Stephen Tindall and Blake Leader Rachel Taulelei.
The Dream Bank will be open from 7 June to 6 July and every week there will be a range of prizes to be won, including five prizes of $1000 from Westpac, as well as prizes for participating schools. On Red Socks Day, Friday 7 July, the Dream Bank vault will be opened and New Zealanders will have an opportunity to hear what the next generation is dreaming about.
Encouraging young Kiwis to believe they can achieve their dreams was something that Sir Peter Blake, the original wearer of the iconic Red Socks, was passionate about, says Trust CEO Shelley Campbell.
“Sir Peter Blake was a Kiwi hero who dared to dream. He accomplished so much in terms of the goals that he set for himself, but he was also focused on achieving bigger dreams that would make a real difference to New Zealand and the planet.
“We’re thrilled that Kiwi kids can now, via the Dream Bank, take the first step towards achieving their own dreams, by writing them down, and be able to access an action plan and videos that will help get them started. Giving kids the permission and courage to dream big is critically important to their sense of self-belief, and what they feel they are capable of achieving. We hope lots of parents will take this opportunity to sit down with their children and help them think of a dream they’d like to achieve, both for themselves and for New Zealand.”
Westpac CEO, David McLean, says the Dream Bank concept was a natural fit for Westpac, as the foundation partner of the Sir Peter Blake Trust, and key sponsor of the schools-based Westpac Young Leader Awards.
“We hope the Dream Bank will provide New Zealand teachers with an opportunity to talk to their students about wanting to be the best you can be and the video resources, featuring leaders like Sophie Pascoe, will illustrate to kids what having great aspirations looks like. We believe whole-heartedly in the potential of young Kiwis to achieve their dreams. And we can’t wait to hear what Kiwi kids, from Kaitaia to Bluff, are dreaming about, both for themselves and for New Zealand,” he says.
To find out more about the Dream Bank, please visit www.dreambank.co.nz.
