In November 2025, El Rancho camp was again the venue for a gathering of young people and rangatahi with FASD at Tītoki 5.
26 rangatahi with FASD (including 11 first-timers) and their whānau member, parent, carer or support worker came together again in Waikanae for a weekend of whanaungatanga / connection, friendship, fun activities, learning and whakamana - self-empowerment.
Activities including swimming, archery, giant outdoor games and go-karting, alongside facilitated sessions to develop skills and confidence to advocate for themselves about FASD. It's so inspiring seeing people engaging in activities that are a real challenge for them, and to see them gain confidence.
An 'everyone’s' birthday celebration on Saturday night was a real highlight with cake decorating and singing happy birthday to ourselves and others. So many young people with FASD never get to experience a group birthday with lots of friends, so it was a poignant moment. The quiz night was fun and of course, there is always great kai and other informal social times.
The programme started with a showing of our international, award-winning short film about the last camp – the FASD Oscars!
Click here to find out more about this and watch the film.
Everyone was so proud of what we achieved and their own contributions to the film. One of the stars said, “I never knew FASD was an international issue!” We celebrated with a big bonfire, placing written messages of ‘negativity and/or thoughts and experiences we wanted to let go of’ into the fire to be released with the sparks up into the clear night sky. This was followed by toasted jumbo marshmallows and choccy biscuits.
The facilitated sessions reviewed the 8 Key Messages developed by people with FASD – the voices of living experience. We then had an overseas zoom catch up with RJ Formanek, a renowned international FASD advocate from Canada. He got his FASD diagnosis in his late forties and inspired everyone with his stories, advocacy and advice: “It’s not your fault. Be yourself!”
A follow-up session identified people we would like to educate and influence about FASD, and the obstacles. A common problem experienced is the stigma of FASD, and how that affected tamariki and their mothers.
Everyone said they really enjoyed it and they made good friends: “This camp is so incredibly amazing and inspiring!” Most said that they better understood FASD and a common request is for more information on the brain next time. “Knowing more about FASD is eye-opening,” and “We need facts that can’t be argued with because we are often not believed.”
Parents and carers had their own sessions, with one Mum saying “This was the best time. It was so nice to be in a space where I didn’t need to always explain everything and I felt so safe.” It was fantastic this year to have four Dads join in, too.
Having four qualified youth workers, two students, and two fasd-informed supporters attend as kaiāwhina (helpers – including one of our board members) was a huge help this year. This tautoko / support is a valued addition to the Tītoki kaupapa, especially with the large numbers of rangatahi and adults attending.
There were also some new ideas and comments that we'll be taking on board:
• more accessible activities that encourage participation
• workshop sessions to be held outside rather than the hall
• horse riding would be great!
• more information on mental health, and
• "extend the camp to a week!"
Maybe the best comment was one which summed up Tītoki in general: “We are now building and growing an FASD community.”
Big thanks and congratulations for a great job Jackie (18) who took all the photos at Tītoki 5. She spoke about her passion for photography back in March 2024 – and this year, she was the photographer. Jackie used a using a Canon EOS 700D camera to take some beautiful, empathetic photos that show a real eye for a scene and emotion. The first photo shows Jackie's twin sister Emily (left) reuniting with her friend Yulia.
Hei te tau tītoki
When the tītoki blooms, it does so in its own time
Like the tītoki tree, our tamariki, rangatahi and adults with FASD bloom in their own time. Every kernel holds great potential and given time, that potential reveals itself.
