Winger Hamilton is the driving force behind the Graeme Dingle Foundation in the Waikato.
The Graeme Dingle Foundation is a child and youth charity founded by Sir Graeme Dingle and Jo-anne Wilkinson, Lady Dingle, in 1995 as the Project K Trust. The Graeme Dingle Foundation is a leader in the field of child and youth development, running several successful proven programmes – Kiwi Can, Stars, Career Navigator, Project K and MYND.
The programmes cover young people from 5-24 and have been proven to have a direct impact on building resilience to help them overcome life’s obstacles and thrive. Participating students have access to inspirational leaders and mentors when taking part in programmes that provide the skills they need to prosper. “We believe it is important that we not only do good, but we can prove the difference we make”.
The programmes empower tamariki and rangatahi to overcome life’s obstacles and are informed by best practice research. With University research partners programmes improve attitudes and behaviour, improve academic results, help young people set and achieve goals, boost self-confidence, reduce truancy rates and at risk behaviours such as substance abuse. Through these community-focused, life changing, role modelling and mentoring programmes, young people develop life skills and confidence – empowered to find their purpose and direction in life.
Since 1995 the Graeme Dingle Foundation have had over 350,000 young people through their programmes and are helping over 26,000 children each year to become their own heroes.