About
Our founding principles are simple: Every being is unique, every body is magnificent, every person deserves respect.
Life Education has been educating and empowering tamariki across New Zealand for almost 40 years. Life Education Auckland West is one of 32 trusts nationwide delivering programmes that support the wellbeing, health and development of tamariki, their families and whānau.
Each year Life Education Auckland West takes around 15,000 tamariki on a journey through our unique, interactive mobile classrooms, where they learn about health and nutrition, mental wellbeing, resilience, the human body, healthy relationships, friendship skills and the impact of helpful and harmful substances. By engaging and empowering the next generation, we aim to inspire positive choices and help create healthier, stronger communities, with Harold the Giraffe leading the way.
Overwhelmingly our tamariki, their teachers and whānau tell us that Life Education is an extraordinary learning experience that they absolutely love.
Inspired by learning, guided by nature
Our thanks to Te Kawerau ā Maki for sharing this whakataukī, which inspired the names of our Auckland West mobile classrooms and reflects our belief in the transformative power of learning.
Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro nōnā te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga nōnā te ao
‘The forest belongs to the bird who feasts on the miro berry; the world belongs to the bird who feasts on knowledge’
Our mobile classrooms
Drawing on the themes of this whakataukī, our two mobile classrooms are named after native birds whose unique qualities reflect the learning journeys we hope to inspire in tamariki.
Takapū
Encouraging tamariki to dive into learning with curiosity, teamwork, and confidence.
Kuaka
Encouraging tamariki to embrace challenges with resilience, perseverance and the courage to navigate life's journeys.
Our Educators
Vicky McDowall
I grew up on the North Shore and moved out west in 2006. I began my career as a secondary teacher, teaching English and Media Studies for five years. I made the transition to primary teaching in 2015. I have two teenagers and two cats. I enjoy reading, photography, and going for walks at the beach or in the ngāhere. I volunteer at my local library, delivering books to those who are unable to visit.
I have fond memories of Harold visiting my primary school when I was a child. In more recent years I have been able to experience the joy and wonder of Life Education visits through my students’ eyes. I feel very grateful to be working alongside the rest of the Auckland West team, and our local schools to make sure the Healthy Harold programme reaches as many tamariki and rangatahi as possible.
Grace Snell
Ko Parihaka te maunga e rū rei taku ngākau
Ko Hātea te awa e mahea nei aku māharahara
Nō Whangarei ahau
Ko Tāmaki Makarau tōku kāinga
Ki te taha o tōku papa ko Ngāi Tahu tōku iwi
Ki te taha o tōku mama ko Ngāpuhi tōku iwi
Ko Kaiako ahau
Ko Grace ahau
My name is Grace. I was born in Whangarei but have lived most of my life in Auckland, with a few years based in Melbourne. I have experience teaching children of all ages, and each year level is my favourite for different reasons!
It is an honour to work alongside fellow educators, Vicky and Harold, in the Auckland West Life Education Trust. I love teaching in the mobile classroom as it is such an engaging environment and it’s a joy to see students’ eyes light up in wonder as they discover new things about the brain and body.
Harold and the mobile classroom are great teaching tools we use to support classroom teachers in empowering their students to make the best choices and be the healthiest they can be. He waka eke noa - we are all in this together, and together we can make a difference!
Together, these classrooms reflect the strengths we nurture in tamariki and the aspirations we hold for our community.
