ASPIRATIONAL CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAMME (ACE), AUCKLAND
The pilot for the ACE Programme commenced in a low decile primary school in South Auckland during February to April 2019. Sixteen diverse students aged around 10 years old were selected by the school to take part. The programme combines tennis tuition with life skills targeting disadvantaged children. For each lesson a primary life skill is introduced and demonstrated by an activity or game, e.g. communication, responsibility, honesty, problem solving and the fact that everything has a value. As the lessons are delivered free of charge to the children, IC NZ decided with the school that the children should choose some act of service beneficial to the school as a payment in kind. As a special treat, the Bairds class was taken to the Davis Cup match between New Zealand and Venezuela in March 2020. ICNZ is now expanding their programme to include a greater number of pupils at other schools.