Courtney | Pakuranga

“My name is Courtney and I call Pakuranga home. A time that someone’s given me a boost is probably just friends.

Even at work, things like that, if someone knows you’ve been having a hard time, they leave a little Post-it note on your desk, send you some funny photos, just little things that make you know people care, when sometimes you might think not everyone does. 

I work for an organisation, and just friends that I’ve made through working together that have become like family over time.

I grew up in Pakuranga, East Auckland. So did my dad and all of his family, and that’s through our homestead. Important to me is community and family and supporting those around you. And supporting our local marae and working with our community to do things like that as well.

I strongly believe that life’s a team sport. You can’t get through it alone, and you shouldn’t have to. So, I think it’s important to have a team around you and be part of other people’s teams as well, in big ways or just little ways.”