Our lamp tradition

A woman with brown hair, wearing a purple top, stands indoors holding a pink and white floral apron. The background features a modern office or classroom with white walls, a bulletin board with papers, a desk with various items, and a large window letting in natural light.

During the first week of our COHORT programme, Jane – a lighting artist and ADHD coach – works with each rangatahi to design their own unique lamp. In 2024, she also contributed to getting The Hyphen Project established. Every day, rangatahi turn their lamps on when they arrive and off when they leave, creating a personal ritual that lights up their time with us. At the end of the COHORT, they take their lamp home as a lasting keepsake of their journey.

A woman with curly hair wearing beige jacket speaking to someone in a room with white walls and fluorescent lighting. Several people are visible, and there are posters and balloons in the background.
Display of various lamps on a table with a patterned tablecloth, behind a glass wall.

Lamps of COHORT 1

Lampshade with pink floral pattern, lace trim, and pink ribbon on a white base, mounted on a white lamp base.

Together, the lamps brighten our space with the individuality of every rangatahi.

Black handbag with large white polka dots on a white display stand.
A lampshade made from a decorated skirt with bow ribbons and floral embroidery, placed on a wooden lamp base.
A tall cylindrical lampshade with a light pink checked pattern, decorated with white fabric bows attached around its surface. The lamp is placed on a decorative surface with a colorful leaf design.
A table lamp with photos of musicians on its shade made by a gifted and neurodivergent teen.
A white ceramic table lamp with a lampshade, placed on a decorative fabric with multicolored leaf patterns.
A display of various lamps and lampshades on a wooden table made by teens, including a pink tulip-shaped lamp, a pink polka-dotted lamp, a lamp with cartoon characters, and a lampshade with a Greek key pattern.

Lamps of COHORT 2

A desk lamp with a checkered gray and white fabric shade made by a teen, placed on a wooden table.

Each switch-on is a small ritual, filling the room with personality and light.

A decorative table lamp with a fabric lampshade featuring a Greek key pattern in beige and blue, adorned with hanging glass beads at the bottom, made by a gifted and neurodivergent teen.
Table lamp with a black shade featuring white polka dots, sitting on a wooden surface with electrical cords nearby.
A decorated glass jar with cartoon character stickers, topped with a paper cover held by a tied white ribbon, placed on a wooden surface with a yellow wire extending from the jar.
A lamp shaped like a purple flower with green leaves, sitting on a wooden table with electrical cords connected.
Table lamp with a cylindrical shade covered in black numbers on a white background, mounted on a wooden base and stand.