With 14 days to go until the end of our crowdfunding initiative to reach another 160 schools nationwide, we are delighted to welcome Norm Hewitt as a Peace Ambassador to The Peace Foundation.
Raising $95,641.67 will get to our Givealittle target and unlock the promise of $150,030 from a generous private donor so that we can reach 160 schools nationwide, AND develop a project to take peer mediation skills training into every school and community in New Zealand.
NORM HEWITT
Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Pakeha
Motivator, Facilitator, Trainer
Norm’s journey, to use a sporting metaphor, has definitely been a game of two halves. The first half dominated by the ‘school of hard knocks’ with physical abuse and bullying suffered and then dished out. The second half about restoration and forgiveness for himself and others.
Norm was born and raised in the Hawkes Bay. His rugby prowess started to shine through at an early age. Over a 14 year rugby career he played nearly 300 first class games and became All Black 938. He captained NPC, Super Rugby and Maori All Black sides. A personal highlight was captaining the Wellington Lions to victory over Canterbury in the final of the 2000 NPC despite having a broken arm.
A year before this though saw Norm hit career and personal rock-bottom, when his abuse of alcohol was thrust in to the public glare, with an emotional apology for unacceptable behaviour was broadcast to the nation and the rugby world. It was also the moment he realised he had to change and the ‘second half’ of the journey began.
Since then, he has focused on understanding and repairing the negative influences on his life and helping others. He has a strong passion to assist people, particularly young people, achieve their potential. He works across a broad spectrum of organisations, from NGOs to big corporates, doing this.
One of his most treasured contracts was heading the Royal New Zealand SPCA’s “One of the family” programme, which seeks to prevent cruelty to animals.
He remains an astute observer of rugby and was part of a star-studded commentary and analysis team for Maori Television during the 2011 Rugby World Cup
However, is biggest passion is his family and his highest goal is to be a good husband and father.
Norman Jason "Norm" Hewitt
Born 11 November, 1968
Ngati Kahungunu and Ngati Tuwharetoa on Mother’s side
English and Irish on Father’s side
6 Brothers and Sisters
Went to Mangaorapa and Porangahau primary schools and Te Aute College
Married to Arlene Thomas
Tamariki (Children)
Elizabeth Grace Taniko Hewitt, 12
Alexander Te Mapihi Maurea Hewitt, 10
Rugby Career 1988 – 2001
296 First Class games
Played for and captained Hawkes Bay, Southland, Wellington
Played for and captained Wellington Hurricanes
Played for and captained Maori All Blacks
All Blacks
His bestselling rugby biography Gladiator: the Norm Hewitt Story (2001) was described as "Remarkably readable, sometimes controversial and frank... ...Hewitt’s refreshing honesty will appeal to a wide cross-section of New Zealanders." Selling over 30,000 copies in New Zealand.
Post Rugby Career 2001 -
Today, Norm is involved in a wide variety of work across New Zealand. His main focus is working with communities and young people. He remains a popular public speaker.
He is currently contracted to E Tu Whanau, the Triton Hearing Group as their Wellbeing Ambassador, the Knight Frank Leadership and Cultural project, PCL Roading and contracting group Leadership project and the Air New Zealand Gas Turbines mentoring and leadership project.
He has worked alongside the RNZSPCA heading the “One of the family” Programme, Te Pou, Instep group in health and safety, NZ Army Alcohol Awareness project, Armstrong Motor Group leadership project, NZ Steel Taharoa Relationship initiative, CBRE property group leadership project, and the Downer group EDI telecommunications division. Norm is also currently the roving Wellbeing Ambassador for Air New Zealand.
Norm was also part of the initial team which wrote the Government Green Paper for vulnerable children
Norm supports a number of charitable organisations, including Books in Homes, the Cloud 9 Children’s Foundation, Tamaiti Whangai, Outward Bound Trust, and alongside his wife, is the patron of the Upside Downs Education Trust.
In 2005, Norm competed in the inaugural TVNZ’s ‘Dancing with the Stars’. With no previous dance experience but with the help of his dance partner Carol-Ann Hickmore and a lot of hard work, they won the grand final and raised $195,000.00 for Books in Homes.
In 2007, Norm travelled to Borneo to meet and live among the Iban. Despite their notorious reputation as tribal headhunters, during his Intrepid Journey he found them to be very spiritual and peaceful people, and witnessed their struggles with westernization. He also witnessed the plight of Borneo’s Orangutans.
More recently Norm has just finished filming a Documentary called Making Good men where he goes back to find a pathway of forgiveness and restoration for things he done as a young man alongside asking his Father why at 9 he beat him so hard he felt he was going to die.
In 2011 He was part of Maori Television’s acclaimed Rugby World Cup coverage alongside veteran commentator Keith Quinn and legends Wayne (Buck) Shelford, Peter Fitzsimmons, Gavin Hastings and Mark Ella and a number of ex All Blacks.
