The Worry Bug Project Bio
We all experience anxiety at times in our lives and often it can be triggered by an event. The experiences of the children of Canterbury first inspired these stories, however the resources can be used by any caregivers and teachers who wish to support children in times of change and stress that can come with navigating family and school life.

Kōtuku Creative, led by Sarina Dickson and Julie Burgess-Manning, designed and published The Worry Bug Project with the financial support of The Rata Foundation, The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust and New Zealand Red Cross, and with the endorsement of the All Right campaign. Over 50 000 copies are now in homes and schools in New Zealand and abroad. The Worry Bug Project also includes four short videos to support family and community mental health.

Sarina Dickson Bio
Sarina Dickson has worked alongside families and children with emotional and behavioural special needs in the UK, USA and NZ as a classroom teacher, mentor and advocate since graduating from Canterbury University and Christchurch College of Education in 1999.

Sarina is passionate about the re-generation of Christchurch and its people. Christchurch residents will recognise her ‘Reflecting Changes’ sculpture from the 2015 ‘Christchurch Stands Tall’ art trail while Aucklanders will recognise ‘Life Cycles’ from the 2018 ‘Auckland Big Hoot’. Sarina is the author of ‘Rising Tide/He Tai Pari’ and ‘Wishes and Worries/He kanehe manatunatu’.

Kaharau Keogh Bio
Kaharau Keogh (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tara) is a training teacher in Te Reo Māori and Performing Arts at Waikato University. He has just graduated from Otago University with a Bachelor of Arts (Māori Studies) and a Gradaute Diploma endorsed in Contemporary Music Performance, and graduated from Te Panekiretanga o te Reo (The Institute of Excellence in the Māori Language). He is passionate about all things Māori, particularly Māori language revitalisation and Kapa Haka and has appeared in several Māori Television shows as co-host and lead voice-over.

Rising Tide will be published one chapter at a time, each available in English and Te Reo simultaneously