Working with Youth - Two Case Studies
Hone Kowai (not his real name) was a shy East Christchurch 14-year-old with severe behavioural problems. He was angry at the world, cheeky and had no respect for authority. He couldn't look anyone - even his peers - in the eye. He couldn't say "No" to his peers, and they took advantage of that, encouraging him in a brief spree of committing petty theft. This got him in trouble with the police, but he had not yet been charged.
His desperate whanau finally called Te Runanga o Ngä Maata Waka, because they'd heard about its Whaia Te Tika (Pursue what is right) programme. He was accepted and began the course a year ago.
After an in-depth interview between the whanau and the runanga management, assessment of his needs with staff, the Kowai whanau and Hone himself took two weeks. This identified a number of issues he had.
His progress on the programme was slow at first, but once he got started, improvement was steady and sure. He learnt to deal with peer pressure. He was challenged in several areas with real decisions he had to make for himself, then reflect how he came to his conclusions. This method of operating suited him. He began to master the ability to say "No" without feeling guilty or that he was letting his friends down, knowing it was in his own longer-term interest.
Hone then found other activities to interest him, such as martial arts - gaining still more confidence and strength in his ability to be himself. Over the next 6 months the continued improvement in his communication skills enabled him to relate better to others. His confidence kept increasing, especially when he completed a cultural heritage assignment and found out who his ancestors were and where they had come from.
Hone proved on many occasions that he could work well in a team environment. For example, he gave creditable performances on high ropes and in a confidence course at the Burnham Army Camp. Using his new-found leadership skills he proved very encouraging to the rest of his crew.
Hone left Whaia Te Tika a confident young man, ready to take responsibility for himself. He no longer bows to peer pressure.
On turning 15 and investigating further training options, Hone enrolled in a youth training programme, where he continued to thrive and passed many of its unit standards, including his driver's license. He is currently still in youth training and has a creditable list of achievements to his name. He contacts the runanga office regularly to assure them he is doing all right. The office still contacts members of the Kowai whanau to make sure all is well.
"Hone Kowai" is just one of the success stories of Whaia Te Tika: it aims for a reduction of re-offending by 85 per cent. In the year ending November 1998, only three out of 36 participants re-offended.
`The Best People They Can Be'
Ask Jack what he would do if another schoolboy confronts him, spoiling for a fight, and he'll say, "He's the one with a problem: I'd just walk away."
That's not the answer he'd have given a year ago when he was 11. That was when he first entered a programme at the Rangatahi Health Centre in Gisborne. He was fighting and doing poorly at school, had a low opinion of himself and was bad-tempered and unco-operative.
Today, those problems are over. Jack is respectful to his peers and to adults, communicates well, doesn't fight any more, has made new friends, helps around the house, does his homework - and he's taken up acting. He is often called on for roleplay exercises at the Centre. He is one of the top achievers in his class.
Jack (not his real name) is the beneficiary of an after-school programme for youth at risk aged 10 to 12, and of ROAM (Rangatahi On A Mission) youth club nights run in both Gisborne and surrounding rural areas. The Rangatahi Health Centre, which runs them, is a division of Te Hauora O Turanganui A Kiwa set up in March 1998. Their vision for young people at risk, predominantly Maori, is "to assist people to be the best they can be".
The organisation also helps young people gain access to social services and runs programmes on topics such as crime prevention, health and safety, community work, arts and crafts, and avoiding smoking, alcohol or other drugs.
More initiatives are planned, including weekend programmes and one called "Dare to Make a Change."
The Rangatahi Health Centre is funded from the Community Project Workers Scheme (CPWS) administered by the Community Development Group.
"Ka pü te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi"
"The old net is cast aside, the new net goes fishing."
This proverb is so familiar in Maoridom that "rangatahi" is now synonymous with "young people, our future." In fact someone who referred to a real net as a "rangatahi" today might easily be misunderstood!
| For more information on these funding programmes contact: Jane Selby, Community Development Group, Department of Internal Affairs, PO Box 805, Wellington, tel (04) 494 0587 or email jane.selby@dia.govt.nz |
Thanks to Department of Internal Affairs
Contact for Enquiries
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 00 83 33
Fax: +64 4 894 0720
Contact this person
