Youth drive new project for change

This group of youth are 5 of 22 who are involved in a long term project aimed to improve the Tikipunga and Glenbervie area. Te Rau Aroha Totoro, 15 (left), Rheuben Boutet-Manning, 12, Riharia Scrivener, 10, Deshae Monasalame Dunn, 12 and Isla Koller, 14. Photo / John Stone

A team of Tikipunga and Glenbervie youth are the driving force behind a project aimed to create change in their community.

Manaia PHO, Pehiaweri Marae at Glenbervie, and six schools will be supporting the three year Te Otuihau Community Development Project funded by the Department of Internal Affairs. But it is the 22 young people who form the Youth Reference Group and will make the decisions.

The reference group launched yesterday at Pehiaweri Marae and Kathryn McKenzie, the project's community development worker, said youth and older members of the project spent the day discussing what needed to be done to improve their community.

"People who have been away for a while and come back have noticed it's a little downtrodden. It used to have a strong wairua (soul) and now there's a lot of social deprivation and, when people are dealing with that, it's harder to build a stronger community, but the youth want to change that."

Yesterday the youth representatives, from Tikipunga High School, Totara Grove School, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Te Rawhiti Roa, Huanui College, Tikipunga Primary and Glenbervie School, were inaugurated into the project and spent the day discussing what they wanted to see in their community.

"We need to pave the way so that other youth have something to look forward to and someone to look up to," said 14-year-old Isla Koller.

Te Rau Aroha Totoro, 15, said the group identified problem areas and violence was one of them.

"Violence is the main reason people don't go anywhere. There's nothing for them to do so they resort to that."

Rheuben Boutet-Manning, 12, agreed.

"That's why we don't walk to the shop to get breakfast or to get food, because we're scared."

The group said they often saw their peers struggle with poverty and some of their friends came to school without food. Rihari Scrivener, 10, said it was "shocking".

"I saw on TV people were coming to school without lunches. I see that at my school, you offer them lunch and they say no. It's really sad," he said.

Miss Totoro said she ultimately wanted to create an environment where youth could thrive.

"We need somewhere for youth to go to, where they feel safe. Where they can come and tell us about issues."