Leader boosts new team

Joe Harwood once led a group of men to one of the greatest victories in Wairarapa rugby history.

Now, six years later, he's leading a different group of men in a totally different kind of struggle - one with even more at stake than a game of rugby.

Mr Harwood, who captained the Wairarapa-Bush team to victory for the 2006 Meads Cup, is now a youth worker at Rangitane o Wairarapa.

In March last year he developed a mentoring programme, called Te Hiringa Ora, which deals with young people at risk and helps them stay out of trouble and fulfill their potential.

The programme involves physical activity, often at gyms; work experience, and an emphasis on getting in touch with their culture.

Mr Harwood said it had been an eye-opening experience.

"There's been plenty of challenges, some highs and some lows, but I've been dealing with a pretty awesome group of young people."

He said he is now working with a group of four young people, and over the time he has run the programme he has mentored a total of 17.

"It's quite a challenge sometimes - often the motivation factor is a bit lacking - but we get them into it," he said.

As part of the programme, the youngsters are often taken out to farms to do work experience - with good results.

"It gives them skills and lets them meet people in the community," he said.

"They're actually often quite highly regarded as hard workers. People often don't realise how dedicated and talented they can be."

It is a win - win situation: the more Harwood works with his charges, the more they respect him and the better they work - and the better they fit into society.

"I learned self control," one of the kids on his programme said.

"I had bad anger issues, and Joe told me how to sort it out, not to start punching stuff. Just go for a walk.

"Joe is a motivator, he doesn't muck around, it's good that he still checks up on me, it's more of a friendship, a bond."

Janice Hemi-Williams, from Child, Youth and Family, said the changes Harwood brought about were impressive.

"Joe Harwood is the magic behind the positive changes that I have seen in the young people who have successfully completed Te Hiringa Ora," she said.

"Often when young people come to our attention, they are no longer engaged in pro-social activities and their lifestyles are not healthy ... his networks amongst the sporting, recreational and social services of the Wairarapa ensure that young people complete the programme with at least five new community contacts."

Every so often Mr Harwood will take his charges out to the beach, where they get in touch with their history and their culture, and often spend time gathering food for themselves.

"It's interesting how something as simple as that can captivate people," he said.

"It gives them a different outlook. Some food for thought."