KEY POINTS:
New Zealand youth aren't always easy to understand. Angst, anger and confusion sometimes cause them to shut out the world.
But some New Zealanders are convinced they can be brought back into the fold.
Youthline volunteers such as Pat Hadlee, 61, typify that group.
Youthline chief executive Stephen Bell says she would engage in about 10 conversations each month, conversations that are at times harrowing.
"From people being terribly at risk from hurting themselves and hurting others, to parents going out of their minds about what's happening with their young people, she gives them support when it's pretty dark.
"My guess is there are probably people alive now who wouldn't be if Pat wasn't there."
Mrs Hadlee's willingness to be involved in other parts of the organisation, including the board, has helped Youthline grow 10-fold in recent years, Mr Bell said.
"She's been out there at fundraising events, helping bang on doors. She's just been a tireless support at a people and at an organisation level."
Mrs Hadlee said: "It's very special when you realise that some of the people you're talking to have no one else in the world they can share things with."
While some of those calls affected her, she had learned to recover.
"You go home and all the calls meld in to one another. And you think, 'I just can't dwell on those.' You can't beat yourself up ... You have to move on."
