Crystal Matthews credits a trade programme offered by Te Arawa Lakes Trust for giving her a new lease on life.
The 17-year-old dropped out of school last year and was unsure of what to do next when she saw the Te Arawa Lakes Trust Employment and Training Unit calling for enrolments.
"I was sitting at home bored when I saw this ad in the paper. At the start I was more wanting to get out of the house and meet people but I started to really enjoy it and look forward to it each day," Crystal said.
With the help and support of tutors Peter Morrison and Joyce Tutaki, she completed the year-long course.
The training unit was part of the trust's aim to promote within the iwi the educational, spiritual, economic, social and cultural advancement of Te Arawa and its whanau and meet some of the needs of the wider Rotorua community.