Students at Papakura High School are striving to change the community's perception of their school, one of the country's most disadvantaged.

Learn more about The Rising Foundation, a charity helping students from schools like those in Under The Bridge, the Herald's documentary project.

Papakura High School has a falling roll, and as far as results go, it's among the worst schools in the country. But there is hope.

In this video, school staff including principal John Rohs discuss the impact of a variety of social issues on the students.

A team of journalists spent a year inside one of the country's most underprivileged schools filming the Herald's first long-form documentary.

NZ is heading "off the track" on housing, child poverty and imprisonment despite dramatic gains on some other social indicators, a new report says.

Under The Bridge marks the New Zealand Herald's first foray into long-form documentary making.

Kiwi parents are paying over $300 more for a school uniform than parents in the UK - prompting calls to overhaul our uniform rules.

Ruthless, reckless and surging rage: a mother details the struggle of looking after the severely autistic daughter she later killed.

COMMENT: The epic scale of political conflict in the US risks making New Zealand's problems seem trivial, Liam Dann writes.

COMMENT: The only way to achieve high standard of early education will be through Govt restoring per-child subsidies to adequate levels.

COMMENT: Oxfam tells us that the world's richest eight people have as much money as its 3.6 billion poorest people. But what does it really mean?

His comments drew a sharp reaction from beggars in central Auckland yesterday.

Pregnant women living on the streets of Auckland.

COMMENT: If New Zealand was to have a statue at the entrance to Auckland or Wellington harbour, it would likely be a "Statue of Equality" rather than liberty.

Miller Patane's long lost sister "bawled her eyes out" when she saw her long lost brother's photo in the Herald after he was given food by newlyweds.

Barefoot and with his belongings in a bag, Miller was brought to tears by the kindness of a couple on their wedding day. Can you help us find him?

COMMENT: I reckon a little less spent on self, and more on others is the better Christmas spirit. Maybe that's a New Year resolution.

WATCH: Unitec preschool kids bring donations and some much-needed cheer to the Auckland City Mission.

Preschool children are heading to the Auckland City Mission to help out the people who need a bit of extra support this Christmas.

WATCH: Families are facing a bleak Christmas in cramped motel rooms that are costing taxpayers thousands of dollars each week.

This week, the Herald and Herald Focus are profiling struggling families who have lined up for parcels or food at Auckland's City Mission.

Anthony Hill-Tamihana, who has been struggling to find a job, needs City Mission's help this year to give his sons and wife a "nice" Christmas.

Mother-of-three Trish Kaiawe suddenly needed City Mission's help after quitting her job to have a baby a year ago.

Trisha, a mother-of-three has come to the Auckland City Mission to help ease the stress of Christmas this year.

Tristram visits the Auckland City Mission to learn about the 2016 child poverty monitor and it's shocking results. The Auckland City Mission are also handing out food and christmas gifts to those who need it. Children's commissioner Judge Andrew Becroft and Auckland City Missioner Chris Farrelly share their views on the findings.

Countdown, the Salvation Army and the NZ Dance Company are putting on a show, Trolley's. Creating awareness for the food rescue program which is helping kiwis in need, this festive season.

Annual monitor shows child poverty rates are stable but children's commissioner calls for a poverty reduction target to be set.

There's only a handful of suburbs left in all of Auckland where first home buyers can get a helping hand from the government.

Opetaia Siale won't be spending Christmas at home - he'll be cleaning Wellington's public toilets while his family forgo presents so they can afford a Christmas meal.