Merivale youth workers serve local community

Merivale Community Centre youth development workers Rachael Wilson and Kushette Jelley. Photo / George Novak

It's a Thursday afternoon and children are pouring into the Merivale Community Centre - eager to get stuck into their afterschool activities.

Excitement takes over as they line up inside the centre's small reception area, waiting to sign in.

Tamariki sprint down the hallway, hugging and high-fiving the youth workers and flinging their backpacks into a brightly coloured converted garage.

It's moments like these that motivate Rachael Wilson in her work supporting the "bighearted" and "resilient" group of young people within the community.

Wilson, who has been working in the youth sector for the past two decades, says the staff at the centre are just "an extra arm of whānau" for local children.

She spends every weekday working with 5 to 18-year-olds across various programmes "steeped" in youth development philosophies.

This includes running the free afterschool drop-in, youth nights for rangatahi, leadership programmes, or their specialised programme for boys Tāne Taiohi.

Nearly 200 young people were enrolled for the centre's services. Te Ao Māori was infused into a large portion of their programming, because 77 per cent of their clientele were Māori.

The centre's youth workers also attend appointments with rangatahi, and regularly drop students home in their own cars.

Wilson said it was her job to help provide "robust wraparound support" to young people. It was also about giving them the chance to be kids, she said.

When asked what motivated her to be a youth worker, the answer was simple: "It has only ever been the kids. Always."

Wilson returned to the profession about two years ago after working as a humanitarian development engagement manager for Red Cross.

Much of her career had been spent working with at-risk youth in vulnerable communities.

"I missed the freshness and realness of working with rangatahi," she said. "I am just another person to hold space for them."

She was inspired by the young people's willingness to succeed.

"Sometimes they experience more than their fair share at their age. The resilience that children hold really shines through.

"Every one young person has potential, and it just so happens in this community they have really big hearts.

"They are just a cool bunch of kids – and you just need to hold that space for them to enjoy that and be kids."

Wilson said the community centre played an essential role in the community, which was made clear by children on a regular basis.

"Almost weekly, the kids say to us 'the community centre isn't real people, you are like whānau'. It kind of hits you in the heart.

"Some kids might not have grandparents, aunties, uncles around anymore - so if you think of it in a whānau context - we are just an extra arm of whānau.

"It is really important to have a connection in some way, shape or form. That is what this hub here creates for them - connection."

Merivale mum Odette has two children who take part in various programmes at the centre multiple times a week. Her 6-year-old daughter "absolutely loved" the afterschool drop-in, and her 14-year-old son was always buzzing after youth nights.

She said her son, who had mild autism and ADHD, often struggled to find extra-curricular activities he enjoyed.

"He has always struggled to find something that he just can be himself at and go and have a good time outside of the house.

"It is something really massive for him, he just loves going. He is supported, valued and given opportunities to shine. The whaeas are just wonderful."