Troubled Bay youngsters given second chance

By Beck Vass
After being expelled from school for doing "bad stuff", 12-year-old Murray Clayton wants to change his ways.
The Mount Maunganui boy is one of 15 Maori youngsters who have got into trouble with the police, their school or their families.
Now they are being taught about their heritage through a week-long anger management course at Hairini marae.
The initiative, called Tu Tonu Nga Rangitahi, which means "for the youth to stand strong", aims to teach the boys self-discipline and respect through Maori haka, taiaha (weapon) training, musical instruments and bone carving.
Murray said he had already learned to think about other people, not just himself, and not to run away from his problems.
Course facilitator Pohe Luttenberger said the boys, aged 10 to 17, had also been woken up early for fitness activities and had painted a fence at the marae, to teach them about respect and "giving something back to the marae".
A loss of cultural and self-identity was believed to be part of the reason why the boys misbehaved.
It was hoped that by bringing them back to their heritage and them learning about who they were, they would learn how to channel their anger positively, like doing a haka instead of punching a wall, Mr Luttenberger said.
"It's taking those vehicles that we know are within our culture and showing them that they can use them as an alternative to violence."
Mr Luttenberger said many children - both Pakeha and Maori - were growing up not knowing one or both of their parents or they had been taken from their parents. These were also contributing factors in why many youths were angry.
"These kids have presented with anger management issues and for us as Maori, we thought the best place to touch on that was the marae.
"For some of these kids this is the first time they have been on a marae. It's an awakening of their own identity and we believe some of their issues are around who they are and their place in the world."
The boys are also being sent to Mount Eden Prison in Auckland tomorrow to show them what could happen if they continue getting into trouble.
As the boys "graduate" after the programme they will go on to other courses to learn about the cultural importance and life skills surrounding the sea and bush. The boys had been referred to the course through Child Youth and Family, Te Manu Toroa health and social services, the Aranui police programme based at Greerton and through the Ngati Ranginui Iwi Society, the group running the youth course.
"Somewhere along the lines they've fallen through the system.
"Now we're just here to try and mould them into men and future leaders."
So much interest had been expressed that 12 children were turned away for the course, which will now run every two weeks.
Course co-facilitator Kokiri Ronaki said from just four agencies in the Bay of Plenty, there were already 26 children on the waiting list, which showed the huge need for support services in Tauranga.