Hawke's Bay police officer's devotion to helping youth honoured

MNZM: Senior Constable Susan Guy says her New Year Honour is shared with the many wonderful people she has worked with.

Eastern District Police officer Senior Constable Susan Guy has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to the New Zealand Police and youth but she will be sharing that accolade with the "many great people" she has worked with, and continues to work with, in her devotion to helping the region's youth.

"They are all part of this - it wouldn't work without them," she said.

She was delighted to see her colleague Sergeant Sue Robinson had also been recognised with an MNZM.

"Sue and I worked together in Youth Aid."

"I joined because I wanted to help people," was her simple and sincere explanation as to why she took up a role with New Zealand Police.

Ms Guy helped set up the Wahine Toa initiative to work with young women who had been victims of sexual abuse.

A supportive holistic programme was set up to improve the wellbeing, safety, education and self-esteem of the participants, and she was instrumental in securing funding for annual camps in the Eastern District over the past 13 years.

More than 150 young people have benefited from the programme and she said the big reward was in the changes it had clearly made for many of them.

"I have been in the supermarket and had girls come up and give me a big hug," she said.

"Too often you see the sad stuff but then you see this - you see them start to blossom - it is so heartwarming and so good for the soul."

One of the once-troubled girls who had been to the camp was now working as a recruiter ... for the police.

The success of the programme led to it being picked up by other Blue Light branches around the country and the development of the Tame Toa programme for young males.

She established a regular Trail Bike Ride fundraising event for the Hastings Blue Light Committee and co-developed the Blue Light Driver Education Programme.

She has been a member of the Hip Hop Cops and has carried out visits to schools and many organisations throughout not only the Bay but the rest of the country and overseas.

For 10 years she was actively involved in the Te Ao Marama Graffiti Art Programme and was a founding trustee of Te Ao Marama Roopu Trust, helping to secure premises for an artistic "safe space" for young people.

She is not the first in her family to be honoured.

Her father has a Queen's Service Medal and her grandfather an OBE.

Her only regret was that her mum died at this time last year and was not here to see her pick up her honour.

"But she will know in spirit."