Ex-gang member helps Northland youth after life-changing decision

Kamonn Flavell-Downey cut ties with gang life and drug dealing to be a better role model for his children. Photo / MSD

As people set their New Year resolutions for 2025, former drug-dealing gang member and now rangatahi kaiarahi (youth mentor) Kamonn Flavell-Downey, 38, shares his story of transformation to show people that while change can be hard, it can be done.

“What made me want to change was my son saying, ‘when I grow up, dad, I want to be just like you’,” the Northland father-of-seven said.

“It made me cry because I didn’t want him to be anything like me.”

Flavell-Downey’s son was 8 when he told his dad his future plan.

The youngster had seen his dad - then a patched gang member - flushed with cash and cars from secret drug dealing.

“The money was so great, same with the cars and the lifestyle and the buzz,” Flavell-Downey said.

“But it was hurting everybody. Physically and emotionally.”

Flavell-Downey said the side hustle had been his own doing, the gang wasn’t into meth.

“I got brought up on P.”

He started smoking meth at 14, when he dropped out of school to go on the run with his dad.

“I thought that was way better than going to school.”

His son’s words three and a half years ago had been the turning point.

“I sat on the end of my bed and thought, ‘God, is this all there is for me?’ Just a gang member and a drug dealer.”

Determined to make a change so that his children didn’t follow in his footsteps, Flavell-Downey approached Work and Income to start his pursuit of becoming a teacher.

“Throughout the years, even though I’ve been a drug dealer and all that, I’ve had 20 kids at the park training with me to get fit or rugby league.”

When Flavell-Downey asked Work and Income for help with a CV they directed him toward education, employment and youth service provider the Solomon Group.

There, he met staff from Kaipara social support service Te Uri o Hau – Tangata Development.

Kamonn Flavell-Downey has helped 170 youth make positive life decisions.

Flavell-Downey told them his story, his ambitions for change. They invited him to speak at a seminar in front of high school students.

“From there, they rung up and said, ‘would you like a job?’.”

But first, Flavell-Downey had to give up his patch and the sense of belonging it had given him for all these years.

“It was very hard,” he said. “It’s a brotherhood and was my identity.”

Flavell-Downey now works in social services as a rangatahi kaiarahi (youth mentor) for Te Uri o Hau – Tangata Development.

He supports 16 to 25-year-olds in Kaipara to engage with local employment, education and training opportunities.

“I help them get their licences, passports, jobs,” Flavell-Downey said.

In the past year - the first in his new career - he has helped 170 youth.

“Out of that, I’ve got 70 of them jobs. It’s pretty cool.”

Flavell-Downey championed the build of a new gym by his organisation to help give Dargaville youngsters something else to do.

His manager Tania Moriarty said his past has been an asset.

“No one can say to him, ‘You don’t know what it’s like’, because he does know.

“For those who have a similar background or past, Kamonn is proof that positive change is achievable and we, as employers, also need to give them a chance.”

Flavell-Downey was helped into employment by the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Flexi-wage scheme, which provides upskilling support for new hires.

MSD regional commissioner Northland Graham MacPherson said Flavell-Downey’s success shows how employment can help to build better lives for people and their families, and create stronger communities.

Flavell-Downey’s advice for anyone wanting to make a change this year: “One foot in front of the other and believe in yourself.”