United push to help youth

Laurie Durand, organiser of the workshop yesterday, as delegates report back on their discussions. Photo / Ben Fraser

New ideas to help Rotorua's youth stay connected with home, engaged in education and out of trouble were discussed at length yesterday as service providers joined forces to discuss how they can work together.

A free workshop, organised by the Rotorua Youth Centre as part of the social sector trial Excel Rotorua, led to lots of ideas to move forward.

"It came as a response to teachers and people who work with young people saying they didn't know who did what," Mr Durand said.

"We're very impressed with the numbers. There's a commitment now to update the local database and communicate back to participants with what we've shared today."

He said one idea that came up was a digital platform for service providers to engage in conversation with young people and families as an early intervention.

Among those attending the workshop were Rotorua Children's Team, Bully Free Bro and representatives from the Rotorua Youth Centre.

Judge Louis Bidois was the speaker and told attendees about the Rangatahi Court's kaupapa and how it reconnects youth to their Maori culture and gives them hope.

In the afternoon 10 discussion groups talked through the issues put forward by Judge Andrew Becroft as to what makes young people more likely to offend.

"It's been awesome," said Rotorua Youth Centre manager Steve Holmes. "The exciting part is what can happen as a result. We've done networking before, but this is something new and so far the feedback is good."

10 key youth issues making them more likely to commit crime

* Family, and lack of family support.
* School attendance, learning disabilities.
* Income inequality.
* Violence among young people and in the home.
* Drug and alcohol abuse.
* Maori in the court system.
* Gangs, and a pressure to "pick red or blue".
* Lack of male role models.
* Community connectedness.
* Seeing and learning good values.

- Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft