On Thursday 29th July, I was fortunate to be part a group invited to see the inner workings and meet the newly trained staff of the Youth Justice Residence, Te Maioha o Parekarangi, on SH30 east of Rotorua. A number of criticisms have been leveled at this facility, ranging from “this place is like a motel” and “too good for the young offenders”, to the lament that more has not been done to prevent these young people from ending up here in the first place.
Now that I have seen the facility and heard about the philosophy guiding those charged with the care of our youth, I am fully in support of the aims and aspirations of all involved.
Te Maioha O Parekarangi is a place of last resort. The youth that end up here are in real need of focused care, a structured environment and learning opportunities that can prepare them for a different path than the one that took them there in the first place. For many this will be a life-changing experience, some will leave with skills that prepare them for the workforce, while others will learn much needed basic life skills that most of us take for granted.
All will gain from daily mentoring by the staff who have chosen to work with youth because they believe they can make a difference and that our youth are worth the investment. The life skills the staff bring from all walks of life will add to the huge diversity of experiences that will help shape and guide these young people back to productive lives.
Providing a purpose-built, attractively decorated and maintained facility with state of the art equipment is I believe the right way to assist our youth to see another side of life.
The focus here is truly on the huge potential that these young people have and the refusal of our community to give up on them even if they have given up on themselves. My congratulations go to all who have been involved in this very valuable project.
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