Community Feed

Sovereign Innovation Project at Youthline Manukau

For two days in mid-March, our community at Youthline Manukau teamed up with Lifehack and Sovereign to dream about what could be possible for the centre.
We were also joined by the League of Live Illustrators, a Wellington-based team who describe themselves as “graphic facilitators.” As we brainstormed the future of Youthline Manukau, these artists and illustrators visually documented the content and ideas.
Our super group focused on three critical areas for growth: creating a buzz at the centre, volunteer retention, and pathways to volunteering.
Over the next six months, we will be proactively using what we learned over those days to reach the goal of building a volunteer base of fifty active hub volunteers...or more!

Centre manager Mark Esekielu reported that it was fantastic to have Lifehack, Sovereign, volunteers and so many participants from our community involved. We wish to say a special thank you to everyone who participated and “stoked the fire.”

On the second day of the workshop, the team was already putting their ideas into action, which was satisfying for all involved.
Mark hopes to maintain and continue to nurture the buzz created during the two-day session.
“I’m really excited to see the project come together,” he says.

#General #Events#Volunteering

Youthline Wellington update:

Youthline Wellington has had eight of their members complete the National Certificate in Youth Work level 3 through their partnership with Careerforce, this is the first time Youthline Welington has been able to offer this qualification and they say they are super proud of it.
The eight members of our group are Jayden Ho, Samantha Wedd, Dylan Singh, Helen Davies, Daikyn Nuku, Stephanie Harris,
Maggie Shippam, and Sarah Miller.
Youthline Wellington will also be working with Gateway students who are interested in Social Work, Counselling, Youth Work – or any other career in the social services sector requiring interpersonal skills in a 5 month programme called Youth Delvelopment Programme 2016. The programme aims to develop: self awareness, self management, communication skill and relationship skills. Participants will be able to gain 13 credits toward National Certificate in Youth Work level 3.

#General #Volunteering #Education

Youth scoops up AUT Scholarship

Youthline National Youth Collective (NYC) member Kinanti Desyanandini, 18, has been awarded the AUT Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for 2016. She will be studying a Bachelor of Design at AUT starting in February.
“The scholarship is for my tuition at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and it pays for $6000 a year for 3 years, totalling at $18,000, as I will be studying a Bachelor of Design (BDes) majoring in Product Design at AUT. I got it from a nomination from my school, as my secondary school (Auckland Girls’ Grammar School) is one of AUT’s partners for secondary schools in Auckland.”
She will have access to a student advisor for mentoring in her first year at university.
“I can’t believe that I got this scholarship - I’m very grateful and feel quite blessed and lucky.”
“My advice for other people trying to apply for scholarships would be to just give every opportunity a shot; some scholarships may have a low amount of competition and also don’t be afraid to show your skills, capability, and academic achievements - it’s not bragging, the scholarship board won’t know how awesome you are if you don’t tell them, ”she says.
Youthline was proud to support
Kinanti’s application for this scholarship. Kinanti is a highly active Youthline volunteer. She recently produced a publication for Youthline called Holiday 101: your guide to living #holidaylife to the fullest. The guide offered young people advice about communicating, feelings, dealing with relationships, dealing with family, dealing with relationships and self-care. You can check it out here: http://bit.ly/1JJC7qN

#General #Volunteering #Education

Evaluating new frontiers in service delivery

Youthline Youth Development Researcher David Anstiss took some time out of his schedule to give us an update on the latest research he has been working on.

Anxiety and mood disorders are the two most common disorder groups suffered by young people in New Zealand. Counselling via digital media appears promising in reducing symptomology, though few studies have evaluated digital counselling media against a face-to-face counselling benchmark.

Youthline have recently produced a paper which compares the efficacy of a self-directed, standardised text-message-based intervention, against equivalent youth client data from an established face-to-face counselling service. Data from the pilot of Youthline’s GoMobile text package was compared to youth client data from Youthline’s face-to-face counselling service.

GoMobile participants’ post-intervention scores were significantly lower than their pre-intervention scores for both anxiety and depression. Youth counselling clients’ post-intervention scores were also significantly lower than their pre-intervention scores for both anxiety and depression. The reduction in pre and post-intervention anxiety scores and depression scores were not significantly different between the two interventions. In short, young clients’ symptomology was significantly reduced regardless of whether they received face-to-face counselling or the GoMobile text package.

Findings suggest that providing digital counselling media could open up possibilities for young people to choose counselling avenues they prefer and which offer flexibility, control, and autonomy. Such avenues have the potential to support young people to a similar extent as more traditional face-to-face alternatives.

GoMobile is free and available across New Zealand. Sign up for the next programme today.

#General #Education

Young leader making waves at Youthline

2016 is set to be an amazing year for Bridget McNamara who is one of nine New Zealand participants as part of the Global Leaders Development Program (formally named Ship for World Youth).
The last 18 months have been a whirlwind journey for Bridget (Biddy) who became a Helpline volunteer, a Youth Development Worker, and a registered psychologist.
Biddy will be living on a ship with 200 young leaders from all over the world. The program is a unique experience for young people to engage with a diverse group of like-minded individuals from Japan, and invited delegations from Bahrain, Brazil, India, Kenya, Oman, Peru, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the United Kingdom and of course New Zealand.
It’s a unique international youth exchange programme funded by the Government of Japan for people aged 18-30.
Participants have the chance to get involved in a range of on-board activities including seminars, sports, cultural activities and workshops.
The program includes 24 days in Japan where New Zealand participants will join 110 Japanese youth and 90 delegates from the 9 invited countries. For 12 days aboard the ship they will live and work together and make visits to the Japanese ports of Naha and Ofunato.
This is an amazing opportunity for Biddy and she will follow in the footsteps of other Youthline Youth Development Workers Ramon Narayan and Julian Barnett who have both taken this Youthline-sponsored opportunity in the past.
McNamara began her journey with Youthline when she signed up to start her training as a Helpline counsellor.
“I was studying psychology which was really impractical, so I really just wanted to get some more practical experience and had heard some really amazing things about the Youthline volunteer training, so I signed myself up.”
While going through the Helpline training, an opportunity came up at Youthline Auckland Central for a Youth Development Worker position. McNamara leapt at the opportunity to become involved with Youthline in another way.
At just 24, McNamara is making positive waves in her community and is an important member of the Youthline team.
She became a solo counsellor on the Youthline Helpline in August.
In addition to her role as a volunteer on the Helpline, and her work as a Youth Development Worker at Youthline, McNamara also recently completed her Master’s Degree, an investigation into the challenges and achievements of young working class men navigating high school. She also recently ran the Auckland Half Marathon, raising money for Youthline while squeezing in training runs.
She highly
recommends the Youthline volunteer pathway to others, calling it “an awesome opportunity to meet other people and develop.”

#Fun stuff#General #Events#Volunteering

Text research to be published in 2016

The GoMobile text package pilot study will be published in the Children and Youth Services Review early next year.

The pilot concluded late last year with some smashing results.

GoMobile: a text based 10 week program aimed at young people suffering from mild to moderate anxiety and or depression is now fully integrated into Youthline service delivery.

Counsellor Amber Davies says the concept behind the text package came from a realisation that Youthline needed to extend the choices it offered young people for early intervention.

“It’s a combination of therapeutic intervention but much less intensive than having to come into counselling.”

GoMobile is all about choice, flexibility and confidentiality.
“We are so excited about this and all the work we put into it having made a real difference for the young people involved.”
Learn more at http://www.youthline.co.nz/services/goforward/gomobile/

#General #Education

Meet the runners: Sam

Sam Mudumbai is one of 71 runners who are taking on the challenge of running the Auckland Marathon 2015 on November 1.
When asked why she decided to run this year, Sam said “it’s not why I’m running for Youthline, its why I wouldn’t. Youthline is AMAZING! Each and every person connected with it, are kind, warm and generous. They are genuinely interested in being there to support someone.”

#Fun stuff#General #Events#Volunteering

Youthline is celebrating partnerships

For over 20 years, GlaxoSmithKline have supported the delivery of our national Youth Helpline and facilitated inter-regional connection between Youthline centres, allowing us to be there in times of need for more NZ youth.
The GSK-Youthline relationship is incredibly unique in it’s consistent, ongoing nature. Research tells us that long-term, consistent support of young people has the most impact. It is tremendous to in turn receive this kind of ongoing alongside support from our longest partner. On behalf of young people in NZ, thank you so much, GSK.
Simpson Grierson celebrates a decade supporting Youthline this year.
The law firm shows its support through an annual donation, staff fundraising activities, and pro bono legal services. A specific initiative is our free text counselling service. The text message service helps young people using their medium of choice - the mobile phone. Text averages 4-5 times more traffic than Youthline’s phone service.
Simpson Grierson’s Michael Wood says:
“We all want to help build a better future for the communities we live in. Using Simpson Grierson’s expertise and resources to help people in the community is something that we are absolutely committed to. Our partnership with Youthline is something we take great pride in. It’s an organisation that provides enormous support for young people and opportunities for their personal development, across the country.”

#General #Events

Bi-culturalism and Diversity celebrated

Youthline prides itself as an organisation that celebrates bi-culturalism and diversity and follows through on this with an annual visit as an entire organisation to Princess Te Puea Marae.
This year we marked the 20th Anniversary of our Youthline whanau visiting the Te Puea Marae in Mangere.
Te Puea Marae is a special place for us and is the memorial Marae for Princess Te Puea Herangi, who was a Māori leader who was a renowned supporter of young people.
The activities and discussions during the visit take us back to our roots and remind attendees about the importance of Connection, Community and Diversity to the work we do. It’s a chance for the entire Youthline whanau to come together and build cultural competency through learning, reflection, sharing, kai, waiata and fun.
Connection is about the connections we make with others in our lives, in social situations, and in our work with Youthline.
Community – is about a celebration and strengthening of all the communities we take part in – be they family, work, religious, neighborhood, or the community of Aotearoa.
Diversity – is about the wide range of life experiences, situations and values that make us both different and similar. We will take the opportunity to examine and widen our world-views. This is the third stage of Youthline’s volunteer training to work with young people. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of our organisation and we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do without them.
Our annual visit to Te Puea Marae is our chance as an organisation to ground ourselves in the work we do and reflect on the year that’s been.
For some it may be a space to reflect on where you have come from, your tunpuna (ancestors); the taonga (treasures) they have given you and how you can use these to support taiohi (young people).
We live in a bi-cultural country where many cultures who New Zealand home can be understood as Tangata Whenua (people of the land) and Tauiwi (all other cultures).
Te Ara Taiohi or bi-cultural footsteps explores bi-culturalism through the Marae Wananga or live in weekend at Te Puea Marae in Mangere.

#Fun stuff#General #Events#Volunteering

Youth Homelessness Matters Day!

Could you spot a homeless person in this lineup? #youthhomelessmatters

Young people struggling with homelessness face big challenges. But with support from the community, we can help young people and make youth homelessness a thing of the past in NZ.

Here’s how you can make a difference for our homeless youth:

Start a conversation about youth homelessness in NZ. Share these stories and let people know the challenges young people face.

Ask your workplace if they could take a young person on-board.

If you’re a landlord, keep an open mind when you consider who to let your rentals to.

Stop and have a chat with a young person who is rough sleeping. You can let them know that they are always welcome to give Youthline a call, or to pop into Lifewise’s Merge Café on K road.

Donate to Youthline and Lifewise and help end youth homelessness.

#General #Events#Education

Youthline did us proud for PRIDE!

Youthline joined thousands of revelers to celebrate Pride at the Auckland Pride Parade on February 21st.

Youthline Pride Creative Director, Dayna Cooper, also known as the Youthline Support Centre Team Leader, said Youthline thoroughly enjoyed tackling the Gods and Monsters theme this year.

"We actively support the Rainbow Community in Aotearoa in our work and through partnerships - young people, friends and families. It feels so good to celebrate with the community."

The Pride festival organiser had a space at the Youthline Auckland Central Centre in the lead up to the parade, and the Centre was also home to the 45+ floats which made their way down Ponsonby Road. While everyone was getting ready for the parade to begin we had a sausage sizzle for participants and passers-by.

Youthline received really positive feedback about our participation in the parade, which is awesome. Onlookers enjoyed our cool float, which consisted of angels and devils to represent the way inner demons can create turmoil for the young people that we work alongside. There was heaps of cheering from the crowd on the night, as well as lots of congratulations from supporters following the event.

#Fun stuff#General #Events#Volunteering

Youthline Auckland North Centre

We are really excited to be expanding our services in Auckland North with the development of a Youthline Auckland North Centre.

This journey began early last year, when Youthline aligned its staff structure around each of the centres. This gave each centre the ability to adapt to the specific needs of their local community.

North Auckland is a diverse region, ranging from rural areas to populated towns, and covers the area north of the Harbour Bridge all the way to Wellsford and across the Kaipara Harbour. Our ideal site would be in Albany, because it’s central, and has a range of schools, tertiary education facilities and PTEs, which means it will be a convenient location for lots of young people and is close to public transport!

This is a massive undertaking, and we are fortunate to welcome Simon Johnston to Youthline as part of the Auckland North Centre Development team. Simon’s work has covered the wider marketing functions including sponsorship, fundraising and communications in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. He is excited to be on board, and is looking forward to watching the development take place.

“The whole project is about involving the North Auckland community,” says Simon. “I’m talking to suppliers, developers, schools, tertiary institutions, everyone I can, to get them behind us.”

This centre is part of an ongoing development to ensure Youthline is creating communities where young people can thrive, and the best way to do this is to be part of each individual community. We now have Youthline community centres in Auckland Central and Manukau, with the development of a Auckland North centre on its way, and we work in collaboration with a consortium of partners to provide Youth Worker services from HealthWest in Waitakere.

“Being able to get the build done almost for free with community support would be the ideal situation. We really want that community feel.” says Simon.

If you can help with this project, please email changinglives@youthline.co.nz

#General

Youth Development Worker Julia Rahui

Hi! My name is Julia - I’m a Youth Development Worker Intern at Youthline Auckland Central, and as part of my job I support the tutors and students in our Alternative Education school.

To be honest, it’s my favourite time of the week.

At the moment we have nine students, but the school can have up to fourteen. The young people come to us if they have been excluded from mainstream schooling, and more often than not they are unsure and unhappy.

At Youthline, the young people continue their academic students through Te Kura (Correspondance School) with the goal of eventually returning to mainstream schooling, work, or further education. As well as academia, young people have courses in personal development and specialty courses such as mixed martial arts and DJ skills.

The best learning opportunities are often outside of the classroom, so we do what we can with our limited budget. This year, that includes an ongoing offsite art project and a regular “Masterchef” cooking programme. We also hope to go on a school camp to Waiheke (for some, it will be the first time on a boat). It’s cool to watch the young people get involved with things that they might not have participated in otherwise. There is a focus on finding out what the young people enjoy doing or studying, and supporting them to pursue these interests further.

Some have had, and continue to have, some very hard days. They bring personal stuff to school with them that can make it hard to concentrate on learning, but for the most part they show up at school, day in and day out. I see their determination and courage all of the time. These young people are so resilient, more than some adults I know.

Going to Alternative Education supports them with a new chapter in their life. At the end of the day, it’s up to them to make the most of their time at the school, and to become the masters of their own destiny. From being unsure and unhappy, I get to watch these young people evolve. I feel so privileged to spend time with them, and watch them learn, develop and grow as individuals.

#General #Education

Street Appeal

Youthline is on the hunt for a bunch of awesome volunteers to collect for us during this year’s Annual Street Appeal on the 22nd and 23rd of May. We’re looking for volunteers to collect for us at locations all around Auckland.

If you’d like more information, please email events@youthline.co.nz - thanks!

#Fun stuff#General #Events#Volunteering

United Nations recognises Sovereign NZ CEO

It is an incredibly proud day for everyone at Sovereign as their CEO Symon Brewis-Weston has been recognised by the United Nations for his progressive approach to workplace diversity and community engagement. He received his award in New York this morning.

#General #Events