When Bianca talks about her hopes and dreams for the future she says she can now picture them coming true because of Visionwest Youth Solutions and the advice and guidance she’s received from Sa’o, her Youth Development Coach. My hope for the...
Kylie says being a part of Visionwest’s Youth Services programme changed her life. As first-time parents, the practical support and advice she and her partner received made all the difference to coping and creating a positive home life for their...
Kane was struggling at school - he experienced bullying and his health and grades suffered. As he explains: “I didn’t enjoy school at all. The only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to learn a trade. I was open to anything, but I was really...
Mentoring young people is not always easy but there’s something awesome about working with a young person and then meeting them seven years later, and they come up to you and say, ‘remember me?’ Seeing kids you worked with before and having them...
When Josh talks of Visionwest and the Pae Aronui rangatahi training course, the first thing he mentions is manaakitanga and how that love and acceptance transformed his life. Josh had been with Visionwest’s youth training courses on and off for a...
“My friends suggested I come along to Visionwest Youth Solutions because it was a safe place to learn and to prepare for life. If I hadn’t taken their advice, I’m not sure where I’d be. I certainly wouldn’t be achieving the goals that I am right...
“It’s so rewarding when I come to the end of a journey with a young person. It could be that they are going into employment or could be that they are moving onto further training; just seeing them move to a place where they are in a better position...
Jody* is too unwell and vulnerable to work but in order to access the government support she needs, she had to complete an online application form. For Jody this was a major barrier. She doesn’t own a computer and has no idea what an online form...
If not for your support, Matt* reckons he would be in a gang or living on the streets. Matt’s childhood was spent shuffling between separated parents and being in care. A failure to connect at school and becoming a father while still in his late...
It was no surprise that Tiana was expelled from her high school. From a broken home, she grew up surrounded by excessive drug and alcohol use. By the time she was 14, Tiana had left school and was enrolled in the Alternative Education Programme run...