Unleashing Rangatahi Potential into Growing Collective Wellbeing
Imagine a future where the voice of rangatahi is valued and truly heard—Rangatahi are calling for environments that not only foster personal growth but also create deep, meaningful connections—places where they feel a sense of belonging, free from judgement or stigma. They seek spaces that uplift their mana, where self-efficacy, security, and whānau bonds are nurtured. At the heart of this vision is Te Āo Māori, where cultural identity and Te Reo Māori are honoured as vital pillars of learning and leadership. Rangatahi want to be active contributors, offering their ideas and solutions to strengthen their communities. They long for opportunities to grow, develop, and lead in safe, holistic spaces where they are supported by trusted adults and surrounded by aroha. By creating these environments, we can help our rangatahi thrive, by fostering their natural resilience, creativity, and connection to their whakapapa.
For some rangatahi who have experienced the youth justice system, resilience often means simply surviving or showing up. As a result, their voices are frequently overlooked, particularly in environments like boot camps that prioritise discipline and reducing offending or gang-related behaviour, rather than fostering personal growth.
The reintroduction of boot camps poses significant risks, including alienating rangatahi by undermining their sense of belonging and cultural identity, hindering their personal growth and resilience. Boot camps were introduced in New Zealand in the mid-1990s as part of a strategy to address youth offending, inspired by military-style discipline programmes in the United States. The first “Corrective Training” programmes, launched in 1997, aimed to use strict discipline and physical regimens to reduce youth crime. However, by the early 2000s, these programmes faced growing criticism due to their ineffectiveness in addressing the root causes of offending, such as trauma and family dysfunction, with many participants reoffending. In 2009, boot camps were briefly reintroduced under the “Fresh Start” initiative, but they again proved unsuccessful at achieving lasting behavioural change.
For the past four years, Healthy Families Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Ruapehu have prototyped various initiatives aimed at growing collective wellbeing and what this looks like for rangatahi. These initiatives focus on building resilience by enhancing their awareness and understanding of protective factors, exploring the taiao, and being able to identify and navigate themselves through healthy and unhealthy relationships. Rangatahi were also utilising Māori systems, such as the Maramataka, to guide and regulate their behaviour, while also investigating tools that promote a smokefree and vapefree future.
As a result, these prototypes shifted the dial with a move away from disconnected short term approaches and a move towards a more collaborative, whole of community, collective approach to prevention focussing on holistic wellbeing.
Dr. Dave Hursthouse, Lead Systems Innovator and Rangatahi Coordinator for Te Hoeroa Tū Manawa Ora at Te Oranganui, has been a vocal advocate for a shift in approach.
“When we have tried to take stronger disciplinary lines the response is the opposite. There will often be a digging in, an entrenching and we see that that approach doesn't work. Instead we have been cultivating an approach of aroha, of acceptance, creating a safe space where rangatahi can come out of themselves, where rangatahi can drop their barriers, step outside of who they have to be to survive and begin to step into the person that they actually are. So our focus has been on empowerment. Creating a space of acceptance so that rangatahi can explore their sense of identity and sense of belonging which leads into rangatahi wellness, as a result we have seen a decrease in some of those behaviours boot camps are supposedly trying to address.”
The building blocks of resilience need to address the underlying causes of antisocial behaviour, including trauma, mental health challenges, poverty, and disconnection from family and culture. Mātaiwhetu of Te Oranganui Trust echoes this sentiment, expressing the importance of building resilience through connection, and community wrap-around support,
“I think of all the other exciting kaupapa in our communities. If those were well-resourced, maybe young people wouldn’t end up in these places. Boot camps take people out of their environment, but eventually they have to go home. If home hasn’t changed, what’s going to change for them when they return? I'd prefer we pivot funding into community-led initiatives, grounded in the communities where these young people live, rather than pulling them out.” Wheturangi Walsh-Tapiata (Mātaiwhetu - Chief Executive Officer, Te Oranganui Trust)
Military style boot camps are not working and the New Zealand Police report evidence suggests that,
“…alternative programmes focussing on education and social reintegration offer more sustainable outcomes compared to the traditional boot camp model.” New Zealand Police (2004)
Amanda Hills, a lawyer is currently focussed on the Abuse in Care case, also highlights the importance of comprehensive wrap-around support.
“Wrap around services that are working with whānau keeping their young people within their communities, keeping them connected to the people around them, has got a higher rate of success preventing reoffending.”
In just six months, Te Hoeroa Tū Manawa Ora has welcomed 20 rangatahi into a marae and taiao-based initiative grounded in mātauranga Māori. These rangatahi have gained valuable life skills and qualifications, treating their whānau with newfound respect and more importantly, they are leaving with aspirations for the future. Rangatahi graduated in June and have moved on to employment and returned back to school, supported by ongoing mentoring.
These experiences and insights led to the development of Te Hoeroa Tū Manawa Ora, a six-month outdoor initiative designed to empower rangatahi through immersive engagement with whakapapa, te taiao, Te Awa Tupua, Te Kāhui Maunga, and Te Ao Māori. The initiative, set in marae and taiao environments, included wānanga, adventure activities, camping, working with land and waterways, growing and hunting kai, building projects, exercise, well-being practices, and expeditions from the mountains to the sea. Rangatahi were supported by comprehensive mentorship and were exposed to diverse people, stories, and opportunities. The initiative aimed to build confidence, cultural capability, and the skills needed for rangatahi to navigate toward their personal, hapū, iwi, and community aspirations.
Over 100 whānau gathered at Te Ao Hou Marae to honour the achievements and personal transformations of these young people. The graduation ceremony was marked by the pride of whānau members, who shared their reflections on the changes they had witnessed in their rangatahi. One whānau member noted,
“We’ve seen a huge increase in confidence and willingness to engage with te ao Māori... just that identity aspect and learning about his own culture… This has opened up a whole big learning drive for him; he just wants to continue to learn and grow from here.”
Another expressed heartfelt pride, saying,
“I’m so proud of you. You’ve come a long way and grown into this lovely young man. We’re so, so proud of you.”
A whānau member also expressed to the Learning Environment kaimahi who we have partnered with that,
“Kaupapa like this are important because a lot of our rangatahi are losing their way, they need to know that there are people and organisations like you that are here to help them, keeping them off the streets, teaching them about the whenua, teaching them about Māoritanga, self love and respect. It's been amazing for us, our rangatahi really need this.”
Rātonga Taiohi, Youth Development Specialist had expressed their amazement saying,
“The biggest win achieved wasn’t just the credits they earned, but the holistic wellbeing they have gained through Te Hoeroa—rooted in the values of whānau, kotahitanga, manaakitanga and learning life skills like how to start your own maara kai. They left inspired, with renewed hope for the future.”
Te Hoeroa youth worker and systems innovator Kahurangi Simon Jnr also summarises the approach well, “The more we stay consistent with approaches of aroha, compassion, and empathy, the more rangatahi begin to peel down their walls and reveal their true selves.”
As the government pushes forward with boot camps, initiatives like Te Hoeroa Tū Manawa Ora present a proven alternative.
The success of Te Hoeroa shows that punitive measures are not the answer. Instead, community-led, culturally grounded initiatives offer a far more effective path to breaking cycles of harm and reintegrating rangatahi back into society.
The question now is whether the government will recognise the strength of these community-led solutions and invest in what is truly working for our rangatahi.
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