“Koinei ngā mahuetanga iho o te whare kua roa e tāwharau ana i te hunga rangatahi o Ōpōtiki.”
Those are the opening words of a story marking the end of Y2, a youth programme that, for seven years, has supported hundreds of rangatahi in Ōpōtiki through employment pathways, education, mentoring and wraparound care.
As the youth hub programme has been put to sleep, there was a shared sense of loss among staff, former participants and the wider community.
Youth worker Te Whiu Te Maipi says the closure is deeply personal.
“Ko tāku nei whakaaro, ko te whakakapi o tēnei kaupapa, te kaupapa o Y2, mamae ki taku ngākau, nā te mea he wāhi haumaru tēnei mō ngā rangatahi ki te ako, ki te whai i ngā moemoeā.”
He says many of the rangatahi who came through Y2 arrived carrying far more than unemployment.
“A lot of our rangatahi walked through these doors have come from a head space of self-harm, neglect and poverty… Y2 was a space where they could figure that out for themselves, somewhere they could come and learn and grow. So where do they go now?”
For Te Pou Oranga o Te Whakatōhea Kaiwhakahaere Matua Hohepa Hei, the closure reflects broader funding pressures facing community-led youth services.
“Ko te whakamoea tēnei kaupapa o Y2 i tēnei rā he tohu i runga i ngā pēhitanga kua pā kino nei ki runga i ō tātou hapori… Kua taka te pūtea hei tautoko ake i ēnei momo hōtaka.”
Hei says more than 90% of the rangatahi who sought employment support also required help with mental health, housing, social wellbeing and other challenges before they were ready for work or further education.
Former participant Kereihi Hudson says Y2 changed her outlook on life.
“I came in with sort of a closed mindset. They really helped me open it up and explore new things and new ideas.”
She says the programme also gave her confidence, lifelong friendships and a renewed belief in herself.
Another former participant, Laban Freeman, credits Y2 with helping him discover both purpose and direction.
“Y2 has changed my life. It helped me navigate a career pathway, figure out myself and gave me support around my mental health.”
While providers point to the programme’s positive outcomes, Hei says the need for youth support in Ōpōtiki continues to grow.
He says local NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) figures increased from 23.6% earlier this year to 42.8% by the end of June, reinforcing the importance of sustained investment in rangatahi.
The end of Y2 has also raised questions about what support will replace it.
“Ko te pātai kē ia, me pēhea mātou ki te whakarite wāhi anō kia tae ai ngā tamariki ki waenganui i a mātou… ki te ārahi i a rātou ki te whai i ō rātou moemoeā? Kirimana mai, kāore rānei, ko mātou tonu e hāpai ana i ngā mahi hei orangatonutanga mō ā tātou rangatahi te take.“
Hudson believes spaces like Y2 remain essential.
“We need places like this, especially for rangatahi. Kids that are struggling on the streets and need help, this is the place to come.”
Despite the uncertainty, Te Whiu remains hopeful.
“Without the support, our future is going to be hard. However, I believe in our people. Tohe toa mātou. We will be strong, we are resilient, we will fight to the end.”
“He hapori e kore e tuohu noa, ahakoa ngā taunahatanga o te wā.”
The doors of Y2 may have closed, but the legacy of the past seven years lives on in the rangatahi, whānau and community whose lives were changed by the kaupapa.
Nā Awhina Kurei nō Pūkāea
