Description

Located on the remote Mahia Peninsula, which has experienced a high number of suicides; Mahia Rangatahi Toa Youth Development Group was established in 2012 to teach young people adventure and activity skills. Many of the rangatahi (youth) attending Mahia Rangatahi Toa have experience of suicide in their own whānau. Mahia Rangatahi Toa’s initiative, which involved the group becoming better resourced and participating in a suicide wānanga (training), aligned with all of the objectives of the Waka Hourua programme:

• Families, whānau, and communities are strongly connected to one another and people actively participate in the wider community
• Families, whānau and communities have their own approaches and plans in place and are actively building resilience and reducing risks of suicide
• Families, whānau and communities have stronger relationships and confidence to be able to talk about their difficulties, and
• People bereaved by suicide receive the support they need within their families and whānau.