Source: Radio New Zealand
A new whare for whānau and residents has opened at Barnardos’ Christchurch care residence.
Te Poutama Ārahi Rangatahi offers therapeutic care for up to eight boys aged between 12 and 17 who are in state care.
But now residents and their families will have a place to meet, learn and heal outside of the facility’s chain link fence.
RNZ / Nate McKinnon
The whare – named Te Ao Mārama – opened on Tuesday.
Barnardos chief executive Matt Reid said having a place for the boys and their whānau outside the wire was important.
“Can you imagine being a 13-year-old boy going straight through the wire, through a couple of locked doors as your first experience. Rather they will go into this very safe space surrounded by identity and culture, they will be able to come out here to do their learning and healing,” Reid said.
“Importantly, too, it’s a space for their whānau, whether it’s mum or dad, uncle, aunty, grandad, grandma can come and stay.”
Barnardos chief executive Matt Reid RNZ / Nate McKinnon
He said it provided an environment for the boys to receive what they really needed – aroha.
“Most of the young ones we’re working are carrying some trauma and because of that they have gone on to have some at-risk behaviours and what we’re about is … learning to manage that trauma,” Reid said.
“We are about aroha. Everyone deserves aroha and I think we should be judging ourselves on how we look after our most vulnerable, and some of these young people are our most vulnerable so let’s wrap that aroha around them.”
A focus for Te Poutama Ārahi Rangatahi is kotahitanga – or unity and collective action – and it took a real display of kotahitanga to get the whare built.
A team of 20 volunteers gave up two weeks of their time to come to Christchurch from across New Zealand and work 12 hour days.
RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Pete Walker, a firefighter and the leader of the volunteer team, said it was easy to find helpers.
“We took away far more than what we gave,” Walker said.
“It doesn’t make sense in today’s economy but if you haven’t ever volunteered, if you haven’t had a chance to give something back, give it a go and you’ll be amazed at the result of it all.”
Volunteer team leader Pete Walker RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Some of the boys from the residence worked on the build with the volunteers, he said.
“We wanted to have an open work space with as many opportunities as the young folk could be a part of it,” Walker said.
“They would often come across at lunch times and sit and talk and we would have a chance to interact and it gave us real motivation.”
RNZ / Nate McKinnon
The idea for Walker’s volunteer army to build the whare came about after a chance meeting in a coffee shop between him and Reid.
Barnardos had only had to raise about $350,000 to pay for what could have cost well over $700,000 due to the efforts of volunteers and donors.
The idea of a whare for the boys and their whānau was first floated by the late Matua Whare Tamanui.
Residence team leader Ben Huriwai. RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Ben Huriwai, who works as a team leader in the residence, said the idea had been around since before he started working for Barnardos a decade ago.
“It’s hard to put into words,” he said, when asked what it meant to him.
“This is just a massive day for us as Barnardos, a massive day for the rangatahi we support, and for our communities as well. All the work throughout the years to get to where we are, all the ‘noes’, all the hurdles that were put in the way. Getting to this space and being able to be part of it is just massive.”
Resident manager Anaru Baynes. RNZ / Nate McKinnon
Resident manager Anaru Baynes said the whare was the product of true kotahitanga.
“This is a game changer for us,” he said.
“You can try and have whānau therapy … but unless there’s something specifically built for it, you’re probably going to find that a challenge. At the moment we have a care residence that was designed to keep people safe and contained, what we have now is a place rangatahi whānau can visit, they can stay and we can sure up those relationships and the harm that’s be done we can help process that with the young person and their whānau.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
