Katherine Langford

What is it like to be a young person growing up in Ōpōtiki?

After years of teaching at Ōpōtiki College, rangatahi advocate Alex Le Long has gained a deep understanding of the challenges and needs of our youth.

“Kids here have so many talents and skills and for many reasons they cannot express or develop that,” Ms Le Long said.

It may come as a surprise, for example, that some Ōpōtiki rangatahi have never travelled beyond Whakatāne, or even left town.  

There is a sense of boredom and restriction, which is underpinned by very real safety issues – many young people feel it is not safe to be alone on the streets during the day, let alone at night.  

Poverty, and a lack of opportunities, can make gangs and drugs seem like the only option for some.

“Kids have told me (and other teachers) over the years that unless they are into sports, there is not much to do, that they are bored, that there is no opportunity to dream.

“They have no self-identity, so they take what is available.  

“Contracts and funding for rangatahi development come and go; they aren’t permanent.  

“So, some students get support while many go without.  

“Over a period of seven years, you can see the difference between who received support and who missed out.”  

For this reason, Ms Long has spearheaded the creation of Te Ariroa Evolutions Charitable Trust, whose mission is to nurture a sense of empowerment and provide “wrap-around support” for Ōpōtiki rangatahi. The trust is developing a funding proposal for a community youth centre – Ōpōtiki Rangatahi Pā – which will bring together creative, physical and educational opportunities and initiatives for youth into a single, safe space.  

The ultimate vision includes health services, sporting equipment, a repair workshop, hot-desks, crafts, musical instruments and dance studio, a tutor who provides mentoring for school subjects after school, and more.  

The flow-on effects from this youth centre have the potential to transform our community.

While an impact feasibility study for funding is under way, Te Ariroa Evolutions projects continue to evolve, including Ōpōtiki Horizons Press, a team of youth from the college and local primary schools, whose goal is to create a publishing press run solely by, and for, rangatahi.

These inspiring young people are putting together a proposal for an Innovation Fund of $15,000 to enable pod casting, documentary making, writing retreats, covering of transport costs – and town clean-ups.  

Keti Jerry, a member of Horizons Press, explains why clean-ups are on their radar.

“Town has become a scary place, and it’s turned into a rubbish centre,” he said, also highlighting that one of the key purposes of the community youth centre is to provide a safe, protected space for rangatahi.

“And it should be bullet proof.” another rangatahi added.

There are currently a number of amazing initiatives under way for rangatahi in Ōpōtiki, and additional community support, ideas and involvement are always welcome.  

See https://www.teariroa.co.nz for more information or to make a donation, or contact Alex Le Long at https://www.teariroa.co.nz/contact.