Partnership addresses Māori youth offending

A memorandum of understanding has been signed between Eastern Bay of Plenty Police and Tuhoe Hauora – the social agency arm of Tuhoe – to implement an intervention programme to prevent Māori youth offending.

The agreement was signed at a launch held in Whakatāne at the end of June.

Called Oho Ake (To Awaken), the joint youth initiative aims to provide an intervention for Māori children and young people who come to the attention of Police and/or who become involved in the justice process.

The initiative involves Tuhoe Hauora working with children and young people, together with their families, to reconnect them with their tikanga, or identity, to make positive changes for the future. The initiative provides an intervention point for iwi to undertake action accordingly.

The Acting Area Commander for the Eastern Bay of Plenty, Inspector Greg Sparrow says the objectives of the initiative are not only to reduce the amount of offending by Māori children and young people, but to actually try and prevent them entering the justice system in the first place.

“The initiative isn’t an alternative justice system,” he says. “These young people will still be held accountable for their actions, but there will also be an iwi intervention to help make a permanent, positive change in their lives.”

“Sadly, young Māori people are over-represented in our crime statistics, but Police can’t change this alone.

By working together, in partnership, with Tuhoe Hauora, we think we can change this pattern and start turning the statistics around.”

Greg says the Police Youth Aid team will still visit young offenders and their families as part of the Police process, but this visit will also serve as the intervention point for Tuhoe Hauora to instigate Oho Ake.

He says more serious offending that may require court appearances or custodial sentencing would also involve Tuhoe Hauora working with the offender.

From left to right: Tuhoe Hauora representatives, Tame Iti, Anita Henry, Angeline Kiwara, Rewiti Hakeke, Ruby Rameke and Pania Hetet, the Tuhoe Hauora practice manager, holding the memorandum of understanding with Sergeant Tom Brooks, EBOP Youth and Community Services Supervisor, and Constable Kevin Raynes, Youth Aid Officer. Photo: Jacky James

Tuhoe Hauora Practice Manager Pania Hetet says Tuhoe is committed to working with its young people to help prevent offending and contribute to safer communities, and Oho Ake is an important initiative to help achieve that.

“As an iwi, we want to reduce the number of young Māori committing offences and appearing in the justice system,” she says.

“The key part of the initiative for us is using the Mauri Ora conceptual practice framework and working with the whole family to make changes – not just the young person involved.

“We want to reconnect young people, and their wider whānau, with their tikanga and identity. This is a powerful tool and one that will make a positive difference in their future.”

She says Oho Ake complements the work already undertaken by Tuhoe Hauora, and will be an extension of the health, drug and alcohol work under-taken within the iwi and community.

“We have a committed team of people with experience in working with all ages in our community, but we also have expertise and a passion for working with young people.

“We’re well placed to understand the dynamics in these families and to make those dynamics work in a positive way,” says Pania.

The Bay of Plenty District Youth Coordinator, Senior Sergeant Stuart Nightingale says the initiative is a fantastic start to reducing the amount of young Māori offending.

He hopes the initiative will eventually be rolled out across the Bay of Plenty District and other parts of New Zealand.