They live in one of the most isolated geographical regions in the country, but that doesn’t mean the rangatahi should be denied the kind of opportunities that city kids often take for granted.

“I tell them to dream and dream big,” says Ngarangi Collier who supports the Ruatōria based Central East Coast Youth Council.

So, with the help of a core group of 20 rangatahi, Ngarangi facilitated a wide range of activities aimed at developing the potential of local rangatahi. All up more than 200 rangatahi participated in at least one activity.

They took part in a hui on the Constitution Conversation, had a range of guest speakers to their weekly meetings; fitness and injury prevention programmes; and a results-based accountability workshop where they learnt planning and evaluation skills that helped them develop the programme successfully.

Conscious of the need to stretch the dollars as far as possible, Ngarangi dovetailed off the town’s basketball squad - which well over half the Central East Coast Youth Centre was involved in.

“The basketball team was travelling to tournaments. So we decided to take all the rangatahi and expand the trips to include others things. Those that weren’t playing were given jobs that added to their skills – like planning the meals and working out the budget.”

The additions included trips to art galleries and tertiary institutions. “For example, when the basketball team played in Palmerston North we also had a three hour tour of Massey University to show rangatahi what campus life was like. I know that there is now one person who wasn’t planning to go to university who now wants to go to Massey,” Ngarangi says.

Te Puni Kōkiri Te Tairāwhiti Regional Director Mere Pohatu said the programme encompassed a range of experiences that would empower the region’s future leaders.

“We were really impressed with the range of activities. What they have proven is that with a bit of planning, growing up in Ruatōria can be as rich, if not richer, as growing up anywhere else around the country. They have gained skills which have already been put into practise. They’ll be useful to them for the rest of their lives.

“By supporting this programme, Te Puni Kōkiri is supporting future whānau, hapū and iwi leadership,” she says.

For Hinekehu Collier-Campbell, one of the rangatahi most active in the programme, the last year has provided her with a huge boost in confidence.

“I got to meet so many different people; from other rangatahi to the Breakers! They were really inspirational.”

One of her personal highlights was the Human Rights Commission National Youth Cultural Diversity Forum. Ruatōria was able to send five representatives.

“It was a bit of an eye-opener,” says Hinekehu.

“We met people from heaps of different cultures and learnt that they have many of the same issues that we do,” she says.

image: Hinekehu Collier-Campbell (right) and Taylah Sykes-Martin at the National Cultural Diversity Youth Forum.