By Jenny Suo
A group of serious young offenders needing to reframe their lives are doing so through the lens of a camera.
They have put on a photography exhibition showing life as they see it, and how they'd like their future to look.
“The camera represents how I've been watched by the CYF’s agencies and police and stuff,” says Chris Kalekale. “The last one is a photo of Mt Eden prison - where I don’t want to end up, where I don't even want to look at.”
Mr Kalekale was just 11 years old when he started committing crimes.
“[I was] burgling people, stealing their cars and stuff, assaulting people for nothing. Trying to make a quick buck like every other criminal does,” he says.
He and two other serious young offenders are turning their lives around by using photography to show how far they've come, and where they want to go.
The boys are part of the youth program Te Korowai run by Auckland Museum.
Some of Auckland's worst youth offenders are referred there.
“When they come into the program, they're quite staunch and have attitudes, but once you get behind that and you break it all down they actually turn out to be really, really good young men,” says Te Korowai manager Sid Kirby.
The program aims to motivate offenders into study or work.
It has a 78 percent success rate and the boys say they're starting to see the bigger picture.
“[I’ve] kind of got a set plan now. I’m trying to aim towards working as a youth worker or social worker” says Mr Kalekale.
The photos are on display at Henderson's Zeal cafe.
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