Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:00a.m.
Director Paul Fong says only one of the 36-39 trouble youths Youth Quest has had through has ended up in jail
By Rachel Morton
A Kapiti Coast programme which helps troubled youths turn their lives around is hoping some of the $84 million the Government is investing in youth schemes will be sent its way.
Troydin Teamo was one of the first teenage boys ordered to take part in the Youth Quest programme. Now he is a mentor and is preparing to make a good example.
“I had just been kicked out of school and had not a lot of options, my mother was sick of me being at home not doing anything, so it was time to get up and do something,” he says.
That something was a 12 week programme involving community service, spending a few weeks at the bush and preparing to gain employment.
Many of the youths were ordered to be part of the course by police, Child Youth and Family, or the courts.
“Of the 36 to 39 that we’ve taken through, only one has ended up in jail,” says Youth Quest Director Paul Fong.
Mr Fong, a former police officer, spend his life savings proving the programme was worth while, after a few years the Ministry of Social Development got on board with funding.
“We’re lucky we get funded for the two programmes that we run a year. Our aim at the moment is to try and find that support in between, and ways to fund the mentorship.”
Mr Fong believes it is continuing the support after the programme finishes which is the most important aspect.
“We have had the odd few that have reoffended and again if they are part of the mentoring system then we’re following them up,” Mr Fong says.
“I don’t mind sitting in the cell with someone early in the morning – which we have done. It just shows our commitment to them, and they need to find people they trust who will be there.”
This is a view Principal Youth Court Judge Andrew Becroft supports.
He believes the nine months which follow are crucial.
“That is the transition period back into the community – the very families that I guess helped create the problems in the first place.”
Youth Quest will find out in the next few weeks if it will receive additional funding.
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