Kaikohe led response to youth concerns supported

For immediate release

21 March 2017

A recent call from the Kaikohe community to lead a response to current youth issues has merit says Harry Burkhardt, Chair of the Northland Social Wellbeing Governance Group who governs Kāinga Ora, the Place Based Initiative for Northland.

“Kāinga Ora will bring government agencies, NGOs, iwi and community leaders together and empower local communities through a social investment approach, to make a positive impact on the lives of children, young people and their families in Kaikohe,” says Mr Burkhardt.

Kāinga Ora will leverage off the social sector trials for Kaikohe and is a step up in the delivery of local social services.

“These problems can’t be fixed by one government agency and will require Kaikohe to co-design solutions that will work for their community. Our communities are over having things done to them and for them. We have to ensure we’re working with communities” added Mr Burkhardt.

“There are unlikely to be any quick fixes, because in many cases we are addressing inter-generational issues. Some of our young people are dealing with very difficult situations on a day to day basis. What we need to do is lift expectations about what life could offer them in the future.”

“Everyone will need to work together with the community to ensure we’ve got the right mix of solutions for our taitamariki. A lot is being done in Northland to improve the social and economic outcomes across the region. Kāinga Ora is collaborating with the Te Tai Tokerau Economic Action Plan to ensure economic opportunities for our young people in the future” Mr Burkhardt said.

Kāinga Ora will be working with the community to consolidate local ideas and solutions into an action plan that can be implemented and inform investment.

In the immediate future, the Police District Commander will be assessing how to temporarily raise the Police presence in Kaikohe to meet the concerns of the community. The Social Well-Being Governance Group and Te Rūnanga-ā-iwi o Ngāpuhi will also be calling a community hui next week to discuss what needs to be achieved next in Kaikohe.

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