Rangatahi Suicide Prevention
Māori suicide rates are high in Aotearoa. Te Puni Kōkiri is working with other government agencies, expert groups and community organisations to reduce Māori suicide.
Māori Suicide Statistics
Suicide is a major issue that is of real concern to New Zealand whānau and their communities.
Every year approximately over 500 people, many of them Māori, take their own lives by suicide, affecting the lives of many others. These deaths are preventable.
The Chief Coroner releases national provisional suicide statistics each year to help suicide prevention efforts and initiatives undertaken by other agencies. More information can be found here; https://coronialservices.justice.govt.nz/suicide/.
Stories and Videos
Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Videos
A series of Rangatahi Suicide Prevention videos were produced recently by Skylight in collaboration with 186 rangatahi from seven different schools around Aotearoa. Skylight is an organization that specializes in support for those suffering from grief, loss and trauma. The videos were based on the theme ‘How do we support someone in mental distress?
Workshops were held over three-days at each school and focused on supporting rangatahi in learning about suicide prevention, wellbeing and resilience building. The stories focused on situations that rangatahi can sometimes experience that might lead to suicide attempts and they also identified effective support. The project also showed how the medium of film can be used to facilitate conversations in communities.
Māori suicide rates are high in Aotearoa. Te Puni Kōkiri is working with other government agencies, expert groups and community organisations to reduce Māori suicide. Read more about the way they are sharing prevention messages.
Tu Kaha secures Stevens Adams as brand partner
The Tu Kaha Foundation delivers a two day values programme to 3,000 rangatahi in 20-30 low decile schools.
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Removing raruraru
Te Taitimu Trust BIG CAMP 2019.
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Working together to build leaders
Te Taitimu Trust BIG CAMP 2019.
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Hawke’s Bay community join forces for rangatahi
Te Taitimu Trust BIG CAMP 2019.
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Growing Māori Leaders
Te Taitimu Trust BIG CAMP 2019.
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Tu Kaha Foundation partners with Te Puni Kōkiri to deliver values programme
Te Puni Kōkiri has partnered with Tu Kaha Foundation to deliver an educational values programme to rangatahi focusing on great decision-making and building resilient leaders through a purpose-built mobile classroom.
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Tu Kaha mobile classroom changing the lives of rangatahi
"It's a mobile classroom. People in Tikitiki or Tolaga Bay or Ruatoki can't come to us, but we can go to them," says Pera Te Amo (Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou), owner and director of Complete Siteworks Limited, and founder of the mobile classroom.
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Au.E! video
Building resilience, self-identity and leadership amongst rangatahi Māori.
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Rangatahi talk about suicide
Rangatahi Māori including takatāpui share their stories.
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Hawkes Bay rangatahi gather for rangatahi suicide prevention
Nearly 150 rangatahi from schools around the Hawkes Bay region attended the third Au.E! rangatahi suicide prevention conference at Pettigrew Green Arena in Napier in June.
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Talking suicide prevention with our rangatahi
Rangatahi from across the Wellington region gathered to talk about the topic of suicide and to show each other that support was out there.
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Te Kaha o te Rangatahi
Encouraging rangatahi to reach out and talk through the 12 week #talktome hip hop dance programme.
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#OutintheOpen
A video message to our rangatahi to talk about how you are feeling to someone you trust
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#MaoriOra
MāoriOra is the first video in a series of suicide prevention online resources. It encourages strength and resilience and celebrates originality.
VIEW THE VIDEO
#TechTikanga
#TechTikanga is the second video in a series of suicide prevention online resources. It has a strong message about taking care when messaging each other, making posts and sharing images
VIEW THE VIDEO
#SuicidePrevention
The third video in the series is #SuicidePrevention. It encourages everyone to look, listen and ask the question – Are you OK?
VIEW THE VIDEO
Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund
The fund invests in initiatives delivered in a Te Ao Māori setting to rangatahi aged 10-24 years to increase skills and knowledge (i.e. through acquisition of coping skills, tools, strategies and positive experiences) building their wellbeing, resilience and leadership improving their ability to deal with stressful and challenging life situations, to influence a reduction in suicidal distress and behaviour.
Download Application form
Other Information about Suicide Prevention
To prevent suicide in New Zealand, it is vital that everyone – individuals, families, whānau, communities, employers, the media and government agencies – work together to promote protective factors and reduce risk factors known to influence suicide. No single initiative or organisation can prevent suicide on its own.
Ministry of Health
We recommend you review the information below from the Ministry of Health to gain a stronger and wider understanding on:
Coronial Services of New Zealand
This website will give you an overview of what you can expect to happen when a death is referred to a coroner. The police must report every suspected suicide to the coroner.
Where to get help
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865
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Healthline – 0800 611 116
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Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234 or e-mail talk@youthline.co.nz
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Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or www.depression.org.nz
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Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (aimed at children up to 14 years of age; 4pm to 6pm weekdays)
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Child Helpline – 0800 366 694 (aimed at children from 5 - 18 years of age; 9am - 7pm daily)
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What’s Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5-18 year olds; 1 pm to 11 pm) or www.whatsup.co.nz (7pm – 10pm)
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Rural Support Trust – 0800 787 254
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Alcohol Drug Helpline – 0800 787 797 or free text 8691
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Samaritans – 0800 726 666 (for callers from the Lower North Island, Christchurch and West Coast) or 0800 211 211 (for callers from all other regions)
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Casper – 0508 227737 (Community Action on Suicide Prevention Education and Research)
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OUTLine NZ - 0800 688 5463 (This provides confidential telephone support for sexuality or gender identity issues)
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The Lowdown – www.thelowdown.co.nz or free text 5626 or email team@thelowdown.co.nz (e-mails and text messages will be responded to between 12 noon and 12 midnight).
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You could also talk to your General Practioner (GP), local health professional or someone you trust.
Events and Updates
Latest events and updates for this section are listed below.
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Jus Action 2019 Conference
Just Action 2019, The Salvation Army’s social justice conference will be taking place next Tue 1 to Wed 2 Oct in Wellington
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Pae Aronui graduate excited for future
Ko Hikurangi te maunga, ko Waiapu te awa, ko Horouta te waka, ko Mangahanea te marae, ko Ngāti Porou to iwi, ko Walter Taingahue ahau.
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Skills learned from Pae Aronui course saves participants' nana
Two rangatahi are extremely grateful to the tutors at Vertical Horizonz for the first aid and CPR skills that aided them to save their Nana’s life during a heart attack.
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Investing in our future business leaders and entrepreneurs
Supported by Te Puni Kōkiri and run by Young Enterprise Trust, the Rangatahi Business Challenge is a fun and interactive 3-day introduction to business and enterprise for year 9-11 tauira.
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Te Kuia Me Te Pūngāwerewere
A free children's theatre production performed entirely in te reo Māori.
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