Why invest in rangatahi wellbeing and resilience?

Rangatahi (10-24) make up half the current Māori population. They are our future leaders, parents, whare tangata, kaumatua, and tohunga. Resilient and thriving rangatahi will help to ensure a future filled with resilient and thriving whānau.

Rangatahi Māori have been disproportionately affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, both economically and in their health and wellbeing. Rangatahi Māori are also over-represented negatively across the social spectrum including in education, employment, mental health, and suicide statistics. For example:

• The current rate for rangatahi NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) is 19.2% compared to 13.8% for non-Māori (Household Labour Force Survey)
• From 2009 to 2018, the difference in rates of suicide between Māori and non-Māori was most notable in the 15–24 years age group. In 2018 the rate of suicide for Māori in the 15–24 years age group was about 2.1 times that of non-Māori in the same age group. (Ministry of Health, Suicide Web Tool)

Strengthening rangatahi resilience and confidence is part of ensuring a faster recovery from the effects of COVID-19. This includes preparing for and overcoming future adverse events and challenging situations.

A reduction in rangatahi suicide rates, levels of anxiety, depression and other poor health statistics will follow on from broader initiatives and programmes that support rangatahi to build resilience and well-being according to their own aspirations. And as a result, rangatahi will be more likely to succeed in education and in the workplace, and become role models and leaders in their whānau and communities.

The Rangatahi Manawaroa Fund

Rangatahi Manawaroa (formerly the Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund) invests in initiatives delivered in a Te Ao Māori setting to rangatahi Māori aged 10-24 years. These initiatives give rangatahi positive experiences, helping them to gain skills and knowledge while building meaningful relationships and connections. Rangatahi are supported to grow their wellbeing and resilience, improving their capability to deal with stressful and challenging life situations.

Since 2015 we have invested in over 150 initiatives through this fund, enabling communities to respond to the specific needs of rangatahi Māori within their rohe. These initiatives have ranged from community wānanga and noho marae to programmes where arts, culture or sports are used as a means for rangatahi to express themselves.

Rangatahi have told us that a positive focus on wellbeing has the greatest impact for them in terms of building resilience. The Rangatahi Suicide Prevention Fund has been renamed Rangatahi Manawaroa to better reflect the broad wellbeing and resilience focus of the fund, and the wide scope of the types of programmes that can be supported.

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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.

Crisis support services for rangatahi

• Lifeline: 0800 543 354
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865
• Healthline – 0800 611 116
• Youthline – 0800 376 633 or free text 234 or e-mail talk@youthline.co.nz
• Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or depression.org.nz
• Kidsline – 0800 54 37 54 (aimed at children up to 14 years of age; 4pm to 6pm weekdays)
• What’s Up – 0800 942 8787 (for 5-18 year olds; 1 pm to 11 pm) or whatsup.co.nz(7pm – 10pm)
• Rural Support Trust – 0800 787 254
• Alcohol Drug Helpline – 0800 787 797 or free text 8691
• 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)
• OUTLine NZ - 0800 688 5463 (This provides confidential telephone support for sexuality or gender identity issues)
• The Lowdown – thelowdown.co.nzor free text 5626 or email team@thelowdown.co.nz (e-mails and text messages will be responded to between 12 noon and 12 midnight).
• You could also talk to your General Practitioner (GP), local health professional or someone you trust.

Further information related to suicide

For information relating specifically to Suicide Prevention, we recommend you review the information below from the Ministry of Health :

• Every Life Matters - He Tapu te Oranga o ia Tangata: Suicide Prevention Strategy 2019–2029 and Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2019–2024 for Aotearoa New Zealand
• Protective and risk factors for suicide
• Suicide rates in New Zealand
• Terms used in suicide prevention
• Suicide Web Tool – Ministry of Health

The Coronial Services of New Zealand  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.

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