Hastings resident Ros Rowe will be familiar to many as the woman who featured on TV One's Mucking In programme in July.
To Hastings community work supervisors, Ros is the woman who runs the Leg Up Trust for youth at risk.
To offenders serving community sentences she's the woman who greets them with a smile and a word of encouragement when they turn up to work on her property.
Under the guidance of Ros's no-nonsense, caring approach, young men work and bond with horses to help them learn the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness, and how to deal with anger.
Only when they've mastered these skills can they learn to ride. And thanks to Ros, many do.
Ros can't speak highly enough of the quality of the work, the respect the offenders show her and the calibre of the community work supervisors who accompany them.
"One offender who's a shearer has offered to shear my sheep for no charge. And another has offered to supply me with anti-drug addiction material that I can pass onto the youngsters who attend the Leg Up Trust programme," says Ros.
Corrections Community Probation & Psychological Services (CPPS) Area Manager George Henderson says Ros's comments reflect the very positive relationship that exists between Corrections and the community in Hastings.
"It demonstrates what can be achieved when offenders are given the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the community they have offended against".
Got a story for Corrections News or want to request the print edition?
Email commdesk@corrections.govt.nz or phone (04) 460 3365.
ISSN 1178-8453