An Upper Hutt-based tikanga Māori programme is helping Māori offenders look towards a more positive future.
Eighteen offenders serving community sentences attend each programme and despite some of them having committed ‘pretty heavy acts’, Programme Co-facilitator Joy Bullen says all participants benefit.
“The bulk of offenders we see have lost their Māori identity, they know little about Māori culture and have no contact with their tribal roots. We get them to understand and have pride in their origins, which in turn helps them to have pride in themselves,” she says.
Community Probation & Psychological Services Upper Hutt Service Centre Manager Paula Sharpe says the programme is well supported by both the community and staff.
“It’s the only programme I’ve seen where offenders’ families consistently show up for the graduation. Also, probation officers regularly support offenders and facilitators by attending the powhiri, the graduation or just showing up at times throughout the programme. It’s great to see such dedication to the cause.
“We want to offer motivating programmes that inspire offenders and this one always seems to get a good response,” says Paula.
Joy says it's vital for the offenders to recognise the many positive things currently occurring in Māori culture.
“These guys have opportunities previous generations didn’t and once they learn to identify and access these, there is no reason they can’t improve their lives.”
“We saw one young guy who was boasting about the amount of tagging he had done and claiming that Upper Hutt would ‘never be clean again’ after he was released.”
But the programme achieved a notable change in his life.
“After the course he was going up to people in the waiting room of his local probation office telling them how great the course was and that they should enrol in it.
“He didn’t have any direction or goals in his life, but once he learnt about his culture and the opportunities available
to him he really did seem to transform.
“Personal pride is a powerful thing; he just needed a push in the right direction.”
Joy says the key element behind their courses is healing.
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