Ōpōtiki Youth Aim for $3K Goal to Grow Creative Programme

A weekly craft group is helping Ōpōtiki rangatahi build confidence, creativity, and a pathway to business.

Ōpōtiki rangatahi are turning creativity into cash, selling handmade crafts to raise funds for a local youth group.  

Each Wednesday, young people gather at the Māori Presbyterian Church for “CraftyVibes”, creating paintings, planter boxes and bracelets through Ōpōtiki Rangatahi Pā.

Founder Alex Le Long said the initiative is about more than just making products.

"We develop our confidence with the young people so that they can go to market.

"We created a te ao pakihi rangatahi as a result of that so that our young people have a safe space to create, to innovate, and to sell and market their ideas so that they're creating their own businesses," founder Alex Le Long said. 

The group is aiming to raise $3,000, which will be matched by funding from Boosted if the target is reached — enough to sustain the programme for the rest of the year.

The funding would also support other creative pathways, including a youth-led publishing arm and podcasting projects.

"The Ōpōtiki Horizons Press, is a micro publishing company, for rangatahi, by rangatahi, with rangatahi."

As Head of English at Ōpōtiki College, Le Long wanted to create a space for rangatahi to write purposeful content. 

"We do podcasting, publishing, and they're also working on creating a documentary talking about what it's like growing up in Ōpōtiki.

"So there's a lot of content at the moment. Not so much of the editing skills yet, but we're getting there."

Ōpōtiki Rangatahi Pā using podcast equipment in the Ōpōtiki Library. IMAGE: Supplied

Despite also providing sport and awa care programmes, the group still lacks a permanent base.

"Last year we did a feasibility study which says that Ōpōtiki needs a youth centre.

"We need a space for our young people to connect and grow, and specifically a space for them to feel safe, so they can access support as and when they need."

Le Long said rangatahi aged 8 to 18 need stronger support systems and access to opportunities.

"In today's society, we need so much wraparound support, not just for the young people, but for adults as well, because we find there's unresolved trauma.

"And because of that lived experience, I know how hard it is for our young people to be able to move forward with their own passions and dreams, because there's not much out there in the first place, and there's a lot of apathy and a lack of motivation because there's a real lack of good role models.

"So alongside our programme, the goal is to help grow our young people into the leaders that we need for the future as well."

Creating a dedicated space would help foster connection and a stronger, more unified approach to supporting youth, she said.

Tamariki drawing in a Ōpōtiki Rangatahi Pā workshop. IMAGE:Supplied

Many rangatahi she works with are dealing with mamae, which can impact their behaviour and wellbeing.

"That makes it quite hard for them to follow our goals, having kind words, kind hands, kind hearts, in order for them to really stay true to their own pathways, to help themselves flourish."

"They can't be hurting others because they're then hurting themselves."

Le Long is also calling for better collaboration between organisations working with young people.

"Every organisation does a different programme but there's ways that it could overlap where we could share resources.

"We would actually work together more effectively because that's what people naturally do, and that's what Māori naturally do.

"And at the heart of everything that people who like to help people do, we like to work together to make the job easier for everybody," she said.