Youth Team Trust

Supporter	Female - Maori ( Age 13 )	Male - ( Age 16 )
Care Giver	Female - Maori ( Age 15 )	Male - ( Age 14 )
Adult Male	Female - Maori ( Age 16 )	Male - ( Age 16 )
Adult Mentor	Female - Caucasian ( Age 14 )	Male - ( Age 15 )
		Male - ( Age 15 )

Female

As a teenager, I was raped by my friend’s brother. I drank as an escape and I couldn’t see a future for myself. I couldn’t brush off what had happened to me and I didn’t feel comfortable talking about it with anyone, until I attended a Youth Team Trust (YTT) camp. YTT provided a safe environment where I found the courage to disclose what had happened, and I was supported by other young people who had endured similar experiences.

I was overwhelmed by the number of young people I met through YTT who had been affected by significant trauma, which inspired me to become a YTT leader and support other young people in the same way I had been supported. I concurrently completed an undergraduate degree in psychology, and with the support of YTT I was accepted into a post-graduate clinical psychology training programme. I have now finished my clinical training and a PhD, and work as a clinical psychologist and researcher.

I am excited about my future and I will always be grateful for YTT – there’s no doubt the Trust played a huge role in where I am today!

Supporter of Youth T.E.A.M. Trust

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Supporter

I was first introduced to Mereana and Youth T.E.A.M. Trust in October 2003 when she was invited to speak at the Property Academy I was attending. My husband and I had been searching for someway to give something back to the community, and when I heard Mereana speak about the work they do with young people I told my husband I had found a really worthy cause to contribute regularly to.

I recently had the opportunity to meet Mereana again and she invited me to attend a Youth T.E.A.M. Trust weekend Camp at Okataina Lodge. After experiencing the camp I am convinced that every young person who is facing one or more of the issues dealt with at camp must have an opportunity to participate in the Youth T.E.A.M. Trust Experience at least once!

I was very impressed with the level of experience, understanding and skills of the Camp leaders and saw first hand the difference in young people when they are empowered with a combination of skills, love and hope! These young kids were amazing, many have been through more than we can imagine and they have survived – lets help to make life great for them from now on!

Wendy Burrell
Supporter of Youth T.E.A.M. Trust

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Age 15 / Female / Maori

I felt great after camp. I let out all my sad, hurt feelings. It was very hard but I felt good afterwards.

When my baby brother died I felt really sad. We were all very happy, then he got sick and died and Mum & Dad started losing it. They argued and hit each other. They were hurt and angry. They broke up and we came to live with our Aunty and Uncle. I still think a lot about what it would be like with Mum & Dad. I wish Aunty was Mum and Uncle was Dad and everything would be good. We still see Mum and dad and we know they love us and we love them but it is still hard.

Camp has helped me to let out my hurt feelings and I feel better. I now know what my dreams are and that is to own a restaurant and be a chef. I know that I am a young , beautiful wahine because everyone writes it on my affirmation cards. I feel really proud of myself at the choice things everyone writes.

Thank you heaps for all your help and support. Youth T.E.A.M. Trust is the best and it should go around the world so it can help other young people like me who are hurt and worried. All the best and see you next camp.

Age 13 / Female / Maori

Camp is so cool. I enjoy coming and meeting all the new people and seeing the ones from before again.

I like sitting in the circle. I like the honest way that people tell their stories and open up about their feelings. Everybody is kind and caring towards each other. You guys awhi us and give us the support we need. There are lots of parts of camp that are very sad, but there are also parts that are enjoyable and great fun.

I really look forward to every camp. It’s choice to catch up with everyone. They have become very good friends to me.

I hope to become a future leader and the Head Girl of Gisborne Girls.

Thank you for running a bomb program. You guys are tumeke and I love you to bits.

Caregivers for Young people

I would like to extend a HUGE THANK YOU for the wonderful effect Youth T.E.A.M. Trust workshops have had on our nieces and nephews. After they come back from your weekends they are so happy and revitalized – they buzz, high capacity khz. They never want to leave your camps and they are breaking their necks for the next weekend to come around.

It is just wonderful that we have “happened” on Youth team. Two of our children have been 4 times and the other two it was their first time. At the last weekend our eldest took a step into leadership. He was hesitant and a bit fearful which was understandable, but he came home very proud of his achievements and in such a warm and caring environment he couldn't’t help but step forward and succeed, especially with great aroha and support from everyone at the camp.

Hi sister has blossomed and bloomed. At Youth T.E.A.M. Trust she knows that she can speak freely about loss, grief and fear and no-one there judges or condemns her. She can openly express her fears and receive the support she needs from her peers, the support people and the Team. This makes for wonderful inroads to healing and growth.

Thank you for running such a wonderful program. There are not many avenues available to parents and caregivers where we can take young people who have suffered great trauma and loss and help them work through their pain and the issues associated with grief. The fact that this is an ongoing program is great for us as well. Continuity, in a beautiful setting – what a winning formula! The program is excellent because the children respond so well to it and the highest recommendation you can get is that they really want to come back.

Thank you for the ongoing support – it makes the children realize that it isn't just a numbers game.
They appreciate the contact they receive from you,Vicki and Martin.
They feel very special because you all show you really care about them and they are exactly what they are – SPECIAL, UNIQUE, WONDERFUL, AMAZING & LOVEABLE.

Keep up the wonderful work and Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. They’ll all be back next camp.

Jordan / Age 14 / Male

Before I came to this program / camp I used to smoke drugs everyday. I had been kicked out of 3 schools. I was committing crimes all the time. I have not got my father in my life. I was kicked out of Dads house because I was coming home stoned out of my tree and I had nowhere to go. I was not at school and I had nowhere to go. All that kept me going was drugs and alcohol I had nobody. I was just full of anger and sadness I hated everyone around me who loved me I didn’t know how to forgive because I was just full of anger I was mixed up with guys who were a lot older than me I used to fight all the time I would take my anger out on the ones that loved me. What this camp has done for me is helped me express my feelings with other people who have had similar problems. This camp has made me motivated to stop drugs and has changed my feelings towards strangers and the people that love me. I hope that I can come to the next camp. This weekend has made me feel I have changed from a boy to a man.

Age 16 / Male

I am presently facing several charges. I hang around with the wrong crowd. Also before I came to this camp I always made the wrong decisions because every time I left my house I was either stoned or intoxicated. Youth Team camp is a good chance for me to take a good look at my life and change the way I think and have a better outlook on life.

Age 16 / Male

I once was a bad boy, getting into trouble with the police and when I was once in school, started to hang out with the wrong crowd then got into trouble, then I was introduced to this program. It has really helped me out and I’ve learnt a lot.

Adult Male

Before I came to this program I had issues that I believe had some contribution to the way I would react to sticky situations. When there’s a problem its easier to deal with it through violence than talking about it not because I was angry at the situation but because it was an excuse for me to realize my anger that I have built up regarding my issues that I came to camp with that I believe that I could never let go.
But after this camp and during this camp has made me realize new ways to deal with this and also has helped me to let go of tense issues thanks to the counseling sessions and also to all the people that took the time to listen.
Now I believe that I could be more then a person than I am today and achieve more by having the space to improve after letting go of my issues.

Age 34 / Male Mentor

This was my first camp and hopefully not my last as I believe this program and Team providers offer these young adults a reason to continue on with their lives. They do this by offering them a way to find their spirit, strength, self respect and pride. This is done through love.

Thanks Youth team for a great weekend.

Age 14 / Female / Maori

Kia Ora well I was living with my parents until I was 7 years old then I moved with my Aunty and uncle. Which they are the best people in the world so I think anyway. Camp is the best it helps you and it is great. So I would like to say a huge thank you to Brent & Mereana for all their help. Mum and Dad were into drugs and alcohol and always fighting which was not good for my little brothers and sisters. I am glad where I am now with my uncle and aunty

Age 16 / Female / Maori

Before attending Youth T.E.A.M camp I’ve been expelled from school, smoked marijuana and I was drinking, alcohol. I also done a robbery in Ranui. I was such a quiet person that didn’t want to talk to anyone. I was so closed up. I was angry and depressed.
But now after a couple of camps I have changed my life around.
Mereana & Ricie made me realize that there’s more to life than drugs and alcohol. My life is so much better now. I am a dancing tutor, qualified in computers and also write the lyrics that’s have much I have changed. I don’t do the stuff I do before.

Age 15 / Female / Caucasian

I lived in Auckland for the first 14 years where I was raped by my fathers best friend and let it keep happening because I felt it was better than being at home with people my parents who were very old fashioned and so over protected that I stopped loving them and lived a double life which had people I shouldn’t have associated with where I let my friend and helped her commit suicide then the 23 people I really loved died as well. Coming to this camp has helped me accept that it happened and I can’t change and that it was not my fault and that now I live away from it. I can deal with it and accept it and be at peace. I have been s times to camp and after the first I started eating again and stopped slashing my wrists. Now things can only get better.

Age 15 / Male

I’ve been dealing with people and given stolen stuff to sell for money, gotten into drugs and going to class stoned. Smashed my class up and gotten into fights. Before I think of doing the bad things I should think about it first. My life depends on my future and how I act to be a good man to show everyone to know that I am a man that I can stick the past behind me so I look at the things that I’ve done and do the positive. I hope that this camps done something to me this has been a pleasure meeting people and hearing their problems
I have to try and not be so shy in front of people and stick my head up high. I hope to become a singer and sing many songs.

Age 15 / Male

I have been through quite a bit in my life and after the camp thing have changed me and made into a better person inside ant out. So if you want to come its good.