A mental health hui has heard from both service providers and young people about opportunities and challenges in accessing support in Hurunui.

Together Hurunui network of social services held the hui recently to hear from mental-health providers working across the district. Hurunui District Council’s Community Partnerships Manager Rhea Duffy said the hui invited social services to share their work and findings from the past year.

“The conversation has never been so important. If we look at this year’s annual Hurunui Youth survey, our young people have overwhelmingly identified mental health and wellbeing as the most important issues for our young people,” Duffy said.

Hurunui Youth councillor Ayame Balila, who spoke at the hui, said young people in Hurunui need access to localised support, especially in Hurunui’s more isolated areas, that is confidential and trusted.

“School can be a hard place for some students, especially if they are perceived as being different. These attitudes can be normalised, which can make students feel they can’t speak up.”

Duffy said the hui signposted a range of support that was available in the district, with speakers at the hui representing Council’s Hurunui Youth Programme, Right Service Right Time, Rural Support Trust North Canterbury, Comcare, Te Tai O Marokura, North Canterbury Cancer Society, Clearhead online support and Community Wellbeing North Canterbury Trust.

Deirdre Ryan, manager of Community Wellbeing, said members of her team were working with young people, adults and families across the Hurunui on an almost daily basis. “We have kaimahi working with our young people in our primary and secondary schools, with drop-in services for parents who have concerns about their tamariki or rangatahi.”

Social work, wellbeing support for tamariki and rangatahi, drug and alcohol support, community parenting programmes and an ocean-based Surf Wise therapy programme for young people to build lifeskills and resilience, were all part of a package of care being offered in Hurunui, Ryan said. Community Wellbeing also has a new Next Steps Facilitator for Hurunui, Cathie Sinclair.

Hurunui District Council Together Hurunui Facilitator Natalie Paterson said the Next Steps online directory provided valuable support for Hurunui communities needing to be linked to social services operating in the district. “Cathie will be working alongside our Hurunui families, with funding through the Ministry of Social Development, to help them navigate getting help through their difficult times.”

For mental-health support in Hurunui, please visit the Next Steps website at

https://www.nextsteps.org.nz/

For services offered by Community Wellbeing please visit the website:

www.wellbeingnc.org.nz

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