Young people may be born for this time, but the world can be rough for them. They could use more of our compassion and understanding.

Family Works is helping to change playgrounds and classrooms, one group of children at a time. The team has developed new programmes that are the only positive guidance some children could access this year. “There’s not a lot of small group activities within our children’s lives anymore, people can’t afford to put their kids into sports or clubs.

When tamariki (children) experience a good interaction, it builds their confidence.” Teachers and Social Workers in local schools are seeing more struggles with emotional regulation, harmful social interactions, and of course online safety concerns. The challenges show up as fights, bullying, truancy, walking out of class, and feelings of having limited safe and happy relationships. Children are navigating the confusion of social media, overstimulation or under stimulation, and emotional isolation. 

A caring presence at school means healing, and survival. “Talking translates to connecting. So, we connect tamariki with each other and to themselves, and through these positive experiences and opportunities they become more self-aware. It’s just the basics of having a conversation face to face, because social media has taken it away. A lot of tamariki don’t actually know how to have or maintain a conversation.” 

Children aren’t misbehaving, they’re completely overwhelmed. They’re missing tools to cope, and schools can’t meet this growing support need. Family Works has found a way to help more people, “because the need for this kind of help is greater than we can support, the extra need is overwhelming because it’s on top of our already full caseload.”

  Starting during last year’s Christmas break, Family Works poured their hearts and years of experience working in schools into creating three new programmes. They’re not off- the-shelf solutions, the groupwork is tailored and flexible.

One of the programmes, Tūhono Tamariki: Social Skills Programme, is eight weeks long and is only one hour each week. It helps ages 7–11 learn how to regulate emotions, understand others, show kindness, and respond to conflict. It’s for small groups of up to eight children, with a facilitator guiding learning and games to practise new skills. “This has definitely brought out confidence in some of the children to communicate; it’s taught them basic social cues and communication tools. At the end of each session, they’re asked to draw or write something, my little group is writing a whole page worth of what they’ve learnt!”

There are two more programmes. Whakaratangia o kare-ā-roto: Emotional Regulation Programme helps children understand and express emotions safely. Also available for families at home. Te noho Haumaru-ā-Ipurangi: Online Safety Programme teaches 10–13 year olds online safety and sustainable screen habits.

The long-term impact? Finding friendships, growing self-esteem, feeling mentally better, and a more positive school environment for everyone – pupils and staff. Children are learning to ask for help, stay in class, and succeed at school and at home. The schools are noticing the difference, “I had a teacher come in while I was running the group, she commented on just how lovely it was to see students engage in a happy, positive conversation and a game.”

Our young people are precious, “if you give a child time and show genuine care, you will learn a lot more about them. I often learn to slow down from listening to our young people, they make you really have to stop and kind of look at yourself.” 

Family Works has put in the hard yards to get their original seed of an idea developed and running this year. Their aroha and dedication are bearing fruit, “I’m definitely so proud, it gives me a nice feeling knowing that these particular kids that would go unnoticed are still getting the help and support because of these programmes.” 

Our team are on the ground every day across 29 schools in Hawke’s Bay, watching and listening to our young people. We are seeing positive changes happening during the new programmes. A new generation is learning to feel better and do better. There’s so much hope.

Trigger warning – mentions suicide.

Our young people are resilient, but they deserve so much more. They deserve more of our time, to be heard, and to feel valued. We all want our Kiwi kids to have a carefree childhood. Our local kids are burdened by adult world problems which makes them grow up way too fast. The school students that Family Works support carry trauma, negative feedback, and lack proper emotional guidance. Kids absorb everything we say to them, so we must be careful! Neurodiverse students can hear 20,000 more negative comments than their peers before they turn ten, and they believe it. As a region, we can do better.

Hidden family struggles

Some parents face their own challenges, from financial stress to mental health concerns that were never addressed. Parenting today is totally different leaving some of our parents feeling lost. Family Works steps in to support families by simply teaching new parenting tools that are suited to the realities of today. Many students feel misunderstood and unheard, and we’ve seen how important it is to validate their feelings. A student’s behaviour can be a way of communicating struggles. Our young people know themselves well and they know what they need. It’s our job to listen.

Best positioned to help

Family Works operates two teams across nearly thirty local schools. Our Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) team works in primary and intermediate schools in Hastings, Central Hawke’s Bay, and rural areas. They offer consistent support so that students and families know they have someone to turn to. Our community services team helps the entire family, often in high schools but also in homes and at our Hastings office. Our teams avoid the labels often placed on children and parents and instead see their potential.

The challenges we see in our young ones include anxiety, emotional regulation, trauma and neurodiversity. These children need help navigating support systems. With even a tiny bit of support, we see huge progress.

Someone to turn to

Schools and families praise our primary school programmes for improving social skills, behaviour, and anxiety. These groups connect children facing similar challenges, and we see their confidence grow. Even small steps, like speaking up in class or making friends, can make the biggest difference. Young students love working with our SWIS teams.

For high school students, the stakes are higher. We see them bravely overcome brutal issues like mental health struggles and family violence. A win can sometimes mean a student hasn’t attempted suicide in three months. Without our support, many would have nowhere to turn.

Need support? Family Works helps young people and families through dark times, showing them the light in themselves when they struggle to find it. If you or someone you know needs support, please call 06 876 2156 or visit us at Ngā Ararau, 104 Lyndon Road West, Hastings. We are here to listen. 

Be the reason local families find their light

You can help empower our youth and their families by gifting them the time and praise they need right now.

Become a regular donor today and help us to keep doing this important work.

Donate now at www.familyworksangel.org.nz, or call 0800 002 953.