Rangatahi & schools — He Aturangi Ka Mamao

If you’re a young person reading this

You can text 1737 — free, any time, and a real person texts back. Or 0800 376 633 for Youthline, or text 234. You don’t need a reason good enough. You don’t need to be in crisis. And nobody has to know you did it.

Te kaupapa

Inside the schools

One of the kaupapa within He Aturangi Ka Mamao is working within the schools — providing some sort of support network inside them, or a service that works directly with rangatahi.

The reason is simple. Rangatahi need to know what supports are out there for rangatahi who are experiencing these sorts of impacts. Not a poster in the corridor — actual people they have met, whose names they know, who they have already laughed with before anything went wrong.

That means we turn up before there is a crisis, and we turn up again afterwards. Sport, traditional Māori games, kai, hauora nights, kōrero — whatever gets a room full of teenagers comfortable enough to say something true.

Kaimahi and rangatahi standing together in a school hall during a session — Rangatahi kaupapa, Rotorua.

He tauira

Hauora Night, Rotorua Boys’ High

February 2026 — a hard time of year for the school. Rather than let it pass in silence, the kura and He Aturangi Ka Mamao put something on together.

Organisations from across the collective ran the evening alongside the kura — sessions of multi-sport and traditional Māori games, back to back, with kai and time to just be together in between.

The boys turned up, and they stayed. What could have been a heavy night became one the kura got through together rather than separately.

More evenings like it, in more kura, is what we would like to see — put on by people who are still around next term.

Watch whānau kōrero

Rangatahi know what supports are out there for rangatahi that are experiencing these sort of impacts.

Ki ngā kura

If you work in a school

Whether you are planning ahead or dealing with something right now, get in touch.

Before anything happens

Hauora nights, sport and games sessions, and time for our kaimahi to simply become familiar faces around your kura.

When a kura is grieving

Walking with students, whānau and staff through the weeks and months afterwards — including the anniversaries, which are often harder than anyone expects.

Building the network

Helping your kura map what support already exists locally, and connecting your students to it in a way they will actually use.

Talk to our team Watch whānau kōrero

Ki ngā mātua

Talking to your own young people

Is it safe to raise it?

Asking a young person directly whether they are thinking about suicide does not put the idea in their head. It usually does the opposite — it tells them the subject is not forbidden, and that you can handle the answer.

What if they say yes?

Stay with them, and stay calm — you do not have to fix it in that conversation. Thank them for telling you. Then get another adult alongside you: ring 1737 together, or your GP, or us. If they are in immediate danger, ring 111.

What if they won’t talk to me?

That is common and it is not a failure. Sometimes it needs to be an aunty, a coach, a cousin, or somebody they have never met. Our job is partly to make sure those other people exist. Ring us and we will help you find the right one.

Who else can I ring?

1737 (free call or text, 24/7) · Youthline 0800 376 633 or text 234 · What’s Up 0800 942 8787 for tamariki and rangatahi. More on our support page.