The Power of Positive Support

When Mia* first connected with us, she was 16 and running out of options. Far from home, she had come to Christchurch for residential treatment, living in a supported environment to begin turning things around.

Drugs and alcohol had taken over, and things had unravelled more than once. This time felt different. It was her last real chance to make it work. Returning home risked everything slipping backwards, but staying meant facing the unknown, with very little to fall back on.

Building stability and safety

That is when she met Lani*, one of our Youth Coaches. Together, they focused on building stability, safety, and a fresh start. Mia was supported to access the Youth Payment, move into Youth Hub accommodation, and enrol with Te Kura (school) so she could continue her education. There were moments where things felt overwhelming, where old patterns crept back in. 

But Lani stayed alongside her, steady and non-judgemental.

“Lani didn’t give up on me, even when I was struggling,” Mia says.

“That made me want to keep trying.”

Supported to thrive

With time, structure, and support, things began to shift. Mia worked hard, flying through her NCEA credits and rediscovering motivation and belief in herself. Lani supported her to gain her driver’s licence, explore future pathways, and access essentials when she needed them. 

“Mia has done the hard work,” Lani says. “She’s shown real courage to keep going, even when it wasn’t easy.”

Now 18, Mia is preparing to exit the service. This year, Mia began studying Psychology, something she once believed was out of reach.

“I found my way forward, not long ago, I was living weekend to weekend,” Mia reflected. 

Mia rebuilt her relationship with her whānau and spent Christmas back home. She gained her driver’s licence, completed budgeting courses, and even discovered a love of cooking.

Today, Mia has hope. She has goals. And she has a future in sight. Mia’s journey is a reminder that when the right support is there at the right time, it can be the turning point between going back and moving forward.