Helping others to prevent suicide
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Wairarapa Midweek
3
Helping others to prevent suicide By ERIN KAVANAGH-HALL [email protected] Ezra Stobbart has gone from sharing his story at Aratoi to representing Wairarapa youth at an international suicide prevention summit — supported by one of New Zealand’s foremost champions of mental health. The Carterton resident is attending the 2016 World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference and corresponding Youth Summit, held in Rotorua next month. The conference will focus on improving the wellbeing of indigenous communities through cultural recognition and practices, and will feature presentations from Maori, Aboriginal and Native American health practitioners, educators, artists and sportspeople. Ezra, 19, was a presenter at E Tu Kahikatea, a suicide prevention workshop in Masterton, where he spoke of his own battle with depression and survival of many suicide attempts. Since then, as a member of Rangatahi 2 Rangatira, he has been mentoring fellow young people, and hopes to spread further awareness of youth suicide, which has dogged Wairarapa for some time. To attend the conference, Ezra received funding for the Wellington Regional Youth Workers Trust — and sponsorship from comedian and Nutters Club host Mike King, one of the conference’s keynote
BRINGING BACK KNOWLEDGE: Ezra Stobbart, 19, hopes attending the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference will give him the tools needed to help Wairarapa’s young people. speakers. “Mike is the most awesome person, and his story is so inspiring — it’s so cool to have his support,” Ezra said. “There are a lot of young people struggling in Wairarapa, and this is an opportunity to bring some knowledge back. It will be good to learn more about the services available for young Maori, and the ways I can help.”
Ezra, who grew up in Lower Hutt, was adopted into a Maori family and grew up immersed in tikanga Maori. He began struggling with depression in his pre-teens, exacerbated by childhood trauma and bullying. In his 19 years, he said he has attempted suicide 30 times — matched by the number of funerals he has attended for suicide victims.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Bullying thrives
I write from Ireland in response to your article of April 28 “Workplace abuse thrives in silence”. Workplace abuse thrives everywhere and it is often in silence in recent years, because people fear that they may not find work for many weeks or months. There is an adage that was coined by The Gallup Organization about 17 years ago: “People leave people, not companies”. As a business systems analyst part of my work was to keep breaking systems down to their base level. I now have taken this philosophy and applied it to people and conflict management together with a very old oriental personality profiling system. When one breaks down the “why” it is inevitable that it comes down to one person’s feelings to another, either in the positive or
Write to us!
WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS Letters can be sent to Midweek, P O Box 445, Masterton, or emailed to [email protected]
de The writer’s name must be included. Noms plume are not accepted. An address andbephone must tion) number (not for publica included for checking purposes. Letters may be abridged or edited.
in this case the negative. This can be a conscious bias or a subconscious bias. That bias can be race, colour, sex, or creed. The question now is “What can be done?” You can educate and talk to those bullying but as you indicate this doesn’t really work. It is at this point that I would like to introduce an observation — Bullies have friends who they don’t bully or if they do it might
not be that serious type of bullying. The answer that I use is one where I can identify the personalities who conflict, who are the same as and those that support. This is probably an over simplified explanation. On top of this I look at and can demonstrate how a personality changes when under stress or under continual stress and how that effects the working relationship. Under the current management systems in business that “people are picked for their qualifications, but leave or let go on personality”. If businesses add another validation — can this new candidate fit into the team? — then with unbiased identification of more supportive relations you could substantially reduce workplace bullying. JOHN RANKIN, WICKLOW IRELAND
“In Maoridom, suicide is a taboo subject,” Ezra said. “Meanwhile, our young people are dying, and they’re getting younger and younger.” His presentation at E Tu Kahikatea inspired him to keep raising awareness, and he has since attended two Maori suicide prevention summits. He said Maori are vulnerable to mental health issues as they have been
divorced from their cultural identity — an effect of forced assimilation. “When the Europeans made New Zealand a colony, they pressed their ideas down on Maori. They lost their land, mana and strength. “The Europeans introduced alcohol, and intoxicated the culture — and addiction has been passed down through generations.” Ezra said the international conference will focus on curative methods practiced in indigenous communities before colonisation, which he hopes can help his young mentees. For example, ta moko can be used as a method of healing and empowerment for Maori struggling with depression, and spiritual healers are also used. “Treating depression doesn’t have be taking a pill for the rest of your days. “It would be great to help our young people reconnect with their cultural roots, learn what worked for their ancestors and get back to basics.” He also hopes to learn techniques to help young people in extreme distress. “We need to be able to pick up on these cries for help.” Speakers at the conference include Mike King, Sir Mason Durie, Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Joe Williams and William “Hawk” Birdshead, founder of the Native American Suicide Prevention Organization.
MSD cans trial youth truancy programme The Government has called time on a trial programme aimed at reducing truancy, offending, risky sexual behaviour and alcohol and drug use by young people in Wairarapa. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has confirmed the Wairarapa Social Sector Trial, a cross agency and ministry initiative to address youth issues, will end next month. Of the 16 trials around the country, five, including Wairarapa, will be wound up due to poor performance. Carl Crafar, national director of the trials said despite best efforts , the Waiarapa trial had not been a success. “Ultimately, after three years . . . the model struggled to make
an impact across the three distinct districts involved. More time and more funding cannot change that.” The Wairarapa trial, launched in 2013, came under the spotlight in 2015 when minutes from a joint Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, and Capital and Coast District Health Board committee meeting revealed members thought it had made “extremely limited progress”. Some programmes were expected to continue, Mr Crafar said. “A number of these services are sustainable; we know for example that the Youth Kinnex health clinic — offering free consultations and counselling for 13-23 year olds — will continue.”
MAJOR SPONSORS CHECK OUT YOUR TEAM’S RESULTS AND DRAW ON WWW.WAIBUSH.CO.NZ OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/ WAIRARAPABUSHRUGBY WAIRARAPA BUSH RU 149 Dixon Street Masterton
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
The Farriers Bar & Eatery Trust House WBS Tui Kooga Tranzit Wairarapa Scrap Metal Ltd PGG Wrightson Eastwood Motor Group Ltd McCarthy Transport Ltd Patrick & Scott Ltd - Professionals Gilbert Vodafone First Sovereign Trust
Wairarapa Midweek
3
Helping others to prevent suicide By ERIN KAVANAGH-HALL [email protected] Ezra Stobbart has gone from sharing his story at Aratoi to representing Wairarapa youth at an international suicide prevention summit — supported by one of New Zealand’s foremost champions of mental health. The Carterton resident is attending the 2016 World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference and corresponding Youth Summit, held in Rotorua next month. The conference will focus on improving the wellbeing of indigenous communities through cultural recognition and practices, and will feature presentations from Maori, Aboriginal and Native American health practitioners, educators, artists and sportspeople. Ezra, 19, was a presenter at E Tu Kahikatea, a suicide prevention workshop in Masterton, where he spoke of his own battle with depression and survival of many suicide attempts. Since then, as a member of Rangatahi 2 Rangatira, he has been mentoring fellow young people, and hopes to spread further awareness of youth suicide, which has dogged Wairarapa for some time. To attend the conference, Ezra received funding for the Wellington Regional Youth Workers Trust — and sponsorship from comedian and Nutters Club host Mike King, one of the conference’s keynote
BRINGING BACK KNOWLEDGE: Ezra Stobbart, 19, hopes attending the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference will give him the tools needed to help Wairarapa’s young people. speakers. “Mike is the most awesome person, and his story is so inspiring — it’s so cool to have his support,” Ezra said. “There are a lot of young people struggling in Wairarapa, and this is an opportunity to bring some knowledge back. It will be good to learn more about the services available for young Maori, and the ways I can help.”
Ezra, who grew up in Lower Hutt, was adopted into a Maori family and grew up immersed in tikanga Maori. He began struggling with depression in his pre-teens, exacerbated by childhood trauma and bullying. In his 19 years, he said he has attempted suicide 30 times — matched by the number of funerals he has attended for suicide victims.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Bullying thrives
I write from Ireland in response to your article of April 28 “Workplace abuse thrives in silence”. Workplace abuse thrives everywhere and it is often in silence in recent years, because people fear that they may not find work for many weeks or months. There is an adage that was coined by The Gallup Organization about 17 years ago: “People leave people, not companies”. As a business systems analyst part of my work was to keep breaking systems down to their base level. I now have taken this philosophy and applied it to people and conflict management together with a very old oriental personality profiling system. When one breaks down the “why” it is inevitable that it comes down to one person’s feelings to another, either in the positive or
Write to us!
WE WELCOME YOUR LETTERS Letters can be sent to Midweek, P O Box 445, Masterton, or emailed to [email protected]
de The writer’s name must be included. Noms plume are not accepted. An address andbephone must tion) number (not for publica included for checking purposes. Letters may be abridged or edited.
in this case the negative. This can be a conscious bias or a subconscious bias. That bias can be race, colour, sex, or creed. The question now is “What can be done?” You can educate and talk to those bullying but as you indicate this doesn’t really work. It is at this point that I would like to introduce an observation — Bullies have friends who they don’t bully or if they do it might
not be that serious type of bullying. The answer that I use is one where I can identify the personalities who conflict, who are the same as and those that support. This is probably an over simplified explanation. On top of this I look at and can demonstrate how a personality changes when under stress or under continual stress and how that effects the working relationship. Under the current management systems in business that “people are picked for their qualifications, but leave or let go on personality”. If businesses add another validation — can this new candidate fit into the team? — then with unbiased identification of more supportive relations you could substantially reduce workplace bullying. JOHN RANKIN, WICKLOW IRELAND
“In Maoridom, suicide is a taboo subject,” Ezra said. “Meanwhile, our young people are dying, and they’re getting younger and younger.” His presentation at E Tu Kahikatea inspired him to keep raising awareness, and he has since attended two Maori suicide prevention summits. He said Maori are vulnerable to mental health issues as they have been
divorced from their cultural identity — an effect of forced assimilation. “When the Europeans made New Zealand a colony, they pressed their ideas down on Maori. They lost their land, mana and strength. “The Europeans introduced alcohol, and intoxicated the culture — and addiction has been passed down through generations.” Ezra said the international conference will focus on curative methods practiced in indigenous communities before colonisation, which he hopes can help his young mentees. For example, ta moko can be used as a method of healing and empowerment for Maori struggling with depression, and spiritual healers are also used. “Treating depression doesn’t have be taking a pill for the rest of your days. “It would be great to help our young people reconnect with their cultural roots, learn what worked for their ancestors and get back to basics.” He also hopes to learn techniques to help young people in extreme distress. “We need to be able to pick up on these cries for help.” Speakers at the conference include Mike King, Sir Mason Durie, Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell, former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Joe Williams and William “Hawk” Birdshead, founder of the Native American Suicide Prevention Organization.
MSD cans trial youth truancy programme The Government has called time on a trial programme aimed at reducing truancy, offending, risky sexual behaviour and alcohol and drug use by young people in Wairarapa. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has confirmed the Wairarapa Social Sector Trial, a cross agency and ministry initiative to address youth issues, will end next month. Of the 16 trials around the country, five, including Wairarapa, will be wound up due to poor performance. Carl Crafar, national director of the trials said despite best efforts , the Waiarapa trial had not been a success. “Ultimately, after three years . . . the model struggled to make
an impact across the three distinct districts involved. More time and more funding cannot change that.” The Wairarapa trial, launched in 2013, came under the spotlight in 2015 when minutes from a joint Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, and Capital and Coast District Health Board committee meeting revealed members thought it had made “extremely limited progress”. Some programmes were expected to continue, Mr Crafar said. “A number of these services are sustainable; we know for example that the Youth Kinnex health clinic — offering free consultations and counselling for 13-23 year olds — will continue.”
MAJOR SPONSORS CHECK OUT YOUR TEAM’S RESULTS AND DRAW ON WWW.WAIBUSH.CO.NZ OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FACEBOOK.COM/ WAIRARAPABUSHRUGBY WAIRARAPA BUSH RU 149 Dixon Street Masterton
• • • • • • • • • • • • • •
The Farriers Bar & Eatery Trust House WBS Tui Kooga Tranzit Wairarapa Scrap Metal Ltd PGG Wrightson Eastwood Motor Group Ltd McCarthy Transport Ltd Patrick & Scott Ltd - Professionals Gilbert Vodafone First Sovereign Trust
