Survey shines a light on what young people in Chch are worried about

Issues with school, mental health, trust, emotional struggles - and the pressures of growing up - are concerning young people in the Hornby area.

These issues have been revealed through a survey being conducted by Te Whare Awhero: Hope House, which closes on September 6.

It has received hundreds of responses so far.

Te Whare Awhero: Hope House director Carey Ewing said many community groups and organisations have been supportive of the survey, and there has also been interest from Christchurch City Council.

“We will analyse the content before compiling it into a report, which will be available on our website.

“I’m hopeful it will provide information to inform and have the opportunity to create further ways to engage with our youth.”

Carey Ewing.

Ewing said the survey came about after he and a few others attended the Greater Hornby Residents Association community meeting in June where concerns were raised about offending youth.

“There was a great deal of concern around youth and how they are travelling, and them engaging in antisocial behaviours,” he said.

Ewing said they decided to put out the survey to try to gain insight into what matters to youth in the area.

“It is really important; we need to be hearing from them. It is really insightful to hear from our youth and what it is like growing up in this world, because it is completely different to the world I grew up in.”

He said youth have had to deal with the prominence of social media, Covid, the earthquakes and the teacher strikes.

“I think a bit of slack needs to be cut because it is a different world. It’s adults who make major decisions that impact our youth that allow them to thrive or not.

“Adults control the education system, the justice system, the sale of alcohol and vapes. As adults we need to take a bit of ownership and accountability.”

Ewing said the original response target was between 250-300 to get a good range, but they are now aiming for more than 300 due to the number of responses they have had already.

“We just wanted an exercise where youth could tell us what allows them to thrive, their concerns, their worries, if they have adults they trust to go to if things aren’t so great,” he said.