Posts by Mary Strachan

There will always be times when a young person needs extra support and guidance from a trained professional. Here at The Y we have youth workers and social workers who…

What’s in a name? Plenty, if it’s one as well known around the world as the YMCA (are you singing that song in your head yet?) Having such a well-recognised…

Vaping and taiohi (young people) really shouldn’t mix – but of course they do. So what’s being done about it, and how can you support a young person to quit?…

The General Election on 14 October is just around the corner, bringing with it the opportunity for eligible voters to have their say on the future direction of our country.…

When things are tough, we’re often told (or tell others) to “harden up” or “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” – but how often do we check whether there are…

There’s an election looming in New Zealand. One way you can tell is by the near-constant media headlines about the supposed youth crime wave, ram raids, and political parties of…

The recent Mama Hooch trial, which resulted in convictions against two men on dozens of charges including rape, sexual violation, indecent assault and drink-spiking related to Christchurch’s Mama Hooch bar, reveals how…

In today’s tight labour market many employers will be competing to hire end-of-year school leavers and other not very experienced young people to fill permanent and part-time roles, as well…

Are you a good driver? Safe? Responsible? A Road Code whiz? Could you spare two hours a week to help a young person practice for their on-road driving licence test?…