July 14, 2016
Talk tips to fend off online pressure
A Maori suicide prevention worker hopes a new resource will help young people counter the sort of bullying and pressure that happens online.
Cybersafety for an Indigenous Youth Population was released by Te Rau Matatini, the national Maori health workforce development organisation.
Mapihi Raharuhi, who works with its Waka Hourua suicide prevention programme, says it’s a resource not just for young people but for their whanau, hapu and marae who need to be aware of the signs of online harassment and know what they can do about it.
"How do we have these conversations? What do we need to have in those conversations that allow for young people to share what and if bullying is happening to them in the cyberspace?" she says.
Mapihi Raharuhi says rangatahi Maori, especially in the 11 to 24 year old range, are dying by suicide at a higher rate than other age groups across the OECD.
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