February 20, 2024
Early warning needed to stop after-school violence
Tamaki Makaurau MP Tarsh Kemp says schools need to work together and with other agencies before fights happen.
A Marcellin College student was allegedly attacked by a group from Mangere College at the Mangere Town Centre last week.
Ms Kemp, who worked extensively with youth before being elected to parliament, says there were similar problems in the past with a triangle of high schools in Manurewa, which were addressed jointly by schools police, government agencies and the marae.
Part of it was creating a safe space for rangatahi to raise the alarm early.
“What I do know about rangatahi – they know when it is going to happen. We want to encourage safe places for them so they can come forward, korero to an adult and let them know something is going to happen so that we can prevent these situations from happening,” Ms Kemp says.
One of the solution in Manurewa was JAM, an initiative where police worked with troublesome rangatahi to build self-esteem and self confidence in themselves and their school.