The START Early programme consists of an outdoors phase where Rangatahi have the opportunity to experience the bush environment with START Taranaki staff. Following this, our START Early staff Curtis Wright - (Whanau Advocate), Chris Fuller (Senior Community Mentor), Karlos Kahui (Community Support Worker), Chris Joad (Community Connector) work intensively with participants for up to 52 weeks to provide wraparound support for each young person and their whanau.

Referral

Referrals for the Early Intervention programme are now open to the general public via the ‘expression of interest’ tab in the drop down menu.

Interview

Our staff will come and meet with you and your whanau face to face for an interview before you are selected for the programme. Often we have a large number of young men who are interested and we will work hard to find those who are the best fit.

Selection

Following the interviews our staff will meet and put together a team which will best work together.  All potential candidates will be then be notified if successful or unsuccessful.

Induction

If you are successful, family will drop you off on day one and we will kit you out in bush clothing. From there your journey starts with our staff and yourself heading into the Taranaki bush.

Isolation

The general flow of the isolation phase is as follows:

  • A four day bush tramp, staying in huts and tents. You will trained in bushcraft and taught how to build a shelter in preparation for a two night solo stay.

  • A day canoeing on Lake Rotorangi

  • Two day/night solo experience where you will build and live in your own shelter. Our staff will check up on you make sure you are not too wet.

  • A debrief night following solo where a large number of our staff will come and discuss the experience and the progress you have made.

  • A two day tramp around the beautiful Mt Taranaki

  • A three day stay at our beach hut, where you can learn to surf, sea kayak and gather kaimoana.

  • Noho at a local marae and a final day celebratipon with whanau to mark the completion of the wilderness phase. 

Transition

The remainder of the year will be spent with in-community support from our staff. Employment, education, health care and pro-social activity among other things will be put in place to ensure meaningful change is achieved and is sustainable.