Stan wrote a special article for stuff.co.nz last week to celebrate the one year anniversary of Good2Great. 

The programme has exceeded all expectations on its first anniversary. Launched a year ago to help New Zealanders aged 15-24 develop the confidence and knowledge to reach their potential, Good2Great is both a free app and a nationwide series of workshops designed by Youthline and funded by Coca-Cola.

The game-style app guides users through virtual scenarios adapted from real situations identified as major challenges by young people. The original goal for the first year was to reach 3,00 young Kiwis. The app has now been downloaded more than 5,000 times, and hundreds more have attended the nine free workshops held so far from Invercargill to Auckland.

The workshops allow teens and young adults to share their challenges with like-minded peers and learn skills that can help them navigate some of the obstacles they face. The emphasis is on developing their potential and empowering them to make a difference in their communities.

“Good2Great has far surpassed every expectation since it was launched in 2017,” says Youthline CEO Shae Ronald.

“Clearly it strikes a chord with young New Zealanders who are looking to build their self-confidence and leadership skills, and the feedback we’ve had is that it’s been life-changing for many young adults. It can be hard to find the right kind of guidance and support, especially outside the major cities, and people are not always comfortable seeking help in person. That’s why Good2Great is so important, giving teens and young adults the tools to be their best selves without being judged, wherever they are in New Zealand.”

Good2Great’s ambassador, musician Stan Walker, is the perfect example of a young Kiwi who has navigated many challenges along the path to success, and who continues to lead by example. Stan attends workshops to share his journey with participants, inspiring them to explore their own potential as New Zealand’s future leaders.

Help us celebrate! Read Stan's full story on stuff.co.nz, check out the app, and find out when we'll be in your community. 

Here we go, last term of the year and then freedom! Just a few hurdles to jump first, like all your final assignments, exams, grades, passing...yikes! It can all feel like a lot, but you got this. We've got some tips on coping with the feelings of anxiety that can creep up and feel overwhelming. 

1. Reset your physical response
Calming your body lets it know there is no actual danger and so it doesn't need to move into a stress response.

2. Reset your thoughts
As the body and the mind work closely together, if your mind is racing, it will calm down when your body gets calm and vice versa. 

3. Talk to someone about how you are feeling
Often getting some support and understanding, or even just a hug or some company can really help. Think about who is in your life who you can hang out with and cares about you.

4. Seek professional support
If your anxiety is feeling unmanageable, you feel like you need new strategies to deal with it or it's getting in the way of living your life how you would like, then talking to a professional can be really useful. 

Shout out to the gals at NOPESISTERS for their latest designs benefitting Youthline Wellington. 

In their own words, these guys are "sisters making dope stuff for good causes!"

It all began in 2016 with the MastectoTee, a design that put breast cancer scars front and centre to increase awareness and remind women to get checked regularly. 

Since then they have designed for breast cancer survivors, Sexual Abuse HELP Wellington, and the Wā Collective who make period products accessible.

Their latest campaign "highlights the hidden issues, stresses or mental illness which can lead to youth suicide."

Profits from the sale of these gorgeous BlackonBlack or WhiteonWhite stitched tees support the efforts of our 120 volunteers in Wellington. 

The backgrounds of many young people in New Zealand is varied and wide-ranging. To its shame, New Zealand has the highest rate of youth suicide in the developed world (OECD reports), and is ranked 83 in the world for Youth Health and Wellbeing by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
 
Youth is a critical phase in the life of every person and this is a time when identities are shaped and destinies are forged. It is known that young people do well when they actively participate in society. Youthline works to develop young people so they can take an active leadership role within their communities.
 
Youthline is very clear about what it can do to make a difference. Our outcomes project provides a way of understanding our work regardless of the service or where we are providing it.

Our organisation outcomes speak to how we seek to shape our organisation to deliver our programmes and services through to 2020.

Youthline is well-known and respected as an organization that:

1. Partners effectively and is a sector leader in collective impact.
2. Has a depth of specialism with a range of youth and family related issues
3. Creates great community spaces with an innovative approach to social enterprise.

Through these outcomes we want to ensure all young people:

• Know where to go, can ask for & get good help when needed (safe & resilient)
• Can help others through a hard time
• Are engaged in things that light their fire & active in their communities  

Additionally we want to ensure our communities:

• Provide quality resources and support youth participation 
• Provide services that are well connected and accessible
• Value young people and support them to have a voice in their communities

As a non-profit organisation, Youthline requires ongoing funding to achieve its mission – and major funders are increasingly requiring quantified evidence of social impact. It’s here that data and analytics can help – and where IBM can support Youthline in achieving its mission.

Over four weeks, IBM consultants have worked with the Youthline Leadership team to help better understand where Youthline is on the data and analytics journey.

This includes a self-evaluation of current capabilities, how to analyse the strategic plan to isolate activities that can drive impact through data usage, better ways to manage and collect data, and considerations for metrics to track improvement and results.

On any change journey, we need to take everyone along with us, from the Board to the front line staff. I must confess, I was a bit nervous that the Leading with Data project may make the journey even more complicated and a too distant target. However, I am delighted to say that I was wrong, and I am extremely grateful for the outcomes achieved through the workshops.
 
The IBM project has given us an actionable roadmap to help us become more data-driven as an organisation. The process enabled Youthline’s team to be fully involved, and with IBM support, to collectively agree how we can move forward, and deepen our understanding of why we need to do so.

The latest UNICEF report shows New Zealand languishing at the bottom of the developed world in relation to the health and welfare of our children and youth. Harnessing data and technology will be one way to help Youthline contribute to turning around those statistics.

​Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai e iwi
With your basket and my basket the people will live