Teenagers share their stories of

• Date: 13 January 2021
• Published date: 13 January 2021

A non-profit centre aimed at kids aged 10 to 25, KYS offers free health and social services as a youth one-stop shop.

For the past 22 years, CEO Raechel Osborne — a finalist at the Women of Influence Awards — has been committed to running the organisation.

And she will tell you it is needed more than ever.

Post-lockdown, KYS saw a staggering 300 per cent increase in demand for primary mental health services. But despite bursting at the seams, the centre has gone without an increase in government base health funding since 2005.

They have now called on Minister of Health Andrew Little for an immediate increase in funding, or risk turning away young people like Kesia, Jacob and Lyric.

The trio spoke to Cloe Willetts about their need for the centre, and what it really means to be part of the country’s most vulnerable population.

Lyric, 18There is nothing more important in this world to Lyric than being a good mum to her baby boy. The teen may have battled suicidal thoughts at times and she has a colourful past, but the struggles only fuel her desire to give 7-month-old James exactly what he needs.

“I went through Child, Youth and Family (now Oranga Tamariki) when I was born and again when I was 11,” recalls Lyric, 18, who finds it hard making eye contact with strangers until she trusts them.

“I never had many people listen to how I felt when I was little and I don’t want James growing up like I did.

“I don’t want him to be passed around, and I don’t want to be a drug mum.”

Lyric was 14 the first time she thought about ending her life.

“People let me down and when I feel suicidal I just want to leave.

“I don’t feel like that now, but it upsets me thinking about it.

“I used to be naughty and drink and stay out really late.

“But then I got a job at a supermarket and stopped because I was working early in the morning.

“And I was making money to spend on shoes.”

Born around gang culture in Porirua and raised in Rotorua for 13 years, Lyric...