A special project where rangatahi share their inspiring stories has launched on Māori Television.
The stories of four students from Vanguard Military School in Albany, Auckland follow the journeys of rangatahi who had fallen through the cracks.
In part two of this web series, Josie Murphy explains how she became pregnant at 15 and made the decision to give up her baby.
“I struggled with depression for a year and a half and it was really intense depression and there was a lot of challenges coming through my life,” says Josie.
Josie enrolled at Vanguard and two years later is training to become a member of the school’s 300 Club which focuses on elite fitness. She is the first female to enter the intensive programme.
"I decided I needed to do something with my life because I wanted to make my baby proud."
Students were interviewed by Māori doctor and former New Zealander of the Year, Dr Lance O’Sullivan for The Moko Foundation.
“It was a privilege to listen to the rangatahi who were very honest with me about the circumstances that brought them to Vanguard and how their hopelessness and despair was turned around into hope, ambition and measurable achievements thanks to the culture and discipline of the Vanguard model,” he said.
Dr O’Sullivan is challenging politicians and decision makers to listen to the success stories of rangatahi from Partnership Schools ahead of the government review of New Zealand’s education system.
“I have long been an advocate for disruption of outdated models of care in the health system. I am similarly keen to see the benefits of successful disruption of the education system being incorporated into our mainstream education frameworks so that the benefits can flow to all New Zealand students,” he said.
For Josie, even training for the 300 Club has helped to her believe she can do anything.
"If I can achieve this, then I can finally achieve everything I want to achieve in life, and actually make myself proud cos at the start of the year all I thought that I was, was a failure," she says.
To watch Part One of this special web-series, click here for Parris Bryant's story.
For more information visit: www.themokofoundation.com