The Wall...

21-09-2011     v class="storyContent">

Every time Lovey Read makes a cup of tea, she's reminded of the value of her work over the past 25 years.

A brightly painted fridge in the Stratford People's Activity Centre kitchen is a tribute to Lovey, created by artist
Amiria Puia-Taylor. She's one of many young people whom Lovey has mentored.

``She wanted to paint something for me, so I asked her to decorate the fridge. I was so amazed at what she did,'' she says. ``Here is Ranginui, he's crying, and Paptuanuku, she's crying too, they weep
for the pollution in which we live. It's about the hope that the environments will be self-sustaining and when you walk through our doors and whatever burdens you, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.''

Lovey is the backbone of the PAC centre, a place that many people in the community don't know much about until they need its help.

She's recently been joined by youth worker/social worker Lissa Taylor. Volunteers assist with running some of
the programmes, fundraising, supervising the computers and pool area. The volunteers are mainly young people themselves.

The centre has been there for 25 years. The centre started out providing school holiday programmes, moving
from there into social services and youth work. Providing entertainment  computers, pool, movie sessions and
craft sessions  complements the serious work that goes on, often behind the scenes, says Lovey.

The centre has a youth nurse in attendance from 3pm to 5pm each Monday. Young people wanting to see her don't need an appointment, they can just drop in. This service is free and confidential to all youth aged between the ages of 10-25 years old. The centre also has a website.

Lovey and Lissa Taylor handle everything that comes through the door.

They'll help any young person or family who asks, whether it's a serious issue like facing expulsion from school, or helping someone shy to connect with services and agencies in the community.

``It might be something as simple as supporting a young person in high school, taking them to classes if they have anxiety, simple things to help out.

``We also work with Youth Transition to help place kids in employment,'' she says. ``Plus we have our own connections; we can hook kids up with work or training, instead of simply advocating for them to get a benefit.''

Sometimes, they end up helping at the PAC Centre, an experience that's helped various young people learn confidence and some administration skills to get paid work elsewhere.

``We have been involved with Gateway through the Stratford High and mentoring through work base training for
a career in social services or youth work,'' says Lovey.

The centre and its staff are partly funded by Child Youth and Family Service, which does the social work side
of the centre.

``We handle all social work cases within the Stratford area, that don't fall into the department's of Child Youth and
Family criteria. The centre is approved under legislation to work with families experiencing some kind of need, or
who have got themselves into some difficulty, and we're there to help families or individuals to sort it out.. We are whānau support workers,'' she says. ``We are not here to judge people but to help where ever we can. Sometimes this could mean just someone that will listen.''

 Referrals can come from families, Child Youth and Family, schools, police, any professional, courts, family group conferences, Iwi or the individual themselves.

The centre runs custom-made programmes when there's a need. At present, they are setting up a support group for young mothers, where they can learn about nutrition, exercise and breast feeding for themselves and their
babies, and she hopes, find support for what can be a tough time for many young women, she says. It's
being funded by the Taranaki Health Board Oranga Kai Oranga Pumau.

``Young mothers don't have all the knowledge older mothers have, so we'll be giving them nutritional advice,
how to keep themselves and their baby's healthy and encouraging breastfeeding. We're hoping it'll become a supportive group; where they will meet regularly to learn and support one another. Being a young mum can be really overwhelming, and it often helps to know you're not the only one facing these sorts of issues.''

The centre was set up following a community meeting 25 years ago, by Lovey, who was working with the department of  Social Welfare and young people at that time to initiate programs for the youth at risk and unemployed of Stratford.

Another project she's involved with is a move to bring all youth services and people working with youth into one
building.

The Central and South Taranaki Youth Trust and Youthworks/ PAC Centre are working together on this, she says.
 

``Having all services for youth under the one roof will mean that resources and services for youth will be more accessible to the community.''

Another initiative on her `to do' list is establishing regular singing and dancing sessions, a response to requests from young people, says Lovey. She has done this before, with a group called Random Soulz who ended up travelling to perform around the North Island, she says.

Lovey has worked all over Taranaki, but has never moved away. She started out assisting young people who were
appearing before the court and spent many years working as a social worker with the Dept Social Services in Stratford, Hawera and New Plymouth and also a stint at Raumano Trust in Patea. She returned to work in Stratford about eight years ago.

``I've always travelled to work; I've never left Stratford so I've always had an input in the centre all these years.

``It's been my passion and I could not have done it without the help of my family, friends, the young people and
their families, my committee and the community.

``Thank you all for having the faith in me all these years.''