I have personally been working with Take 10 for 2 and a half years now and have seen some of the most amazing positive impacts on young people during this time. In my time I have had the honour of working alongside many brilliant young people in groups and one on one, and I have seen their mana grow in the spaces.

A young person that I have worked with in this time started out quite stand-offish, they hadn’t had many good experiences with people outside of their family aside from a few friends. They had struggled with bullying and mental challenges. In my time here, I have worked alongside a young person and I have seen them grow not only in confidence in themselves, but also in maturity and active thinking. This young person now provides frequent compliments to their peers and tries their best to uphold a safe space for everyone. They have chosen to lead some activities that we run, which has shown their growth in confidence and leadership.

A frequent comment we get from our young people is that Take 10 is their favourite part of the week, and there have been a few times where they have requested that Take 10 goes on for longer. In both Linden and Johnsonville we have groups of consistent regulars that come to our sessions every week. Some of our Johnsonville young people are even coming along to Linden, which is a 15-20 minute bus ride, all to come along to Take 10 more often.

We are very proud of our young people, and Take 10 is an amazing space for young people to hangout and be in a safe, supported space.

- Albion Haines (He/Him)