Miomo - Empowering young people

Miomo - Empowering young people to create the life they really want

We hear often about young New Zealanders falling off the rails, and the fact is that 43% of New Zealanders between 18 and 24 years are already in debt, and we unfortunately hold the record for the highest consumption of Methamphetamine per head of population in the world.

These are frightening facts we can’t ignore; with such a prevalence of high youth debt and drug and alcohol abuse, our young adults need help to create the life they really want.

Miomo (Making it on my own) is that help! The brain- child of Yvonne Godfrey, Miomo is a ten-day live-in flatting / university experience to equip young people aged 17 – 24 years for a successful adult life!

In setting up Miomo Yvonne said, “I noticed how lacking in confidence and clarity most young people were about entering the real world.

Friends asked me to mentor their 21-year-old daughter who was struggling in most areas of her life. After 10 weekly 1:1 sessions, this girl was able to transition from teenage thinking, speaking and acting to a much more adult approach to her life.

After a proactive appointment with her boss, she was granted a whopping 70% increase in her income working in the same role, at the same company. I knew there was a huge need and the concept of ‘making it on my own’ began to percolate.”

Miomo was launched in November 2009 and has now graduated 72 students.

These young people came from a wide range of economic, social, cultural and experiential backgrounds but they all had one thing in common – they wanted a great start to their adulthood.

Students are coached by over twenty expert presenters on a wide range of subjects to prepare them for the adult world. Follow up is important with each student being assigned a personal mentor for 90 days.

Other leadership and social events are put on for Miomo graduates throughout the year to further build on the base of the 10 – day programme.

Expected outcomes from the Miomo programme are:
• Clarify personal strengths and values
• Learn to set and achieve goals
• Excellent standard of CV and effective interview skills
• Communication skills to build healthy relationships
• Desire to contribute to others
• Understand and be confident with money
• Make well-informed decisions, solve problems
• Skills to live successfully away from family

Miomo programmes are run in Albany, Auckland throughout the year. The next one starts on Wednesday 12th January – Saturday 22nd January 2011.
ENDS

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