Auckland’s youth seek solutions to NZ's High suicide rates

Last Saturday about 30 participants including students, civil society and youth leaders, and volunteers from the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) had online discussion about mental health challenges facing students.

According to a UNICEF survey report in 2020, New Zealand's suicide rate for teenagers was 14.9 per 100,000 teenagers, the second-highest among advanced countries. The mental health challenges are a national task for New Zealand as well as South Auckland, and a task that we all must face and overcome in our lifetime.

At the event, the students shared some of their experiences related to mental health and pledged to find a solution through regular meetings to help combat the shortage of mental health services and support that many rangatahi in New Zealand face.

Dr. Caleb Marsters from the University of Auckland said, "I’ve just been inspired by students’ stories and they resonate a lot with my own stories and my own upbringing."

Nayzel Sushill (AKA Nayz VS Wild), the founder and creative director of ‘Be A Wolf, suggested, “Really focus on your habits and rituals. Habits and rituals will get you to the right places, especially when you're not motivated.”, and “When you're not feeling right, when you wake up not in the right headspace, it’s the habits that will bring the action out of you”.

The ‘Working Productively, Coping Effectively' Workshop, is one of several events being run this year as part of IPYGs ‘Peace District’ initiative in South Auckland. To create solutions to the social issue “mental health”, IPYG aims to develop these ideas further into a practical solution or resource, to change the communities. And the peace NGO’s local branch hopes to establish a working group with youth who are passionate advocates for mental health.

About IPYG

IPYG works in 111 countries with 851 affiliates worldwide. Its aim is to empower and unite young people of different backgrounds beliefs, religions, cultures, and ethnicities to raise voices to leave a legacy of peace for future generations.

IPYG is working with young people to create sustainable peace by instilling the values of peace within young people which can then be spread to our families, our communities, and the world around us.

In fact, IPYG is paying attention to various social issues in South Auckland, home to more than 30% of Aucklanders. IPYG has many volunteers from out South who want to give back and to help the communities to overcome some of the challenges they have been facing. They intend to play their part through regular volunteer activities, mental health workshops, sports days, peace walks, and creative projects.

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