Kevin's story.

After a life sentence and several recalls, Kevin has served approximately twenty-two years in prison. Now, a year on from his release, he reflects on his journey through the criminal justice system and the Navigate Initiative.

"My upbringing was quite challenging with my mother. She would beat me because I was quite hard out, like probably ADD, and back then that wasn't even a thing. You were just a disruptive child, and you get told that you're stupid and that you'll never amount to anything. Sooner or later, you start believing it."

Substance use started young—cigarettes, alcohol, then cannabis. Kevin left school at thirteen and began working, but he was drawn into gang life. "I got charged with supplying cannabis from the clubhouse. I got sentenced to four years. After that, I was out for about eighteen months, and then I was involved in a murder and got sentenced to life, with an eleven-year minimum."

Following his life sentence, the cycle of release and recall repeated multiple times. "Once I got released, I stayed out for a year or so, then relapsed and got recalled. I served another two years and then got released. I was out for another twenty months and then got recalled."

During one period in the community, Kevin found his way to the Salvation Army church. "In my past, the message I got from church was that God was this big ogre in the sky waiting for you to do something wrong, and then he'll pounce on you, but that's not the case." After the Salvation Army team showed up for him when he needed it, his perspective shifted. "Now I see God as a loving, merciful and faithful father figure, who only wants good for you and is patient and, no matter what you do, will walk with you through it."

One of his recalls led Kevin to the Navigate Initiative, where faith-based support from people with lived experience made a difference. "My experience has been good with Pathway; they walk beside you. And it's good because Matiu comes from a similar lifestyle to me, so if he gives me some wisdom, I can't say 'what the hell do you know, you haven't been from that world' because he has. So yeah, I find that helpful too."

Reflecting on his life, Kevin has learnt something profound. "People aren't born bad; it's their circumstances that have contributed to the life they lead. If you're taught as a child that violence is the way to sort your problems out, well, what are you gonna do?"

"I still have struggles because when I feel people disrespect me, that's a big trigger for me to go back to how I used to be. I'm still struggling with that today. But I'm up for the battle, and I want something different for my life. Because that's what I did, it's not who I am."

Kevin's gratitude is heartfelt. "I just thank the supporters of Pathway. The world needs more people like them. Now I want to be what the creator wanted me for, not what the world turned me into. Because he didn't want me to be a murderer, a gang member, a drug dealer and a lifer. He didn't want that for me."

His philosophy is simple: "If I can be a better person than I was the day before, life will be good. And it is good."

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