We caught up with Pathway Support Services Coordinator Renee Jones.
As we head into the final quarter of the year, I’m sure I speak for the whole Pathway team when I say we’re looking forward to taking a breath after what has been a pretty intense year.
But it does give rise to the opportunity to reflect on the year that’s been and I truly believe this past year has seen more powerful change than we have previously seen in a single year. It’s also a great opportunity to reflect on where we’ve come from and where we’re going. Through the Navigate Initiative and He Kete o te Mana Wahine, we’re now able to step into lives earlier than ever before, enabling us to build deeper levels of trust and stronger relationships, which is key to those crucial points during a person’s reintegration back into the community. As a result, we are right there journeying alongside them when the pressure comes on and the struggles they will inevitably face become a reality. This is where our work is done. It is these moments that determine whether a person is going back to jail, back to drugs or back to an abusive relationship or even just bad decisions that bring harm to themselves and those around them. The significant changes we have seen people make this year as they take steps towards a better life have at times been quite dramatic; a young mum finding her confidence to step away from toxic relationships, a young man with social anxiety trying new activities outside his comfort zone, women taking on jobs in male dominated industries and smashing it, men after 20-30 years of incarceration saying no to old acquaintances and yes to a positive future. That’s why we do what we do.