Tairāwhiti Walk-in Meth Support Groups
Gisborne : Tairāwhiti
Communities around the country are struggling with the disastrous effects of Methamphetamine use, the impact of which is being especially felt in our rural towns and centres. A whānau run initiative in Te Tairāwhiti is committed to taking staunch action to reduce Meth use in their community by supporting users to stop using.
The need for an initiative, that supports people to stop taking Meth, has been identified across the region. Therefore, the Tairāwhiti Walk-in Meth Support Groups have received overwhelming support from various community organisations and iwi. This support has resulted in the establishment of safe spaces for ex-Meth users in at least three different places: including Kaitī, Elgin and Ruatōria. These venues have become key areas for support and are continuously available over the duration of the initiative. At each venue, there are support people available who either have lived experience in addictions or are able to support the clinical side of things for any whānau who may have questions or need guidance in this area.
The SAFE spaces are used as meeting places for whānau to share their journeys, as well as issues that they may be struggling with concerning their methamphetamine addiction. Group sessions are run on a regular basis (in a similar way to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous), where participants are able to share their struggles and feel supported to stop using by those present. An important aspect of support groups includes learning how to reduce the risk of re-using, how to manage and work through the effects of stopping and building a supportive network of people for ongoing help.
*This whānau initiative is proudly supported by Te Au (and Te Rau Ora) through the Māori Suicide Prevention Fund (2020-2021).
