Youth Horizons is a non-profit organisation, working with young people who are at risk of poor life outcomes due to complex behavioural and/ or mental health needs, including conduct disorder and antisocial behaviours.

The organisation provides evidenced based, sustainable solutions for both Young People and their families and works closely with these families and local communities to ensure successful outcomes.

Since its establishment in 1996, Youth Horizons has built up a considerable body of expertise and experience and has evolved into a North Island wide service, providing preventative and proactive approaches where social and demographic indicators suggest that a young person is at risk of poor outcomes.

Currently, Youth Horizons provides a range of interventions, including residential and foster care settings as well as reintegration and independence transitioning programmes with an underlying philosophy that young people should be empowered to fully participate in family/whanau and community and other productive activities.

This website outlines the programmes provided by the organisation and provides extended information on the philosophies, the research and the people that make up the foundation of Youth Horizons.

Culturally Relevant Service Delivery

Maori culture is a predominant influence in aspects of Youth Horizons as a result of recent changes directing the organisation towards a more culturally relevant position.

All programmes engaged in by Youth Horizons aim to recognise the importance of integrating and addressing Treaty of Waitangi responsibilities, with all services committed to professional practice that demonstrates an understanding of aroha, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga.

Youth Horizons’ Kaumatua is actively involved with the Board of Trustees and the Leadership Team, providing input into key strategies and developing invaluable external relationships. The presence of both a Kaumatua and a Kuia ensures long term benefit for young people, their families and the organisation.

Maori cultural activities are undertaken within the services with the view that many young, urban Maori have few opportunities to absorb their culture and the supportive sense of community that stems from learning traditional skills and which ultimately provide help and success during a young persons time with their programme.

Youth Horizons is committed to the continued development of an effective bi-cultural approach to treatment. To ensure that this is achieved, our values and kaupapa are solidly integrated throughout our entire clinical, social and therapeutic areas of service.

The Youth Horizons Point of Difference

A further element of Youth Horizons that ensures the organisation stands out as a leading care provider, is the emphasis placed upon therapeutic and evidence based models of care.

In this way, Youth Horizons has the ability to fill a niche market in addressing the needs of youth who are often disregarded by their communities.

Established 12 years ago as an evidenced based organisation, the current range of programmes reflects a number of methodologies that incorporate current best-practice research, including Multi-systemic Therapy (MST).

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