Troubled kids find campus inspiration

Life hasn't been easy for 16-year-old Hayley Parata, who grew up away from her parents, not even knowing who her father was.

She was also teased from a young age about being Fijian-Indian.

"I just had to learn how to take it – accept it and pretend like I didn't care," Hayley said. "I just laughed with them. That's the way I had to deal with it."

Hayley is one of 10 Maori and Pacific Island Fraser High School students to document their childhood in a digital diary as part of an initiative to get teenagers from troubled backgrounds into tertiary education.

The initiative is being funded by Hamilton City Council, from the Wel Energy Trust youth fund, and is being organised by the Western Community Centre in Nawton.

The students have spent the week at Wintec's City campus in the computer laboratories.

There they have been creating the diaries which illuminate their pasts, as well as their dreams and aspirations.

Hayley, who was brought up by her aunt, said creating the diary had allowed her to express the hurt the teasing caused and put it behind her. She has aspirations of becoming a doctor. "I just want to do something to help others."

Western Community Centre neighbourhood advisor Ioana Manu said the kids had lots of barriers in both their home lives and at school.

Allowing them to document them had been carthartic and would help the children to move on.

She said the initiative had been a success and hoped to hold another one.

Nawton community police officer Constable Willie Cuthers said writing the diaries had given the teenagers a chance to "let go" of the past.

Spending a week on campus had also inspired the students to work harder and ensure they got into tertiary education.

Wintec tutor Stephen Harlow said the students were naturals with the equipment.

They would present their digital diaries at a dinner at Wintec's Hub tonight.