Facing the Crisis: How Coro Youth Mentors Are Supporting Youth Mental Wellbeing in Aotearoa

A recent report from UNICEF has revealed a confronting reality: Aotearoa New Zealand ranks lowest among 36 OECD and EU countries for youth mental wellbeing. Even more heartbreakingly, suicide remains the fourth most common cause of death for young people aged 15 to 19 in our country.

At Coro Youth Mentors, this isn’t just a statistic—it’s the world our rangatahi are living in, and it’s why we show up every day.

The Heart of the Issue

The UNICEF data reflects a crisis that many of us in the youth sector already see unfolding: young people feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and without the tools or support they need to thrive.

Here in the Coromandel, we know that rural youth face added challenges and distance from services, fewer safe spaces, and a strong culture of silence around mental health.

That’s where we come in.

What We’re Doing at CYM

Coro Youth Mentors was built to offer consistent, meaningful, and non-judgemental support for youth aged 8years plus. Our mentors meet with their mentees every fortnight to connect, kōrero, and simply be there.

Our kaupapa is about creating safe relationships and helping young people build:

✅ Resilience

✅ Confidence

✅ A sense of purpose

✅ Real connection

And it’s working. We’ve seen young people who were withdrawn, anxious or disengaged begin to open up, set goals, and feel more hopeful about their futures.

Why Mentorship Works

Mentorship doesn’t replace professional mental health support but it can be the difference between a young person reaching out or shutting down.

A 2021 review of mentoring programmes in Aotearoa found that 88% showed evidence of effectiveness, especially when the focus was on interpersonal and emotional support. Mentorship increases protective factors and builds life-long skills that buffer against distress and crisis.

How You Can Help

The youth mental health crisis isn’t something we can fix alone. It takes community, consistency, and care.

Here’s how you can support:

🟢 Volunteer as a mentor – just 2 hours every fortnight

🟢 Donate to help us expand to more rangatahi in need

🟢 Share our kaupapa with friends, whānau, and workplaces

Together, we can make a real dent in these statistics one relationship at a time.

If you’d like to learn more or get involved, you can email me directly @ georgie@cym.org.nz or fill in our interest survey on our website cym.org.nz