Introduction

Hikoi ki te Hauora has been developed in response to the need to support young people in making the transition from primary school to secondary school.

This major change often coincides with the normal developmental changes which occur during the early adolescent years, beginning with the biological changes associated with puberty.

These biological changes result in such physical changes as growth in height, weight and strength, sexual maturity and emotional changes. For some young people, this period of adolescence can be particularly challenging as they try to fit into a new learning and social environment which is very different from primary and intermediate school.

Each young person enters the secondary school environment with their own unique set of life experiences, influenced by their multiple worlds of family/whanau, school and community, and their peers. Some of these life experiences are commonly shared as young people move from childhood to adulthood and for many, this journey, while full of ups and downs, is no more stressful than any other passage through life.

Nevertheless, the journey usually involves adapting and accommodating the many changes that can occur during this phase of the life span. These changes create a set of challenges for young people which, in turn, have the potential to contribute to their resilience or to place them under stress.

The concerns and stresses facing young people during adolescence include:

• Appearance - they feel awkward or self-conscious about how they look, especially if they are developing at a different rate from their peers
• Relationships - their interaction with peers, family/whanau, siblings and teachers which may involve conflict
• School expectations - doing well and looking good in this new social setting
• Parental expectations
• Social challenges - the need to find their place in society, to gain a sense of fitting in and possibly a place to stand.

Hikoi ki te Hauora is a positive programme which aims to enable young people to respect who they are, what they are, and where they come from. Important learning occurs for young people as they travel on a personal journey that enables them to acknowledge their uniqueness as individuals, their spirituality and their resilience.

The programme is focused on acknowledging and building strengths rather than on problems.

Young people who have been involved in the development of Hikoi ki te Hauora have reported feeling personally strengthened through their participation in this health education programme because they have not had to justify who they are to anybody else.

"I think this health course has helped me in many ways. For example, I know what to do now in different situations. When I'm scared, I know that fear can be overcome, maybe not straight away because it takes courage. I know how to react when I'm angry: just stop and think for a while about why I am angry, how I got angry and how I can get over it. I know how to act towards other people - just control my behaviour and give them respect. I also know to cherish valuable things and not take them for granted."

(Year 9 student, Kaitaia College)

The central premise of this resource is that life is a journey which presents individuals with many challenges and opportunities, all offering the potential for personal growth and new understandings. Schools which offer this health education programme can help students prepare for these challenges and opportunities, to believe in themselves as individuals and acknowledge that they have a great deal to offer their different and overlapping worlds of school, home and community.

One useful vehicle to help young people gain respect for themselves and enhance their personal identity and self-worth is the fable Gem of the First Water, written by Ron Phillips. Additional short stories from school journals and magazines have also been utilised to explore the important key concepts highlighted throughout the teaching and learning sessions in this programme.

Using stories with young people enables the presentation of a range of different concepts in a way that allows them to empathise with, yet distance themselves from, the story. For example, in Gem of the First Water, the key character is a boy who embarks on a spiritual journey of discovery and personal growth. This boy learns many things about himself, and the people and situations he encounters. He faces many challenging situations, has difficult decisions to make and is given opportunities to reflect on his experiences during the journey.

Students are able to think about how the boy is motivated to make choices and consider the consequences of his actions. They are also encouraged to think about the choices they have made and will make in their lives, in the present and the future, and the possible consequences of their own actions.

Each school is part of a wider community. These communities have a largely untapped wealth of stories from local writers, historians, tangata whenua (kaumatua, kuia and others). Stories relevant to this programme can also be sourced from within these local communities.

This resource provides young people with the opportunity to:

• Develop a better understanding of what helps people belong
• Identify and explore the different challenges and opportunities which people face in life
• Develop understanding, respect and acceptance for their uniqueness as individuals
• Explore the ways that spirituality, connectedness and belonging contribute to a sense of personal identity and self-worth.

This is a comprehensive resource to be used with Year 9 students and the activities have been developed to support learning in the Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum (1999).

Through learning in the Health and Physical Education Curriculum, students will develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and motivation to make informed decisions and to act in ways that contribute to their personal wellbeing, the wellbeing of other people, and that of society as a whole.

He oranga ngakau
He pikinga waiora
The positive feelings in your heart will
raise your sense of self-worth

Health and Physical Education in the New Zealand Curriculum (1999)