Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring Service (TYMS)
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TUILAEPA YOUTH MENTORING SERVICES

Our Vision: For Pacific and Maori youth to feel a sense of pride and belonging ​in our communities living their full potential.

Our Mission: To break the cycle of disengagement.

OUR STORY

Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring Services (TYMS) is a Pacific-led cultural and relationship-based intervention service that provides mentoring, advocacy and support for primarily Maori and Pacific youth, and their families.
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Dale Rasmussen (General Manager) & Robson Tavita (Founder/Head of Advocacy)
​Robson Tavita founded TYMS to address the need he saw in his community to support young people to get the education they needed to succeed. The "Tuilaepa" name is in honour of Robson's late father, Tuilaepa Ropisone Tavita, who dedicated this life to making sure his family grew up understanding the importance of honesty, integrity, loyalty and a good work ethic. These are the values that underpin all of our work that we do with our young people today.

ABOUT TYMS 

Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring Service (TYMS) supports at-risk Pacific and Māori young people in Auckland, aged 6 – 25 years who otherwise fall between the cracks. ​Our evidence-based mentoring programes address the challenges of disadvantaged youth and individuals enabling them to re-engage with education, and reconnect with family, culture and community

​Since 2010 TYMS has grown rapidly from working with just six young people to supporting over 747 young people and their families in 2021. Over the past 10 years, TYMS’s innovative mentoring, advocacy and academic support programs have reached almost 1850 Pacific and Māori young people who are disengaged by the traditional education system or are within the justice and social services system.

TYMS has a dual focus - we work at a grassroots level to directly impact the lives of our young people that need support now, while at the same time working to create catalytic, systemic change in the ecosystem around them.​
Find out more

             OUR SERVICES               


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Individual Mentoring

A male mentor is suitably matched with a young person, to develop their academic, social, and basic life skills, as well as fostering their connections with their family, culture, and community.

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Transition to Adulthood 

Our TTA workers guide and support our young males who have been in state care to look towards the future by developing their independence into adulthood.

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Residential Remand Learning

Providing an education & pastoral care programme to young people in supervised residential homes led by our TYMS Teachers.

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Continuity to Care

​Providing post-care for young people that are exiting residential remand homes for an easy transition back into the community.

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TYMS Hub​

​A safe and creative space for our young people to connect, learn and engage in TYMS alternative education.

OUR PROGRAMMES

IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMMES

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Healthy Relationships Programme

A small group male-led boys programme to help our kids better their interactions with peers and home relationships covering foundational values to fostering and maintaining healthy relationships.

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Moana Tautua - in partnership with ATWC (Anglican For Women & Children)

Individual mentoring for Senior Pacific students/learners to enhance well-being and education-related outcomes back in education ensuring multiple pathways and access to opportunities post lockdown.

SPORTING PROGRAMMMES

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Polyjammers Community Basketball

​A community-aimed initiative to help provide pathways into Basketball ensuring our young Pacific boys receive premium Coaching training despite the burdens of social and financial hardships.

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TYMS Sports & Life Skills (TSL) 

A School-based sports programme aiming to help school kids to develop life skills.

CULTURAL PROGRAMMES

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 Mamanu (3-Day Intensive Cultural Programme)

​Ethnic specific cultural programme reconnecting youth to Pacific culture in a way that is relevant & engaging from community wide referrals.

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Ofaga (Samoan programme) Secondary schools

​Secondary School programme to develop an understanding of foundational cultural values and history in an urban context, complimentary to other Pacific Language courses.

Our Impact on Young people​

Research undertaken by Point Research found the following positive changes in the young people participating in TYMS programmes
  • Creation of positive attitudes towards education
  • Turning up at school ready to learn and participate
  • Improvement of executive functions in the brain including their self-control
  • Increased awareness and understanding of their susceptibility to peer pressure
  • Awareness and pride of their cultural heritage

What Our Clients Are Saying

Our Location
Find us at 644 Swanson Road, Swanson, Auckland
“If I can just affirm all the great progress that our boys are showing at school in their confidence, physical health, and their learning. Much of which is attributable to the great work that their mentor is doing."

"TYMS helped me grow as a person. They helped me understand a few things that no one else was willing to help me understand, and help me see through things that no one else could." 

"Watching my son grow in the time that his mentor has been involved with him, aw bro it's been amazing. Without his mentor, my son wouldn't even be this young man that people are now seeing before their eyes. He's not out getting himself into trouble, bullying others, or hurting girls. My son came home one day after his session with the mentor and he said, 'I'm so happy you got me help mum'".

Contact Us 

office@tyms.org.nz
099712746
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  • Home
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Board of Trustees
    • Our Team >
      • In Loving Memory
  • What do we do?
    • Academic Mentoring
    • TYMS Transition to Adulthood
    • Residential Remand Learning
    • Moana Tautua
    • Healthy Relationships Programme
    • Basketball (Polyjammers)
    • Cultural Programmes (Mamanu/Ofaga)
    • Polyjam Classic (Fundraiser)
    • Past Programmes >
      • Trade School Program
    • News & Events
    • Learning & evaluation >
      • Stories of change
      • Blog
  • Our supporters
    • Key Supporters
    • Food Providers
  • Contact Us
  • Mentor Portal
    • Activity Bank
    • Weekly Victories