Path Wānaka’s new director says the organisation is better equipped than ever before to connect parents, whānau and caregivers to the tools, knowledge and skills they need to support the teenagers in their lives.

It has bolstered its operation, with a new website just launched, an operations director set to start in September, a revised mission statement and a status as an incorporated society and registered charity recently formalised.

Path Wānaka chair Randal Dobbs told the Wānaka App the group’s goal is “to be a magnet for all parents and youth to come to us and talk or share information”. 

Formerly known as the Wānaka Alcohol Group, Path Wānaka has broadened its remit to cover the many different challenges young people can face, based on community input.

The organisation held a community workshop in 2022 on the issues young people were facing, which around 90 people attended.

“It turned out to be a great piece of research and it generally fashioned the direction we are heading in,” Randall said.

Path Wānaka’s board includes representatives from NZ Police, Kahu Youth, Community LINK, Te Kura O Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC), ADL, and Health NZ. 

“Everyone has their own special skills so the real role of Path Wānaka is to link all those information sources together and become a resource,” Randall said.

People can get in touch with Path Wānaka or its member agencies directly, and its new website (which launched this week), will also become a key way to share information.

Randall said the organisation plans to continue to add resources, research and answers to queries that come up, on the website, to build a strong information source.

The website also features the most recent Upper Clutha Youth Voice Survey, a bi-annual survey which helps to build a picture of the challenges young people are facing locally.

Randall said the “other side of the coin” for Path Wānaka is community outreach and events. 

It plans to be “be very active with functions and events when things come up that are of interest”.

Operations manager Sally Murray, who will start in her role on September 1, will play a key role in building on behind-the-scenes work Path Wānaka has been doing over the past year.

Randal says Path Wānaka is “first and foremost a community organisation”.

“It’s not about fixing problems, it’s about understanding the problems, looking at the positive side, and the negative, and putting the information in the right place.”

Learn more about Path Wānaka at the website here and keep an eye out for upcoming events here.

PHOTO: Supplied