Abstract:
This process evaluation focused on a community treatment programme designed for Māori adolescents (rangatahi) who had committed sexual offences against adults or children. We used qualitative and kaupapa Māori approaches to interview 23 participants (rangatahi aged 15 to 17, family members, staff and stakeholders) and observe group therapy and outdoor wilderness therapy excursions over 10 months. Participants found the Māori beliefs and processes, woven into westernised therapeutic theories and techniques, enhanced treatment by emphasising values essential to positive adolescent growth, including whānau support, the maintenance of relationships (including effective group work), and the importance of a secure identity (including finding positive Māori identities and role models). The personal qualities of the kaimahi (Māori staff) and their responsiveness to the issues facing Māori youth and whānau of mixed ethnicity contributed to the programme’s success. Participants called for more support for cultural initiatives with sexually abusive youth to reduce community risk.