At Te Tahi Youth you will be seen, heard and respected. Whoever you are now, whoever you become – you can be you. We want you to feel safe here so that you have someone you can trust. It’s our mission to help Ōtautahi rangatahi be the best version of themselves. So every day we come to work to be your allies, supporters and champions ...
Behind Te Tahi Youth is the Korowai Youth Well-Being Trust. We are a not-for-profit organisation with a mission to help Ōtautahi rangatahi be the best version of themselves.
To achieve that, we adopt the values of C-A-R-E.
Compassion: Your wellbeing matters to us so we will go over and above to make sure you get the help you need.
Acceptance: Nobody judges anybody; Te Tahi Youth is an inclusive place where everyone is equal and welcome to be who they are.
Resilience: We stick with you through the good times and the hard times.
Encouragement: Don’t stress about being perfect, as long as you are making progress.
No matter the reason that brings you to us, we can help.
Our team is made up of doctors, nurses, counsellors, youth workers and social workers. They are highly trained and experienced at helping young people be healthy inside and out. We help you grow and back you 100% while you work towards your goals. And it’s all free.
Our Team
Clinical
Emma Maguire
Nurse Prescriber / Clinical Nurse Specialist / Clinic Lead
Nicole Beardsley
Nurse Prescriber / Clinical Nurse Specialist
Toby Hilton
Nurse Prescriber
Donna Southorn
Community Nurse Prescriber
Jo Kirrane
Youth Health Nurse
Sue Bagshaw
Youth Health Doctor
Ellie McDougall
General Practitioner
Juno Pyun
General Practitioner
Kim Glass
General Practitioner
Aruni Seneviratne
Sexual Health Doctor
Bridget McCarthy
Social Worker
Anastazia Puklowski
Social Worker
Youth Health in Schools
Toby Hilton
School Nurse Team Lead Ōtautahi
Donna Southorn
School Nurse Team Lead Selwyn / Youth Health Nurse Rolleston College
Jo Kirrane
Youth Health Nurse Ellesmere College and Rolleston College
Alana Bishop
Youth Health Nurse Lincoln High School
Youth Development / Mentoring
Gary Grooms
Youth Development Team Leader
Susan Marshall
Counsellor
Hannah McPheat
Counsellor
Beth Lenihan
Clinical Youth Practitioner
Rien Segers
Youth Worker
Amy Lloyd
Youth Worker
Chiaki Bolam-Smith
Youth Worker
Mari Slack
Youth Worker
Tiana Hansen
Transition Kaimahi
Nathan Mitchell
Transition Kaimahi
Employment
Simon Britten
Youth Employment Team Leader
Jane Denton
Business Opportunities Broker
Michelle McConnell
Employment Navigator
Caitlin Harris
Employment Navigator
Aslyn Brown
Employment Navigator
Taylor Phillips
Employment Navigator
Rudolph Diaz
Employment Navigator
Ben Hartshorn
Employment Navigator
Administration
Fiona Kay
General Manager
Louise Barnett
Receptionist
Nia Gardner
Fundraising Manager
Cheryl Pastoll
Accounts Administrator
Robyn Moir-Meyer
Office and Communications Assistant
Te Tahi Youth Board
Dr. Lyndsey Dance
Board Chair - Originally from the UK, Lyndsey has had a rich and varied career in New Zealand and abroad. After starting out as an acadamic in the field of genetics, she worked as a project manager in a variety of sectors including the arts and humanities, digital production, and the natural environment. More recently Lyndsey has taken up executive leadership roles in Central Government and not-for-profit organisations.
Paige Sullivan
Paige is in her final year of a Law and Commerce double degree, while working as a Law Clerk at Lane Neave. Paige is involved in numerous other community organisations, and is a Member of the Institute of Directors.
Nick James
Nick has been on the board since 2019 and is a Chartered Accountant with a strong business consulting and management background. Being on the board of Te Tahi Youth allows him to help in the community where it's needed most; the youth of today. He looks forward to using his business knowledge to help continue to grow Te Tahi Youth and sustain the organisation for the future.
Marg Flyvbjerg
Marg has been involved with young people all her working life, primarily through schools and education. She currently works as a school guidance counsellor, focusing on guiding young people so they grow to be assured and caring adults.
Cam Brinsdon
Cam works part-time as a Human Resources Specialist and maintains an interest in governance through his business - Board Clarity Limited. Cam has been a Director of the International Policy Governance Association and was a Trustee of Restorative Justice Ōtautahi. As a proud parent, Cam has first-hand experience of the wonderful services provided by the amazing team at Te Tahi Youth.
Annabelle Kelley
Annabelle is currently studying in Year 13 and is looking to continuing her education at University next year. She is looking forward to what the future of Te Tahi Youth holds!
Philippa Jones
Philippa joined the Trust Board in March 2023. She has 25 years experience in executive roles predominantly in the public sector including health, social, tertiary education and local government. Philippa has extensive experience in the design and implementation of organisational strategy and improving business performance.
Te Tahi Youth Story
While today our story involves many exceptional people, it started with just one.
Dr Sue Bagshaw was working at Family Planning NZ, doing all she could to improve access to sexual and reproductive services for women. She found for many women, if they didn’t feel comfortable with their GP, or didn’t have a GP, they didn’t know where to go. She knew something had to change, and her mission began.
Sue researched a youth one-stop-shop model operating in the US and Australia, and she knew she was onto something. She surveyed young people and from that designed a wider youth service. After three years of pitching her idea of a youth one-stop-shop to funders, she achieved success. 198 Youth Health opened. The vision? To provide free, accessible health services for young people.
That was back in 1995 when we were based in the bottom of an historic building on Hereford Street. Today, while the name and people may have changed, our vision hasn’t. We are still here to provide free, accessible, non-judgmental youth health services to young people in Ōtautahi, Christchurch.
Our journey, however, hasn’t been easy. Funding was gained, funding was lost. There have been times we’ve had to close our doors. But we re-emerged better, stronger and more focused that ever before. In 2012 we became 298 Youth Health on Barbadoes Street and then in 2019 we moved to our Bealey Ave site.
And as our journey has evolved, so have our services. Today, we are a truly holistic service. For those young people we work with, we work with the whole person. We offer medical, mental health, mentoring and employment services so whatever they need, we are here.
And what about the future? It’s looking pretty fab. We are now Te Tahi Youth – a name that embraces the entirety of who we are and what we do. And what about Dr Sue? She’s still here. But she’s not Dr Sue anymore. She’s Dame Sue Bagshaw and is our Patron (and a part-time doctor at Te Tahi Youth).
And Dr Sue’s latest project? She’s building a Youth Hub for Christchurch. A place to connect multiple youth services including mental health, medical health, education, employment and training, transitional housing, recreation, creativity, and social entrepreneurship in one place. Phew! It’s a big job. But Sue will get it done and we’re excited about the opportunity to be one of the tenants in this amazing new complex.
For more information about the Youth Hub click here.