Youth In Transition

We’re so pleased to share some wonderful news with our community 💛

Thanks to the support of some truly incredible local humans, our charity is not moving. We’ll be staying right here in Manly, alongside our beloved The Hope Shop, a place that continues to play such an important role in supporting our work.

This outcome means so much to us. It allows us to remain connected to our roots, the space, the people, and the heart of our community that makes everything we do possible.

We understand how important continuity is for the individuals, families, and professionals who refer into our service, and we’re deeply grateful for the trust you place in us. Please be assured that all referrals and support pathways remain open as usual.

To everyone who stood with us, supported us, and helped make this happen - Thank you. Your kindness and belief in our work, and in the young people we serve, means more than words can say.

With immense gratitude,
Tina & the team at YIT

A simple change at night can make a big difference 💙

We’re incredibly grateful to BlockBlueLight NZ for donating blue-blocking glasses for the youth in our program who need them the most🙌

With screens playing such a big role in our evenings, it can be hard for the brain to switch off. Blue light from phones, TVs and lights can actually trick the brain into thinking it’s still daytime - making it harder to fall asleep.

These glasses help signal to the brain that it’s time to wind down 🌙
✨ Supporting better sleep
✨ Helping evening routines feel calmer
✨ Making mornings a little easier

For our rangatahi, building healthy routines like this is a powerful step toward long-term wellbeing.

It’s practical support like this that really matters - and we love working with partners who get it.

Thank you again, BlockBlueLight NZ, for backing our young people in such a meaningful way 💫

Give Clothes. Give Hope.

Did you know your pre-loved clothes can help change a young person’s life?

The Hope Shop is so much more than an op shop. It’s a boutique that’s a vibrant hub of connection, generosity, and community spirit, where every donation, every conversation, and every purchase contributes to something meaningful.

Behind the racks of quality pre-loved men’s and women’s clothing is an incredible team of volunteers, curating the offering to create a boutique-like space filled with opportunity, care, and genuine human connection.

And every sale? It goes directly back into the Journey Back to Awesome program - supporting young people in our community who are struggling with their mental health.

Since opening in 2019, the Hope Shop has become a place where community generosity turns into real, life-changing support.

How can you help?

👚 Donate good quality pre-loved or new clothing, shoes and accessories (bags, belts, ties)

🙋 Volunteer - Got a few hours a week? Join our amazing team helping run the shop.

📍 The Hope Shop, 54 Rawhiti Road, Manly
🕙 Open Monday–Saturday, 10am–4pm

Every donation. Every volunteer. Every purchase.

All helping a young person find hope again.

➡️ Message us to volunteer or learn more.

What an incredibly special addition to Duke House 💛

Venerable Khadro - a Buddhist monk who has shared so much wisdom and mental training with our young people - wanted to gift us something meaningful - a meditation space. We rolled up our sleeves and built a beautiful, heavy-duty bench from donated macrocarpa slabs 🪵

We also planted a rimu tree, blessed during the process 🌱 and, after a serious team effort from our amazing working bee crew, a stunning Buddha statue has found its new home 🙏

It’s more than just a bench and a garden - it’s a place for reflection, calm, and connection.

Huge thanks to everyone who helped make this happen 💛

💛 Golf Fore Life 2026 💛

On March 19, we came together once again for something truly special - our annual Golf Fore Life tournament.

What started as a simple vision from one of our passionate trustees has grown into a powerful community tradition. This year, over 120 players, supporters, and friends joined us for a day that was about so much more than golf.

It was about connection.
It was about generosity.
It was about young people and their Journey Back to Awesome.

Behind every swing, every shared laugh, and every conversation on the course, there is real impact. The funds raised and the stories shared on the day help us continue walking alongside hundreds of young people as they move from uncertainty to strength, and from struggle to purpose.

To everyone who played, sponsored, donated auction items, and supported in any way - thank you. You are part of something life-changing.

We’re already looking ahead to next year… and we’d love you to be part of it.

👉 If you’re interested in sponsoring, entering a team, or contributing auction items for Golf Fore Life 2027, get in touch with us today.

Together, we’re creating hope in action. 💫

🌿✨ More Than a Garden - A Place to Breathe ✨🌿

We recently opened the new sensory garden at Duke House - and it was such a special moment.

What started as a simple idea has grown into something truly meaningful. This garden is more than a physical space - it’s a place of calm, reflection, healing, and connection for the young people we support, and their families too.

It exists because people said yes… and then showed up.

To every volunteer who turned up to working bees (rain or shine!), dug, planted, cleared, and created - thank you. This space carries your fingerprints everywhere.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring this vision to life:
💛 Neve from Total Monumental Services
💛 The Lions Clubs International
💛 Josh from Ultimate Machine Hire
💛 Bunnings Warehouse New Zealand
💛 Kings Plant Barn
💛 Rotary Club of Orewa-Millwater
💛 Whangaparaoa Rotary
💛 Peter from Teepee Build
💛 Chris & Gabe
💛 ASB Bank
💛 Peter from Coyote Electrical
💛 W***y from North Point Plumbing 2022 Limited

And of course, Grayson - thank you for the vision, and for bringing people together to make it happen.

This is what community looks like.
We are so grateful. 💛

A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers who came together for our first working bee of 2026 this morning 💪🌱

After breakfast kindly supplied by our friends at Woolworths New Zealand - Silverdale, we got stuck into jobs around Duke House — all with one shared purpose: to keep it a tranquil, welcoming place for our young people and families who visit.

We are so grateful for your loyal support.

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

As our long-established and highly successful youth su***de prevention programme moves into an exciting new phase, we would like to share an important update with our volunteers, supporters, and wider community.

After more than a decade at Rawhiti Road, we will be concluding our time at the Manly offices at the end of March 2026. We are profoundly grateful to the Rigg family for their extraordinary generosity and continued support over many years in making these premises available to us. Rawhiti Road has been far more than a building; it has been a place of safety, healing, and hope for hundreds of young people, guided by the vision and enduring legacy of our founding Chairperson, the late Nigel Rigg.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we are seeking new facilities that will best support our main home at Duke House in Wainui. While many of our programmes can operate from Duke House, our commitment to the Hibiscus Coast remains unwavering.

We are urgently seeking a local, safe, and welcoming space where we can continue to provide crisis support and counselling for vulnerable young people and their families, particularly for those who may find travel to Wainui difficult.

If you know of a suitable space, have a lead, or would like to explore possibilities with us, we would love to hear from you.

With gratitude and optimism for what lies ahead,
Tina and the YIT Team

Recently, our flock of sheep were sheared by the wonderful James from Crazy About Ewe. 🐑

They’ve since been moved to their other home across the way at Duke House — and they clearly knew the drill! The whole move took just seconds.

Our sheep bring so much joy to our sessions. Many of our young people love heading over to say hello, and the sheep are always happy to wander over for a chat of their own.

On Friday, Stuart and his amazing team from ECB Property Maintenance Ltd stepped in to help us when our own mower unexpectedly packed up. They jumped straight in and took care of our lawns, ensuring Duke House continues to feel calm, cared for, and welcoming. We’re so grateful for your generosity, interest, and support — without you, things would have quickly become overgrown and untidy.

Then over the weekend, a huge thank you to the incredible volunteers who gave up their Sunday to help us move forward with our sensory garden. With a digger kindly supported by Ultimate Machine Hire, you helped dig out the pond area and improve drainage around the barn. Your time, energy, and willingness to help made a real difference.

Thank you to each of you — and to the mighty team who turned up — for standing alongside us and helping create a safe, tranquil space for the young people we support.