Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Community works on strategies over youth violence

Updated at 11:01 am on 1 June 2011

The growing problem of violence and intimidation among young people has spurred a group of Hamilton people to come up with a strategy to turn things around.

Two community forums have been held this week to gather ideas.

Hamilton Girls' High School principal Mary Ann Baxter says solutions can be found at the grassroots level, and young people will be able to come up with answers because they are the ones who are affected.

The forums' facilitator, Australian parenting and resilience expert Maggie Dent, says children are everyone's responsibility and simple acts of kindness can make all the difference to a young person's future.

Police say alcohol is one of the main factors behind an increase in problems being faced by adolescents.

Listen to item on Morning Report

Copyright © 2011, Radio New Zealand