Good Sorts: A Thursday night lifeline for Upper Hutt youth

Every Thursday night in Upper Hutt, teenagers gather at the Salvation Army to hang out.

There’s no set agenda, just space to shoot hoops, chill upstairs, eat, talk, or not talk. And that’s the point.

"It’s like my getaway,” one teenager said, "to get away from home and stuff."

The rules are simple: no vaping, no smoking, no drugs, and no alcohol.

"I wanted to get these kids out of their bedrooms," founder Kim Hina said. "Off the PlayStation, off their phones, that’s what’s important for mental health.”

Hina started Hangout eight years ago when her daughter Lily was struggling, with a close friend of Lily's in an even darker place.

"She was struggling, so I sort of took her under my wing and did what I could to help her, and a part of that involved getting her some counselling," she said.

The problem was the interim period spent on the waitlist.

"I just thought to myself, what happens to these kids while they have to wait eight weeks for counselling?"

A social worker's advice inspired her: listening and caring was crucial to helping.

"Sixty percent of this young lady’s recovery is going to come from just me, a general person that cares, that’s prepared to help her," Hina said.

Marcus said he used to be in the "dark stage" of his life.

"I came here and everything changed, I've become nicer."

Vincent was facing expulsion from school, and thanks to Hina he has been allowed to stay.

"She helped me get back into school, I had a meeting with the Board and she helped get me back in."

Hina said there was a simple plan: Ask if they were alright and then stop talking.

"They just need someone to talk to them, ask them how they are, and just to listen."

Every Thursday night, she does just that.