When you sit in a room full of people who have walked through the fire of addiction – the air shifts. Whether as a former user, whānau member of an addict or as a person who walks alongside whānau because of their devotion to helping others – there is no judgement in this whare. What you feel is an unshakeable, fierce aroha and a shared truth that was repeated throughout the day – we don't fix, we heal.
At the recent community summit in Rotorua organised by Tū Taua Mana Enhancing STOP to address methamphetamine harm, the powerful and raw voices of lived experience took center stage. Through tears, laughter, and hard-won wisdom, speakers reminded us why our communities must lead the charge – because as Kevin Hollingsworth powerfully stated: “The war on meth is everybody’s business”.
National Meth Summit attendees gather at Waiteti Marae, Ngongotaha, Rotorua.
Kevin’s Story: From 29 Arrests to a Legacy of Hope
At the heart of this movement is Kevin, whose extraordinary journey from being arrested 29 times to becoming a pillar of community leadership is nothing short of life-changing. Reflecting on the turning point that saved him, Kevin shared a chilling memory of a driveway incident where an active user drove away erratically from his house, prompting his mother to look at him and say, "I could've been killed".
That moment pierced the fog. Supported unconditionally by a mother who loved him fiercely but never enabled him – even walking into a job interview with him when he finally cleaned up – Kevin stepped into a new life. Today, proclaiming to hold a QBE - Qualified by Experience, he uses his past to light the path for others. He emphatically thanks a police officer in the audience for arresting him all those years ago and setting him up with his first social work contract.
When he was out of the drug’s grasp and venturing on a new course to help other addicts, his mother had prompted encouragingly "You're very good at helping people – you've helped enough getting them the meth!"
In a touching tribute to his late mother, Kevin established a special scholarship in her name, ensuring her legacy of wrapping love around whānau lives on. Kevin has also reached further beyond his wildest imagination, extending himself to successfully complete his Doctorate thesis – his research focusing on how lived experience can move the unmovable.
Tū Taua Mana Enhancing STOP: Saving Lives and Restoring Whānau
Operating with deep-rooted dedication since 2016, the Tū Taua – Stand Together Kaupapa was born. Then in 2018 The Mana Enhancing STOP Charitable Trust was formed. STOP is the acronym for “Stop Taking Our People” from the harmful effects of methamphetamine. The Trust has proven that true transformation happens when communities take power back into their own hands. Having recently been welcomed as a new Provider with a Whānau Ora contract, Tū Taua embodies holistic, culturally grounded care that looks at the entire ecosystem of the whānau rather than just treating an isolated symptom.
For years, the system focused heavily on the supply chain and top-down policing, leaving whānau to bear the weight. But Tū Taua shifted the narrative entirely in their attempt to restore the whānau collective. By providing wrap-around support, creating educational opportunities, and fostering environments of true belonging, they are actively saving lives.
The impact of this work is perhaps most profoundly felt by the next generation. One rangatahi shared her journey of growing up navigating a world in state care and early exposure to meth, noting how Tū Taua delivered on their promise, something she had not expected, having been let down by organisations before.
"They (Tū Taua – Stand Together Mana Enhancing STOP Charitable Trust) were different. When they say they’re going to do something, they’re going to do it. Mana provided funding to help with my education, and I’m now on my way to getting my child back. They are definitely saving people."
Having gained clarity on what her whānau were going through with help from Tū Taua, another rangatahi at the summit is now stepping forward to support others.
“Realising what was happening, what they (parents) were going through and why they were doing what they were doing. Understanding that they were masking – I now want to help others who are indirectly affected and help give them a voice,” she said.
She went on to finish high school and now at 19 years old, volunteers her time to share a message of resilience and to remind others: it's okay to not be okay.
The Power of Lived Experience and Connection
The summit emphasised that the opposite of addiction is connection. Clinicians and peer support workers with lived experience like Helena, who walked alongside young ones in prison while navigating her own journey, bring a unique empathy to the mahi.
"I don't take things to heart," Helena shared. "When they start pulling away, that's when you start building that rapport. Don't run. Meet them where they're at."
From developing innovative tools like the ‘War on Meth’ board game to creating pathways into employment and education, Tū Taua - Mana Enhancing STOP and leaders like Kevin are rewriting the future for our people, and rewriting their own stories.
As we look ahead, the message from the summit is clear and lights the way: methamphetamine harm is everyone's business, but the solution belongs to the community. With education at the top, wrap-around support, and the enduring strength of whānau, healing is not just a possibility but rather is happening every single day.
Kevin developed a board game as part of his Master’s degree Topic: “Mana Enhancing Practices, to help inform Therapeutic Communities”, and is working towards launching the Tū Taua Stand Together WebApp that has resulted from his PhD thesis.
We look forward to the launch of the Tu Taua – Stand Together Web App currently in development, culminating from Kevin’s PhD Creative research thesis titled:
“Methamphetamine in Aotearoa: A Deep Dive into its Harmful Effects and the Fight for Recovery from a Māori Lived Experience Perspective.”
Kevin’s research is guided by three research questions:
1. What are the short- and long-term harmful effects of meth use upon whānau?
2. What differences can be made in the communities to support whānau affected by methamphetamine abuse?
3. Is a web app a useful resource to help whānau educate themselves about methamphetamine withdrawals?
Kevin’s overarching research question “How can Māori lived experience contribute to a better understanding of methamphetamine addiction, its harmful effects on whānau, and the development of culturally grounded, community-led approaches to recovery?”
Website: Home | Mana Enhancing STOP Rōpū will bring news of this to our followers soon. For further information, email Kevin: kevin.h@manaenhancingstop.co.nz
Aukaha News coverage of the event - https://www.facebook.com/reel/1109080988662920