Take It From Us with Kent Johns
Take It From Us is the voice of lived experience. In this podcast, you'll hear real people share honest stories about mental health, addiction, trauma and recovery - straight from their own journeys.
They'll tell you what actually worked, what didn't, and what they wish they'd known sooner.
Host Kent Johns is a former broadcaster-turned-health-coach who believes everyone has a story to tell if people take the time to really listen.
So settle in, you're going to hear some stories. Take it from us - and from them.
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If you need support, click here for helpful links, phone numbers and resources:
https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/
Take It From Us with Kent Johns
Waata Heathcote: How lived experience mentoring cut gang reoffending to 2%
Waata Heathcote spots a man in crisis at 8am in a coffee shop and has him connected to support within 15 minutes. It's just another morning for the Rangatira of Waiariki Whānau Mentoring, who leads a team that works 24/7 because "people have nowhere to go after 5 o'clock".
After working for MSD and as a police officer, Waata saw how the system was failing Māori communities facing intergenerational trauma. Now 70% of his team has lived experience, with a strong-held belief that you can't help people you don't understand.
Their extraordinary results speak for themselves: of 57 gang-affiliated men with serious offending histories who've completed their programme, only one has reoffended.
We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text here!
If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources: https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis/
