Bianca’s work to prevent and end youth homelessness through Manaaki Rangitahi is very personal to her. 

“I was trans-racially adopted in the closed stranger adoption period, so working in youth strategy and development is something very close to my heart. I could have ended up in situations like our rangatahi because of my adoption history and disconnection from whānau,” says Bianca.

Lifewise’s youth housing service provides accommodation for 16–24-year-olds who don’t have a safe or stable place to live.

“Our youth housing is not just about providing accommodation, it’s about providing connection and reconnection to whānau, teaching life skills, helping with employment opportunities and working with our rangatahi to achieve their hopes and dreams for the future,” explains Bianca.

Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation has been a long-term partner of Lifewise and has supported Manaaki Rangatahi with funding. 

Bianca says, “We’ve made great progress from changing the homelessness action plan to make rangatahi a priority, to creating roles within the Ministry of Social Development to specifically address youth homelessness, and we are about to open the first kaupapa Māori youth housing – alongside Ma Te Huruhuru Charitable Trust.” 

“I wish there were more places like Te Rourou, One Aotearoa Foundation, that wanted to fund strategy and have a long-term vision.”

“They’re part of Manaaki Rangatahi, anyone that has a koha into this kaupapa, not just a koha of money, but a koha of spirit and aroha, they’re part of the whānau and we always say, Manaaki Rangatahi for life,” she adds.