Believe in Potential is dedicated to supporting and empowering at-risk youth throughout Australia. Our mission is grounded in the belief that every young person deserves access to resources and opportunities that foster their potential and enable them to thrive. This is a transformative endeavour that promises significant returns in the form of positive social impact and strengthened communities.
We provide resources, training, and support designed to enhance the capacity of professionals to effectively support at-risk youth.
Comprehensive training programmes
Learn the essential tools required for effective communication, trauma-informed practices, cultural sensitivity, and resilience building for at-risk youth.
A safe and welcoming space
Conselling services designed to help at-risk youth feel valued, understood, and supported on their journey towards healing and empowerment.
Understanding the urgent needs of at-risk youth, we are introducing round-the-clock emergency care minding services across Auckland, available seven days a week. Our dedicated team of trained professionals will be on standby to respond to crisis situations promptly.
Whether it's providing a safe space for a youth experiencing homelessness, offering immediate emotional support during times of distress, or intervening in situations of abuse or neglect, our emergency care minding services aim to be a lifeline for vulnerable youth in their times of greatest need. Our approach prioritizes safety, compassion, and empowerment, ensuring that young people receive the care and support necessary to navigate through crises and access the resources they require for long-term stability and well-being.
Recognising the challenges faced by at-risk youth during transitional periods, such as moving between schools or struggling with truancy, we will implement tailored programmes aimed at providing educational and vocational support. These programmes will focus on building skills, fostering resilience, and empowering young people to navigate these transitions successfully.
In collaboration with schools we will conduct workshops on suicide prevention, aimed at raising awareness, providing support, and building resilience within communities. These workshops will cover topics such as recognising signs of suicide, preventive measures, community approaches, and the role of professionals in prevention efforts.
Mentoring individual and group offered. At Believe in Potential, our mentoring service provides young people with consistent, strengths-based support to help them build confidence, resilience, and life skills. We work alongside each individual to develop positive relationships, achieve personal goals, improve wellbeing, and increase engagement with education, employment, family, and the community. Our mentors provide practical guidance, advocacy, and encouragement in a safe, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed environment, empowering young people to reach their full potential.
The name Talitonu Te Kaha, is taken from both of the Samoan and Māori languages, the translation meaning ‘Believe in potential’. Birgette, along with the majority of youth she has worked with over the years are of Māori and Pacific descent. She felt it was important to recognise both her cultures when creating the name behind this movement.
Supporting our children is at the heart of our mission. Through our specialised training programs for social workers, we aim to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of youth.
Our training emphasises a compassionate and proactive approach, equipping social workers with the tools to address the unique challenges faced by children in today’s complex world. By fostering a deep understanding of youth development, mental health, and community dynamics, our training ensures that social workers are well-equipped to create supportive environments that nurture the growth and well-being of our children.
We believe that investing in the professional development of social workers is a critical step toward building resilient communities and ensuring a brighter future for our youth. Together, we can create a network of skilled and compassionate professionals dedicated to the well-being and success of children, shaping a society where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Supporting our children is at the heart of our mission. Through our specialised training programs for social workers, we aim to empower professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to make a lasting positive impact on the lives of youth.
Our training emphasises a compassionate and proactive approach, equipping social workers with the tools to address the unique challenges faced by children in today’s complex world. By fostering a deep understanding of youth development, mental health, and community dynamics, our training ensures that social workers are well-equipped to create supportive environments that nurture the growth and well-being of our children.
We believe that investing in the professional development of social workers is a critical step toward building resilient communities and ensuring a brighter future for our youth. Together, we can create a network of skilled and compassionate professionals dedicated to the well-being and success of children, shaping a society where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
Our mission is based on the principle that all young individuals should have access to resources and opportunities that empower them to succeed.
Comprehensive Approach
Our workshops offer a comprehensive approach, addressing the diverse needs of social workers, communities, whānau, and professional youth workers. We go beyond traditional training to provide a holistic understanding of social issues and effective strategies for positive change.
Culturally Responsive Training
Our company is committed to delivering culturally responsive training, recognising the importance of cultural diversity in social work and community development. Our workshops incorporate culturally driven practices to better serve our diverse population.
Benefit from workshops led by experienced and knowledgeable facilitators who are experts in their respective fields. Our team includes seasoned social workers, community developers, and youth work professionals, ensuring a high level of expertise in every training session.
Continued Professional Development
Our commitment to lifelong learning extends beyond the workshop. Participants have access to continued professional development resources, ensuring that they stay updated on industry trends and maintain their skills for ongoing success.
Benefit from workshops led by experienced and knowledgeable facilitators who are experts in their respective fields. Our team includes seasoned social workers, community developers, and youth work professionals, ensuring a high level of expertise in every training session.
Continued Professional Development
Our commitment to lifelong learning extends beyond the workshop. Participants have access to continued professional development resources, ensuring that they stay updated on industry trends and maintain their skills for ongoing success.
A special thanks to Birgette McCarthy for her post about the power of turning up and being there to believe in our youth. Birgette and our social workers do great work every day as change agents to our outdated system – change does and will happen at the hands of leaders like Birgette.
Chappie Te Kani Cheif executive Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for children.
You’re amazing B!! Was so heartwarming reading this, you make such incredible impact on these girl’s lives, so proud of all that you do!
Kia ora Birgette,
This is so special! The work you do for these girls is honestly unmatched.
I first met Birgette while serving as the Chief Executive of Oranga Tamariki – the New Zealand Government’s child protection agency. At that time, Birgette was working alongside young women whose lives had been significantly affected by complex social circumstances, including the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Throughout that time, I came to know Birgette as someone with an unwavering belief in the potential of young people. She has a remarkable ability to see strengths where others see barriers and opportunities where others see challenges.
What impressed me most was her willingness to remain alongside young people through difficult circumstances. Building trust with vulnerable young people cannot be rushed, yet Birgette consistently demonstrated the patience, authenticity and commitment needed to establish meaningful relationships that created lasting change.
I have witnessed first-hand Birgette achieve what many would have considered impossible. She has an exceptional ability to connect with young people who have experienced significant adversity and help them rediscover confidence, purpose and belief in themselves. Her work is grounded in genuine care, high expectations and an unwavering commitment to helping young people realise their potential.
Beyond her professional capability, Birgette is simply an outstanding human being. She leads with integrity, compassion and humility, and approaches every interaction with genuine respect for the young people and communities she serves.
I have no hesitation in recommending Birgette for funding. I am confident that any investment in her work will deliver meaningful and lasting benefits for the young people and communities she serves.
I write from the unique perspective of someone who has personally benefited from Birgette’s mentorship as a care-experienced young person. Having a dedicated mentor is critical to the development, wellbeing, and future of young people navigating the often complex and uncertain child welfare system. I know this not only in theory, but through lived experience.
At a time in my life when I felt dangerously lost and vulnerable, Birgette was a light in the darkness. She provided hope when hope felt impossible to find and became a consistent source of encouragement, guidance, and strength. For me, and for many other young people, she has been far more than a mentor she has been a role model whose integrity, compassion, and resilience inspire those around her.
Birgette showed me just how much one person can achieve through determination, kindness, and unwavering commitment. Her example continues to motivate me and gives me the courage to pursue my own goals. No matter how discouraged I felt or how impossible my circumstances seemed, she never gave up on me.
Because of this I have pursed a career in social policy and I am a current advocate for young people in care working in Voyce where I now share the voices of the forgotten ones in care. I never would have been able to achieve this without my mentor Birgette.
She demonstrated that hard work, genuine care, and wisdom are the foundations of success, and through her guidance, I began to believe that success was possible for me too.
One of Birgette’s greatest strengths is the respect and dignity she extends to every person she meets. She treats everyone with kindness, compassion, and understanding, and as a result, she has earned the deep respect of countless young people whose lives have been profoundly and meaningfully changed through her mentorship.
Her enthusiasm and passion for empowering others are truly contagious. In my experience, many people working with young people see their role as a stepping stone in their own careers. Birgette is different. Her passion has always been about helping young people navigate their own stepping stones toward a brighter future. Her commitment is genuine, selfless, and unwavering.I can honestly say that Birgette is one of the hardest-working professionals I have ever known. She is grounded, thoughtful, highly motivated, and deeply committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for the young people she serves. Her work is not simply a profession it is a calling.
For all of these reasons, and many more than I can adequately express in a single letter, I respectfully and wholeheartedly recommend that Birgette McCarthy be given every opportunity to continue her important work
Supporting her is an investment in the lives of countless care-experienced young people whose futures will be brighter because of her dedication.
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