Lily-Rose’s story

The Iosis Whānau Centre has not only helped Lily-Rose get clean, it has enabled her to keep her child and look forward to a better, happier life for her and her daughter.

Sadly, Lily-Rose will be the last mother to graduate from the Iosis Whānau Centre, before it closes its doors after 40 years, due to the termination of our government contract this year. Now 22 years of age, Lily-Rose has a four-year-old daughter. She grew up on Waiheke Island and became pregnant at just 17 years while she was still in Year 11 at school. During school, she smoked weed regularly and before long, progressed to taking meth at the weekends. Her boyfriend, who was 33 years old, was also doing weed and meth. “I had a pretty stable family life, and I was really terrified of telling my parents I was pregnant,” she reflects. While her parents were worried for her when she told them about her pregnancy, she says they’ve always been supportive. Lily smoked weed at times while she was pregnant; however, she found having a newborn baby a struggle and she began to do meth more and more often. Her partner’s parents were concerned and called Oranga Tamariki, who granted them temporary custody of her baby, Raven. Lily-Rose says that during this time her partner was having his own issues – as well as being addicted to meth, he had been diagnosed as being bi-polar. Oranga Tamariki advised Lily-Rose that, unless she undertook a residential programme like the Iosis Whānau Centre, she would lose her daughter. “I was distraught, and it made me realise that I needed to make changes in my life, or I would lose Raven permanently,” she says. Lily-Rose entered the programme in July last year. She says she was high on meth when she arrived and immediately went into detox. She has completed two addiction programmes, now attends NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and is clean. “It was so hard when I first arrived,” she says. “I was an addict and also really scared, but you soon realise that the staff are there to help you, not judge you.” Once she had finished the detox, Lily-Rose undertook several of the programmes offered by the Centre. “The Women of Worth programme was really enlightening, and I feel much more confident and surer of myself than when I arrived,” she reports. She has also found comfort and support in the devotions each morning and has made a pact to continue doing these when she returns home. “The personal learning at the Centre is great, but it’s the people who make the biggest difference,” says Lily-Rose. “They only want what’s best for you and your child and having that encouragement to overcome challenges is life-changing.” “It’s so sad that the Iosis Whānau Centre is closing” Lily-Rose is now engaged to her partner and looking forward to returning to her home on Waiheke Island. She encourages other young mums in her position to find help to change their situation. “It’s so sad that the Iosis Whānau Centre is closing,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to going home but I’m also sad to be leaving everyone – they have played such a pivotal part in my journey, and I’m going to miss them.” She says she is also sad that other mums won’t have this opportunity to change for the sake of their kids. “I’ve benefited so much from being here and know others would. I’ve learnt that there is never a success story for an addict. Everyone falls over eventually, so get help before you fall for your own sake – and for your child, because they need you.”

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