For the first time, young people living at youth justice residence Te Puna Wai ō Tuhinapo have been able to opt in to a kura kaupapa, a fully immersed Māori language school.
Seven in every 10 children there are Māori, so there's an opportunity to learn Te Reo and get involved in cultural activities. They say this connection to who they are is changing their lives for good.
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Residential youth worker Kai-Shay Tipene says it took a while to get them in line.
"Where they are now, it's just beautiful to see."
Now they're trying to get back on track, and the introduction of kura kaupapa and kapa haka is playing a big part in that.
Resident manager Russ Caldwell says you get the whole package when you learn Māori language and culture.
"It gives them a toolkit, essentially, to think about the way forward and their own potential and their own abilities in a positive sense."
Inside the classroom, students are working on their unit standards helping them achieve NCEA Level 1 - another part of the process to help these teenagers succeed.
"It makes me feel like I'm at home. It makes me feel like when I'm speaking Māori, my ancestors are on my shoulders," says one student.
This week they're celebrating Māori Language Week by preparing and cooking a boil-up - a treat for the progress they've shown in their studies.
"Thank you very much you guys for the hard work you've put in for the last four weeks," says Mr Tipene. "I'm real proud of you."
Newshub.
