Running with Jo Ryder
“Children are our future,” sang Whitney Houston. “Teach them well, and let them lead the way…” Among those helping teach Christchurch’s young people so they can look forward to a better future is Police Youth Services officer Jo Ryder, as Metropol Editor Lynda Papesch explains.
Mother, mentor, and enthusiastic runner all describe Jo Ryder. Add to that professional athlete, dedicated policewoman, and trailblazer, and the picture starts to fill out.
A former professional triathlete and member of the New Zealand Youth Development Cycling Team, Jo graduated from police training in 2007, after an early career as a primary school teacher.
While teaching, she realised a lot of students she was working with were exhibiting behavioural challenges. “I wanted to be able to help prevent children and young people from becoming the victims of harm, or perpetrators of crime, and help build their futures to be brighter.”
Her solution was to initially join the police, then become the founder of Trailblazers Aotearoa. In preparation for the physical competency test for joining the Police, Jo switched from cycling to long-distance running, and in doing so discovered a sport good for the body and the soul, for physical and mental development.
Her achievements in Ironman competitions and marathons are testament to Jo’s dedication and determination to being the best she can be; a skill and mind-set she’s now passing forward, via her police work and Trailblazers. The latter is a volunteer-led initiative that uses physical activity and trail running as a vehicle for young people to overcome the impact of adversity, founded after Jo also experienced significant thought-provoking interactions with young people in schools through her work as a police officer.
“I realised that the positive effects of physical activity and trail running in particular had tangible benefits to the rangatahi in this country. The programme curriculum is designed based on neurobiology and traumatology.”
The focus of Trailblazers is on healing and building resilience to stress. “Too many children are excluded from groups due to challenges and barriers beyond their control,” explains Jo. “In my role as a police officer, and my life as a mother of a child with disabilities, I have seen too many children fail to thrive because they have been inadequately supported to participate in group activities.
“Sport is not, in general terms, always designed to heal and able to support children impacted by trauma and adversity. The programme [Trailblazers] really seemed to work so I was driven to establish it as a charity so that we can be sustainable and positively impact more children.”
While Jo is currently a Youth Aid Officer, in the New Year she will be returning to the role of School Community Officer. Both roles involve working with children and young people who offend, or are at risk of offending, with a focus on helping prevent both harm and offending through early intervention initiatives and positive engagement.
“The aim [of Police Youth Services] is to try to keep young people out of court and take the least punitive approach,” says Jo. “We hold them to account, and respect the victim’s views on the matters, but unless public interest requires otherwise, if we can, we use alternative means of dealing with the matter. “A lot of the work is collaborating with the young person and their whanau, and learning what the underlying factors may be that are contributing toward their offending. We then put together a bit of a plan to both “right the wrong” and build some protective factors to prevent further offending, and improve overall outcomes for the young person and their whanau.” Each day and each response can be quite different, she adds. “I’ve taken young people indoor climbing, out to the SPCA and out picking up rubbish. The key at the end of it all is positive engagement.
Most young people that come to police attention have experienced trauma and so I do my best to put things in place that help reverse the impact of that.” Trailblazers is still an important part of her life. “I develop the term plan and bring the new participants on board. I lead or co-lead the weekly sessions.
“I try and ensure the sessions are always inclusive and that they holistically develop each participant, including our adult volunteers who also benefit from the positive vibe and connections.”
A parent of children with disabilities, Jo understands first hand, just how hard it can be for children and their families to find groups that can support their diverse needs. “I love it when we get a new participant that may have struggled to successfully engage in a group, and then see them shine with us. I love seeing the kids making friends and chatting away to their mentors/volunteers,” she laughs.
Get-togethers are also a chance for participants’ caregivers to get a break, and/or chat with other parents. “It’s not really about the running, although when we are up in the trails, it’s so cool to see them having a blast and enjoying the view, and seeing the self-regulation that comes from running.”
Why are young people so important to Jo? “We are not all dealt the same cards in life and in some instances, families need a little more support than others at times in their lives,” she adds. “It’s important that we help those that are yet unable to help themselves, this being our tamariki and rangatahi. If we focus on this, we will grow a brighter future for all.”
Jo finishes by referencing a Māori Proverb:
He aha te mea nui o te ao
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people
Trailblazers is always on the lookout for volunteers, and you don’t need to be able to run. Reach out to:
aotearoa.trailblazers@gmail.com, visit trailblazers.org.nz, or facebook.com/TrailblazersAotearoa
