“My life would be so weird without my volunteering and the people that are part of Youthline.”

NATARSHA ORSMAN has made children’s rights and voice a priority in every facet of her life. After taking a paper on youth work while obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Global Studies, Natarsha (Tarsh)’s perception shifted, and things clicked. Learning about inequities amongst youth in Aotearoa opened her eyes, prompting her to focus on amplifying the voices and experiences of young people across the country.

This led her to an internship at Te Puni Kōkiri and subsequently to a career in youth advocacy. Currently, Tarsh is seconded and splits her time between her dream role as Play Advocate at Porirua City Council and Senior Advisor for the Rights, Insights, and Advice team at Mana Mokopuna. Wanting more face-to-face work with young people and to further her advocacy, she joined Youthline Wellington’s Youth Development Programme as a youth development volunteer in 2021 and was a Board Member for over two and a half years. A highlight of her volunteering is delivering the Youth Development Programme (YDP), which gives year 12–13 students a glimpse of what a potential career in youthwork might look like. Once in the programme, up to 25 young people are encouraged to develop skills, cultivate relationships, and gain experiences they may not get within a school context. The curriculum of the programme is broad and covers many pertinent topics such as mental health, peer support, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and youth culture alongside self-reflection and professional development.

Natarsha’s mahi aroha at Youthline Wellington is driven by her desire to be proactive in mental health care: “A real driving force for me was wanting to be part of this preventative mental health movement. That’s something that’s always in the back of my mind.”

On a casual day in the city, you may find Natarsha at Frank Kitts Park on the waterfront, grabbing a bite at her favourite spot, Hide Out, or out on a scenic walk in Whitireia Park. A highly creative individual, she immerses herself in art forms ranging from dancing and acting to upcycling clothes and performing at the World of Wearable Arts (WOW) each year.

“Because I grew up dancing, I love listening to music and dancing on a walk home. I'm walking on and imagining myself on stage.” She values freedom of self-expression and embraces any time she can let her creative side show.

When asked to describe her work in three words, she chooses “Empowering, Emotional, and Energizing” – words that capture her commitment to youth mental health, community, and the transformative power of volunteering. Natarsha finds many aspects of the YDP rewarding, but more specifically, seeing how young people grow into themselves as the program unfolds. “They come in, and they’re so shy and nervous and don’t really want to ask questions, or they feel uncomfortable talking about mental health or issues going on in Wellington. Then you see them evolve into these really confident young people who make relationships with people they wouldn’t have approached before the course.”