Profile: Anthony Streeter

Manager, Lifepaths Charitable Trust

Tell us what you do on a daily or weekly basis?

Lifepaths Charitable Trust is the New Zealand licensee for the FRIENDS programmes.

FRIENDS is an acronym for: Feelings, Remember to relax, I can do it! I can try my best! Explore solutions and coping step plans, Now reward myself! I've done my best! Don't forget to practise! Smile! Stay calm for life!

The programmes are created to assist children and young people build resilience, confidence and self-esteem, and to learn important skills and techniques to cope with feelings of fear, worry and depression. FRIENDS teaches cognitive, behavioural and emotional skills in a simple, structured format.

As the national manager of Lifepaths, I currently look after all aspects of the programmes' promotion and training. This means I answer all enquiries from educators, health care professionals and parents, and work to organise one-day training sessions so that people can be taught how to lead the programmes themselves.

I am currently looking for suitable partners around the country who will promote the programmes and organise the training of group leaders in their region.

In your own words - what is a mental health promoter?

A mental health promoter is someone who understands the role mental and emotional wellbeing plays in all our lives, and who wants others to understand the importance of that and help them build the skills to cope with life's ups and downs.

How would you describe the work that you do?

My work helps people understand anxiety and the importance of emotional resilience - which is awesome!

Having those people equipped to deliver the FRIENDS programmes to our young people, so they in turn can be resilient and cope with everything a modern world throws at them is even more awesome.

I do not think there is anything more useful for a young person than resilience. If they have the skills and ability to cope with stressful situations they may be faced with, then they are able to deal with physical health issues, financial issues, relationship issues etc.

Tell us about your career so far - what did you do before your current role?

I was born and raised in Christchurch and recently moved back into the same street I lived in for 18 years.

Before joining Lifepaths, I spent five years in London where I worked in business development for a large events company. This was very corporate and helped me build the confidence I need to approach people who've not thought about the importance of building resilience in young people, and talk to them about the FRIENDS programmes.

Before London, I worked in ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) in Japan, Christchurch and Auckland. I moved from teaching to academic management and on to marketing manager at the age of 25.

The mental health promotion achievements I am most proud of are...

I was very proud of the first FRIENDS for Life Training day I put together. I felt great. It was very motivating for me and now I am head-first into organising multiple dates around New Zealand.

What is the most rewarding aspect to working in mental health promotion?

It is extremely rewarding to hear how young people - who had been very anxious and scared of certain thing, who were suffering at the hands of bullies or were themselves bullying others - are now coping better with life and feel confident about today and tomorrow.

What are the biggest challenges about working in mental health promotion and in your role?

I have found it challenging to understand the landscape in which I now work. My role bridges the health and education sectors. Both have many organisations doing great things and it is taking me time to understand who these groups are and how Lifepaths can work with them to promote resilience in New Zealand children and young people.

What motivates you to work in mental health promotion?

What motivates me is a determination to ensure young people grow up to be awesome people.

I see so many young people now who are afraid to give things a go. They would much rather not try something than run the risk of failure. This is no good. What kind of life do we want for our children?

Don't we want them to meet interesting people, try different foods, learn another language or ride a bike - rather than seeing them stay under the radar of everyone and live a dull and fearful life?

If we do want them to grow up to be awesome people then we need to give them the skills to do so. At the core of those skills are mental wellbeing and emotional resilience.

What is your most treasured possession?

Apart from my own mental wellbeing, my most treasured possession is my tenpin bowling ball. A few years back I was really enjoying going bowling with friends in London. For my birthday they all collaborated to buy me this 151b, eye-catching ball with a green and blue swirl design. It is unique and reminds me of the fantastic friends I have and all the good times we enjoyed together at the bowling alley.

What is your ideal Saturday?

In no particular order or combination, my ideal Saturday involves coffee, yummy breakfast, tennis or golf, working on my house, gardening and spending time with friends and family.

What is the best advice you were ever given?

That listening is twice as important as speaking and that is why we have two ears and just one mouth.

For more information

Contact Anthony Streeter, Manager, Lifepaths Charitable Trust ph: 03 3820 233, mob: 022 6543 812 or email: anthony@lifepaths.org.nz
Website: www.lifepaths.org.nz