'When you do good, you feel good': Youth initiative harnesses power of creativity

“It’s in the name.”

That’s how Moses Taufa explains why Do Good Feel Good (DGFG) is such a great initiative for South Auckland young people to get involved with.

“When you do good, you feel good and they gave an opportunity and it's definitely given me more confidence.”

The Papatoetoe resident got involved with the youth-led social change initiative two months ago through a work-ready programme at The Cause Collective and he’s already noticed a difference.

“When I first came to Do Good Feel Good I felt uncomfortable but over time you gain more confidence, " he says, speaking at DGFG’s Creative Slam at the Māngere Arts Centre last Friday.

​The dance workshop at the Do Good Feel Good Creative Slam. Photo/PMN News/Candice Ama

​Another attendee Krysla Tagomoa says the dance workshops were her favourite part the event.

“I dance in my room [at home] so it was good to dance in a big space and have that off-stage/ on-stage experience,” says the Ōtāhuhu resident.

“Since Covid, everyone’s lost on their phones so this was a perfect chance to experience a lot of different things and South Auckland is one of those creative hubs that doesn’t always get to experience workshops like these.”

Mele Tapueluelu is youth mobiliser at The Cause Collective (TCC) which helps to run or backbone Do Good Feel Good. She says DGFG began eight years ago in Māngere as a way to help young people find their own solutions to their community's challenges, and it’s now grown across the region, with over 100 members and groups in Ōtāhuhu, Papatoetoe, Ōtara, Manurewa and Wiri.

“The system can say what health and wellbeing is but it can look a bit different to [our young people] … so we adapt to that in our programmes, activities and activations.

“And moving forward it’s how we provide safe spaces and tools to our young people to build their confidence in leadership and give them opportunities to really lead in what they want to pursue.”

Maasi Louise Niutoelau Heka is another youth mobiliser at TCC. She sees DGFG as playing a key role in developing South Auckland’s future leaders.

“I joined DGFG back in 2018 through a mutual friend at McAuley high school and it has equipped me with leadership skills … [and because] the system doesn’t cater to the needs of our young people, DGFG can be a step forward in terms of preparing the youth of tomorrow as well.”

As Tagomoa says, the key is that it’s led by youth for youth.

“The important thing for me to join, as I was kinda sick of listening to adults controlling you in a way - so this was a space for me to get my own thoughts and words out in a safe space and it helped me branch out to other things.”

Click here​ for more information on joining Do Good Feel Good