18552 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children

18552 (2026). Hon Willow-Jean Prime to the Minister for Children: Further to 58942 (2025), if any mentors have been contracted as part of Oranga Tamariki's second Military-Style Academy, how, if at all, are they engaging with the participants during time spent in residence?

Hon Karen Chhour: I am advised that at this stage of the second Military-Style Academy (MSA) programme, no mentors have been contracted. Any mentors for the young people participating in the second MSA programme will be engaged later during the residence phase, before the community phase when their role will begin. Taking lessons learned from the MSA Pilot programme, the use of mentors for some or all of the young people will be tailored and based on individual needs. Mentors will perform a similar role as they did on the Pilot programme when the community stage begins, with support aligned to the community plan for each young person.