PĀNUI
NEWS
Service Overview: Fast-Track Rangatahi Initiative.
06 / 01/ 2026
As we begin 2026, the need for early, coordinated, and culturally grounded responses for rangatahi has never been clearer. Across Aotearoa, services are being challenged to move faster, work better together, and centre whānau in meaningful ways. Fast-Track is one such response - and here in Ōtautahi, it represents a shift toward collective responsibility and early intervention.
Fast-Track was established to support tamariki and rangatahi who come to the attention of Police following serious offending, with a focus on rapid response, cross-agency collaboration, and reducing the likelihood of further harm. Rather than working in silos, Fast-Track brings agencies together quickly to stabilise situations, support whānau, and address the wider drivers impacting rangatahi offending.
As a result, the Government funded the national rollout of the Fast-Track protocol. In May 2023, Oranga Tamariki received funding to establish Fast-Track teams in Hamilton, Christchurch, and Auckland Central, expanding eligibility to include rangatahi aged 14 to 17.
Here in Ōtautahi, the Fast-Track service operates as an interagency response, grounded through collaboration, shared accountability, and a commitment to walking alongside rangatahi and their whānau from the outset.
Key learnings highlighted the importance of local adaptation, acknowledging that while the Fast-Track protocol provides a framework, services must be responsive to community context, kaupapa, and whakapapa. The evaluation reinforced that effective cross-agency mahi relies on collective rangatiratanga, mutual respect, and trust between partners, as well as having the right people around the table with a shared mindset.
At He Waka Tapu, our involvement in Fast-Track reflects our commitment to kaupapa Māori, whānau-led practice, and collective solutions. In Ōtautahi, Fast-Track is not just about managing risk or responding to incidents; it is about understanding context, restoring mana, and supporting rangatahi within their whānau and wider hapori.
Cross-agency collaboration allows kaimahi to respond holistically, recognising that behaviour does not exist in isolation. By working together across sectors, Fast-Track aims to address immediate needs while also supporting longer-term wellbeing pathways.
The evaluation also identified areas for continued strengthening, including the development of standardised data systems, clearer outcomes frameworks, and sustained investment in cross-agency ways of working. These are not challenges unique to Fast-Track, but common across the social sector as we seek to do better by rangatahi and whānau.
Fast-Track reminds us that when we respond early, work together, and hold whānau at the centre, meaningful change is possible.
