WELLINGTON: The New Zealand government has launched an innovative 'LoveBetter' campaign to help youngsters deal with the tough emotions of relationships and break-ups, a Minister said on Wednesday.
LoveBetter will initially support young people through their experience of break-ups, developing positive and life-long attitudes to deal with hurt, said Priyanca Radhakrishnan, associate minister for Social Development and Employment.
The launch of the campaign is part of New Zealand's first-ever national strategy to eliminate family violence and sexual violence, reports Xinhua news agency.
"Over 1, 200 young Kiwis told us they need support to deal with early experiences of love and hurt, and break-ups were identified as a common challenge, " Radhakrishnan said.
"We know that break-ups hurt. We want to support our young people to deal with the hurt and know that there is a way through without harming themselves or others."
She added that by supporting young people through these formative experiences, the government can positively impact how they approach future relationships.
The campaign asks young people to share real stories to help their peers who may be going through similar experiences.
"This is an authentic way to inspire others to build their own strength, self-worth and resilience, " Radhakrishnan said, adding that New Zealand has shameful statistics of family and sexual violence and needs innovative approaches to break the cycle.
This campaign sits alongside work already underway to support young people with healthy boundaries and attitudes to relationships, including the refresh of the school curriculum, she said.