Engaging Youth Voice - Resources, Tools, and Reports
As well as connecting with existing youth voice initiatives, advisory groups, and councils, there are a number of easily accessible resources, tools, and reports you can use to support youth voice.
Mana Taiohi – youth development principle-based framework (Ara Taiohi)
A principle-based framework for people who work with young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, informed by the voices of young people and people who work with young people, Aotearoa-based literature into positive youth development, and a Te Ao Māori worldview.
Ngā Tikanga Whānaketanga – He Arotake Tuhinga (Ara Taiohi)
A multidisciplinary synthesis of contemporary Aotearoa New Zealand research on youth development and wellbeing, as part of a broader review of the Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa (2002).
Te Tūhonotanga ki Te Hunga Māori He rauemi hei hapai ngā kaimahi o Te Taiao ā Toi – Engaging with Māori: a guide for staff of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Bay of Plenty Regional Council)
A Māori engagement guide for staff of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council that provides a range of tools and advice, with the aim to ensure that engagement is meaningful and leads to positive outcomes for Māori, Council, and the wider community.
Engagement with children and young people: Best practice guidelines (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet)
Best practice guidelines designed to support people in the public sector as they seek to hear and empower the views and voices of children and young people.
Freechild Institute Tools (Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement)
Various toolkits and information pages for people working for or in youth voice, youth engagement, youth empowerment, youth leadership, youth/adult partnerships, or other related areas.
Te Tapatoru: a model of whanaungatanga to support rangatahi wellbeing (Logan Hamley, Jade Le Grice, Lara Greaves, Shiloh Groot, Cinnamon Lindsay Latimer, Larissa Renfrew, Hineatua Parkinson, Ashlea Gillon and Terryann C. Clark)
A research paper outlining a model of whanaungatanga based on the experiences and insights of 51 rangatahi.
Ethical considerations in social research with children and young people (Malatest International)
A research paper intended to inform discussion about what researchers should consider when planning social research and evaluation with children and young people.
Yavu – Foundations for Pacific Engagement (Ministry for Pacific Peoples – Te Manatū mō ngā iwi ō Te Moana-Nui-ā-Kiwa)
An engagement guide for anyone who works in local and central government, or the private sector, who engages with Pacific communities. The guide also includes specific information on engaging with Pacific young people, Pacific Rainbow+ people, Pacific disabled people, and Pacific people online.
Child Impact Assessment Tool (Ministry of Social Development (MSD) – Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora)
An assessment tool to help government and non-government organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand to assess whether policy proposals will improve the wellbeing of children and young people.
The Youth Health and Wellbeing Survey – What About Me? (Ministry of Social Development (MSD) – Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora)
A survey of 7,209 young people years 9 to 12 in their schools during 2021, with an additional 502 survey responses from youth of the same age completed in their communities (e.g. at alternative education), capturing data and insights to inform decisions and policies to support youth wellbeing.
Various Youth Engagement and Youth Voice Resources (Ministry of Youth Development – Te Manatū Whakahiato Taiohi)
The Resources and Reports page for MYD, which includes links to youth engagement resources, guides for getting your voice heard as a young person, research reports, and other useful tools.
Listening to the voices of children with disabilities (Office for Disability Issues – Te Tari Mō Ngā Take Hauātanga)
A report that considers how the perspectives of disabled children can be taken into account in the development of the policy and law that affects them.
Disability Toolkit for Policy (Office for Disability Issues – Te Tari Mō Ngā Take Hauātanga)
A disability analysis tool to help policy practitioners explore policies through the inclusion of a disability lens as they move through the policy process.
Checklist before you start your engagement (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
A checklist for adults planning to or thinking about engaging with mokopuna.
Child and Youth Engagement Toolkit (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
A toolkit for adults to support children and young people to have their say on the development of the Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy (2019).
Consent form exemplar (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
An example consent form for anyone considering engaging with children.
Examples of fun activities (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
Various activity-based ideas for engaging with mokopuna.
Mai World: Child and Youth Voices (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
A project that listens to, engages with, and amplifies the voices of mokopuna to share them with decision-makers.
Planning Guide (Office of the Children’s Commissioner)
A planning guide intended as a starting point to guide the user through some key steps when planning an engagement with children.
Guidelines for engagement with Māori (Te Arawhiti)
Guidelines to support effective engagement with Māori, including advice on how government and non-government organisations can decide who they need to engage with, how to engage, and how to develop an effective engagement strategy.
The Youth2000 Survey Series (Various universities)
Beginning in 1999, the Youth2000 series has included over 36,000 young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, with findings used widely to inform policy and practice. The latest in the Youth2000 series is the Youth19 Rangatahi Smart Survey (Youth19), which combines core Youth2000 questions with a new focus on youth wellbeing.
Kia Tika, Kia Pono – Honouring Truths (Voyce Whakarongo Mai)
An ethical framework to guide engagement with tamariki and young people who are care experienced (who currently or at some stage in their lives have been in foster or residential care).
Te Tuāpapa Whakawhanake Rangatahi – Youth Engagement Framework (Wellington City Youth Council)
A youth engagement framework written with the aim of increasing youth engagement with local government in Wellington.
Code of Ethical Practice (Youth Affairs Council Victoria)
An ethical code for people working in the youth sector in Victoria, Australia.