Whaingaroa Youthwork Collective Nga Whakaruruhau Mahuri
Over the last few months, the collective has been busy hosting youth events and workshops, as well as undertaking community research to understand the needs and aspirations of our young people.
The Youthwork Collective engaged and supported Olivia Dean-Chambers to use her skills and local connections to carry out the research over a three-month period. Olivia is a young woman who grew up in Raglan and recently completed her Poutu Manahau Population Health degree at Waikato Uni.
During those three months, Olivia gathered data using various methods, including interviews with community members, direct discussions with local youth, and surveys distributed to youth at Raglan Area School, homeschoolers, and those commuting to Hamilton for high school. Her deep roots in the Whāingaroa community enabled open and honest conversations, providing a thorough understanding of the challenges and aspirations of local youth. The surveys received 137 responses from youth, 45 from the community, and 7 from local organisations working with youth.
This research will guide the collective and provide key information to help us secure funding for a youth coordinator/worker for Whaingaroa. We will share more of the research and findings with the community soon. If you are interested in the research in the meantime, please contact Gabrielle Parson at [email protected].
