Whakapapa - Mana Taiohi
Here is how Mana Taiohi came to be. We acknowledge the many voices and hands who helped to shape the principles and those who continue to give them life and meaning.
Context
The Youth Development Principles of Aotearoa (Mana Taiohi) inform the wider ecosystem that supports young people in Aotearoa to thrive. They are the result of a review of the principles of youth development previously expressed in the Youth Development Strategy of Aotearoa (2002)
Sector Engagement and Research
Many threads were woven to make the Mana Taiohi framework. We embarked on a journey of engagement and review to ensure the final principles reflect the rich cultural heritage of Aotearoa and the current youth development sector.
The Kete Kupenga framework was used to consider the information gathered. It featured a loose diamond weave that starts simply and develops into an intricate knot where double strands meet.
The four double strands feeding into the knot represent components of intersectional youth development: te Ao Māori (Māori world), taiohi (young people), kaimahi (workers: people who work with young people, including a Pacific fono) and mātauranga (knowledge, research). The knots themselves represent key points of whakapapa in those intersections such as events or publications. The space between the weave represents wairua, time and place.
In order to encompass the range of contributions for the Arotake (review) of the YDSA, and to reflect calls for a kaupapa Māori and Treaty-based concept, a Māori framework was developed.
Taiohi
Kaimahi
Te Ao Māori
Pasifika fono
Sector Review
Literature Review
The collective voices of over 1,000 young people were gathered and collated into two reports, Ngā Kōrero Hauora o Ngā Taiohi and Strengthening The Youth Development Strategy.
We heard from over 600 youth development practitioners, including coming together over 10 regional hui: Kaimahi Voice - The Voice of Practitioners
This report captures the voice of Ngā Kaihoe (through wānaga around the motu) with a te ao Māori lens on the principles of the YDSA: Ngā Whakaaro Ngā Kaimahi Māori
A Pasifika fono reviewing the YDSA led to this report: Pasifika Review
A report by the Centre for Social Impact mapped the context of the youth development ecosystem in Aotearoa: The Youth Development Ecosystem
An Aotearoa-based literature review: He Arotake Tuhinga
The Outcome
All of the above feedback was collated and reviewed by a focus group, as well as receiving linguistic advice from a translator accredited by the Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori | Māori Language Commission.
Over 100 kaimahi participated in a survey, providing feedback on the draft principles. Feedback was summarised and reported to the focus group, then designed and printed.
We launched the new look principles, now referred to as Mana Taiohi, at our AGM on 22 October 2019.