THE GOAL: A skilled, supported and connected youth sector.
Otautahi’s youth sector is championed by a number of individuals and organisations. WFCT supports them to enrich and strengthen the sector through their mahi. Here are some examples…
WFCT has had an ongoing relationship with Rerenga Awa | Canterbury Youth Workers Collective since 2005. Their mahi is all about working towards a well supported, connected and professional youth development sector. The organisation works with individuals and organisations to support their youth development practices, as well as providing training and accountability for those who work directly with young people.
The Collective has been a backbone for multiple projects and organisations that WFCT has worked with and funded including- Strengthening The Youth Sector, Youth Voice Canterbury, the Festival of Youth Development. Want to see what’s going on at Rerenga Awa? Go here.
PYDA
In 2011 WFCT released the Positive Youth Development Aotearoa (PYDA) resource exploring the confluence between the various approaches to PYD documented in local and international literature, with the grass roots experiences of young people and organisations in Aotearoa New Zealand. WFCT worked with The Collaborative Trust and engaged with the sector to release an updated version in 2021.
In accordance with this, the first Youth Development Champions were trained to deliver PYD training to anyone who works with or for young people/whose decisions impact young people (like WFCT). The PYDA/ YDC project is our flagship project.
Interested in this training? Have a look here.
The Canterbury/Waitaha region of 24-7YW serves nearly 25,000 young people in 30 local schools. Like the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust, the network of youth workers want to see young people thrive- loving their high school years, getting the skills and foundations to start strong in their adult lives.
Puāwai
We are proud supporters of Puāwai- a programme developed in 2020 for some of Otautahi’s unique young leaders.
Puāwai is focused on inclusion of a diverse range of rangatahi, young people from Māori, Pasifika, Muslim, disability and rainbow communities.
These rangatahi are organic leaders in their own right yet they haven’t had leadership development opportunities or any acknowledgement of the leadership they show in their whānau, school and community groups. Puāwai provides the forum to grow their skills and experience, connecting them with a unique community of peers and links to the wider community. Have a look here to find out more about Puāwai.