POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AOTEAROA (PYDA)

At WFCT, we champion Positive Youth Development (PYD), an approach that helps communities shape programs and support systems so young people can reach their full potential (Pittman).

In May 2021, we partnered with Ōtautahi’s own, The Collaborative Trust to release the second edition of the Positive Youth Development Aotearoa (PYDA) and launch The Youth Development Champions Project (YDC).

These initiatives work together—PYDA provides the framework, while YDC is a range of training sessions and resources that provide practical, empowering guidance, connecting those in roles that impact young people with those who have knowledge and experience in Positive Youth Development.

If you're interested in the training, email hello@championsproject.nz or visit www.championsproject.nz or dig into the full resource by clicking on the cover image below.

A little more about the project.

The Youth Development Champions Project (YDCP) has successfully trained professionals across the motu in the Positive Youth Development Aotearoa (PYDA) framework, and continues to expand it’s reach.

In 2024, we refreshed PYDA and the Champions Project identity to make them clearer, more accessible, and more practical for everyone. The training reaches a wide range of people—regional councils, businesses, parents, teachers, youth workers, and justice departments, to name a few. And as more individuals and organizations get involved, the network of champions keeps growing in exciting and unexpected ways.

The framework emphasises weaving connections through two key outcomes:

  1. Developing the Whole Person and

  2. Developing Connected Communities,

while adopting three key approaches:

  1. Strength-Based,

  2. Respectful Relationships, and

  3. Building Ownership & Empowerment.

From the original book’s conception in 2009, launch in 2011, new edition in 2020 and redesign in 2024, the content in this resource has been supported and contributed to by some of Ōtautahi’s most dedicated youth workers, experts and researchers. This ongoing collaboration and commitment ensure that the PYDA remains a powerful, evolving resource, equipping those who work with young people and make decisions for young people to create meaningful, lasting impact in their communities.