Everyone knows that relationships are important.
But what makes a good relationship and how do we make sure it happens every time?
This website helps answer these questions.
Youthsay brings together knowledge from Aotearoa and around the world that has been proven to help kaimahi build strong, effective relationships with rangatahi. Behind Youthsay are kaimahi, organisations and researchers who are passionate about making a positive difference for rangatahi.
You can make contact with the people who are developing the three relational practice frameworks you can find through this site (Tōu Ake Mana, PARTH and Moana) here info@youthsay.co.nz.
The resources on this site have been created by researchers and kaimahi in Aotearoa to support the use of positive relational practices. You are welcome to download them to use individually, in your teams and in supervision/coaching/critical reflection, you should acknowledge them when you do this. You may not change them or use them to develop your own external training, or for commercial purposes (e.g by charging a fee). This site by J. Sanders, R. Munford, J. Webster, J. Mercier, D. Abbott & L. Liebenberg is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
You can find out more about PARTH training by emailing info@youthsay.co.nz or by using the contact page.
Our Origins
Youthsay started from a research partnership between Professors Robyn Munford and Jackie Sanders, social work and community researchers at Massey University, and community organisations.
Our research, which was funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MAUX0801, 0901) started in 2008 with 1494 rangatahi from across the motu. For the next 8 years we followed 593 rangatahi and the adults who were supporting them – kaimahi, whānau and friends.
We used surveys, interviews and case files to find out about their experiences.
Each rangatahi came with their own unique circumstances, their own identity, their whānau and those important to them, their whakapapa, values, gender, sexuality and culture. They were also part of neighbourhoods and communities and influenced by the structures and systems around them, such as what was available in the community, but also wider level structures like attitudes to rangatahi, policies and government decisions. The ongoing impacts of colonisation, of experiences of migration and of the structural barriers faced by many rangatahi, their whānau and communities could be clearly seen in the data. These background experiences shaped possibilties for them and kaimahi needed to work with these impacts as they provided support.
In the research, we learned that what made the most difference for them was a strong relationship with a kaimahi who genuinely understood them, their needs, and who stuck with them even when it was hard. These kaimahi worked hard to make positive things happen.
It didn’t matter what type of service or profession they were from. Even when there were lots of challenges and risks, if one kaimahi stayed steady, rangatahi did better. This type of mahi that prioritises relationships is called relationship-based practice or RBP.
Relationship-based practice is a way of doing our mahi that puts priority on building a strong, positive relationship. It is about putting rangatahi at the centre of our focus, being respectful and listening carefully to what rangatahi tell us. It is also about keeping our word, not promising what we can’t deliver and providing opportunities for rangatahi to make choices and decisions.
Research shows that a strong relationship with at least one supportive kaimahi who sticks with rangatahi and makes positive things happen is a key way of building resilience and creating positive change. This type of practice always involves rangatahi throughout the process. These sorts of respectful and empowering relationships fit with positive youth development approaches. Right here in Aotearoa, our research found that relationally oriented service delivery had a bigger impact on change than increasing the number of services provided to rangatahi.
But doesn’t everyone just do this every day? All kaimahi can adopt positive relational practices and many do. However, the Youthsay research showed that while these positive relational practices had a big impact on positive outcomes, most of the time rangatahi didn’t experience their kaimahi in these ways. Those who did have a positive relationship said they felt lucky which suggests that it is not always easy for kaimahi to prioritise the relationship. The resources in this website help focus on the relationship. They have been informed by research and developed and tested by local kiamahi.
Once we finished the research, we took what rangatahi told us and worked with kaimahi to create the three frameworks, Tōu Ake Mana, PARTH and Moana, to support good relationship-based practice (RBP, or relational practice). The three frameworks are different ways of thinking about how to build and sustain change-ful relationships with rangatahi and other tāngata you work with. They can be used individually or together and you can combine them with the other models of practice you use as well as the skills and wisdom you bring to your mahi everyday.
The relational resources for change tohu represents the many pathways and journeys of kaimahi. It reflects practice examples and needs. Each koru within the tohu signifies the growth and development of kaimahi. The koru are connected to the main pathway, yet each journey is separate and unique to itself. Along the way others join our journey, bringing with them their own skill set, knowledge and experiences, contributing to that of the kaimahi. The top and base of the tohu demonstrate the ability to tautoko and manaaki each other. The tohu symbolises how kaimahi can bring balance to their practice by creating safe spaces that hold meaningful opportunities for engagement with rangatahi. The tohu was gifted to our project by Aria Webster-Pahina and we thank her for her creativity and skill in capturing the essence of our project.
We thank Aria Pahina-Webster for the design of this tohu and for the thought and creativity that went into its design.
Whakatauāki
Whāia to huanui kia toa
Pursue your pathway to success
This whakatauākī speaks to searching out your pathways for success, to be victorious. It encourages you to consider the skills, knowledge, and networks of a warrior and adopt the resources you require to achieve. These successes are determined by you, the kaimahi. The whakatauāki can also be used to encourage rangatahi you work with to dream and set goals for their future.
This whakatauākī was gifted by Megan Potiki and we thank her for her generosity and her insight in understanding the goals of the research.
Acknowledgements
We thank MBIE for funding the research that created these resources (MAUX2006). We also acknowledge all the rangatahi, their supporters and kaimahi who have contributed to the research since 2008. Many organisations have also supported the research:
- Te Aroha Noa Community Services
- Rūnanga Rangitāne ki Wairarapa
- Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring Services (TYMS)
- Te Tautoko o Nga Rangatahi (INNOV8)
- The Launch Programme at Dingwall Trust
- Te Hauora Rūnanga o Wairarapa
- The Launch Programme at Dingwall Trust
- Highbury Whanau Centre
- Te Hou Ora Whanau Services
- VIBE The Hutt Valley Youth Health Trust
- Reconnect Family Services
- Kapiti Youth Support (KYS)
And these organisations supported the successful Youth Transitions Research and Pathways to Resilience study, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MAUX0801, 0901), and which informed the development of Tōu Ake Mana, PARTH and Moana:
| YMCA Palmerston North | YOSS Palmerston North | Adventure Development Ltd |
| Mt Cargill Trust | London House Learning Centre | Te Hou Ora Whanau Services |
| Mirror Services Whakāta Tohu | Kokiri Training Centre | Corstorphine Baptist Community Trust |
| Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works YouthGrow and Buddy Programme | Presbyterian Support Upper South Island, Christchurch | Cafe for Youth Health Taupo |
| Best Training | Glenfield AOG youth | Otago Youth Wellness Trust |
| 2 Much YDP | South Pacific Academy | YMCA Wellington |
| Challenge 2000 | City Mission | EVOLVE |
| Mission for Youth | BGI | Porirua Alt School |
| TYLA | Wellington Activity Centre | Porirua Activity Centre |
| Strengthening Families | 198 Youth Health | The Collaborative |
| Start Youth Transitions Palmerston North | Kapiti Youth Support (KYS) | Te Aroha Noa Community Services |
| Youthlink South | VIBE | Dingwall Trust |
| National Youth Workers Network Aotearoa | Genesis Project | Martin Hautus Institute |
| AIMHI Alternative Education Consortium | Auckland Central Alternative Education Consortium | Aotea College |
| QEC College PN | St Patricks Town School | Awatapu College |
| St Peters College PN | Strive Trust | Kings College |
| Wellington Girls College | Youthline | Highbury Whānau Centre |
| Bluelight | Camelia House | Ara Taiohi |
And finally, a big thank you to Mark Wilkinson of BMR Creative, and Blake Pemberton of myPixel for their amazing cleverness, their skills, their creativity and professionalism. These guys put a huge amount of effort into designing and building our beautiful website. If you need very clever designers and web-builders, check them out!
