In August we had our third Community of Practice hui for the year and we focussed on the role of whenua in youth development practice.
What are the Community of Practice hui about?
A Community of Practice (CoP) can take on many shapes and structures. At its core, it is a group of people who share a common interest, working together to develop and grow both individually and as a collective. Learn more here.
The Role of Whenua in Youth Development Practice
The first outcome of the Positive Youth Development in Aotearoa (PYDA) framework is Developing the Whole Person. This outcome acknowledges that supporting young people in a way that nurtures their holistic development also strengthens their positive identity. For Māori, identity is deeply interconnected with collective elements—whānau, whakapapa, and whenua (land).
In our August hui, we explored how whenua plays a significant role in youth development practice.
Reflective Questions: Connecting Practice to Whenua
Participants at our hui engaged with several reflective questions to consider the role of whenua in their practice:
- How do you currently use whenua in your work with young people?
- What are your obligations when considering the history of the land you live on?
(See the Ngāi Tahu Story video we watched here, and Kā Huru Manu, the Ngāi Tahu Cultural Mapping Project, for further context.) - What value do stories about the area where you live bring to your practice?
(See the He Kōrero episode we viewed prior to answering this question.) - How could you enhance the connection to whenua for yourself, your young people, and your organization?
These questions sparked deep reflection, encouraging participants to think about the historical, cultural, and personal significance of the land in their work. The feedback from participants was that these questions gently challenged them to examine their practice and required them to consider how to do this better.
From a facilitators perspective, it was great to see participants engage so genuinely and openly. We saw a great depth of conversation and a willingness to hear from colleagues about their practice. Many participants reflected on how understanding the history of the land they work on and being asked how they would bring that into their practice emphasised their responsibility to their young people to honour the whenua overtly in their work.
Participant-Led Discussions
After some nourishing kai, ocean views, and time to connect with peers, we dove into participant-led discussions. This part of the hui offers a platform for anyone to bring forward practice-related questions and tap into the collective wisdom of the group. Participants then choose which discussion topic resonates most with them.
This time our discussion topics were:
- Encouraging political dialogue: How can we foster political discussions among young people without creating division? How can we help them navigate and respect differing views?
- Youth residences and updates on the Youth Hub: Sharing learnings and advice on best practices for youth residences, and Sue Bagshaw updated everyone on the Youth Hub.
- Communication tools: Exploring practical tools and strategies for better communication with young people and volunteers.
- Whenua and whānau: A deeper dive into how connecting with whenua can support not only the individual young person but also their wider whānau.
The feedback from participants is how valuable these discussions were and how useful it is to have a space to discuss topical issues with colleagues from other agencies.
Our next Community of Practice hui will focus on the The Role of Whakapapa in Youth Development Practice – hope to see you there!
Register here
