Some young people feel like they are being set up to fail in education.
The message was part of feedback received at a Manurewa Youth Council local government session at AUT.
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata presented at the session, where rangatahi laid out their concerns, and says the message was confronting.
“Here’s a group of young people raising concerns around drop-out rates and that they think some schools expect and plan for it, which they see as setting them up to fail,” he says.
“We have many good people in education in Manurewa. Most go well beyond what we might expect of them, but still some of those we spoke with report feeling undervalued. The good news is that they are determined to forge strong futures.”
The board was asked to do more to promote its own work. It already partners with the youth council, providing funding and working with it around the Rangatahi Scholarships programme.
“They’ve told us they expect us as leaders to work with them, particularly around issues that concern young people, which often don’t differ too much from the wider community,” he says.
“They want to feel safe at Southmall, and in school, where they say some students are arming themselves because they feel threatened.”
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata explains what local government is all about.
The local board chair says the board is working with town centre management and will raise the students’ suggestion of a grassroots neighbourhood patrol.
He says it was hard to hear young people say they did not feel invested in.
“Really talking with young people means you have to hear things you might not want to, and more importantly, you have to act on them.
“None of us want our young people turning to drugs and alcohol or getting involved in anti-social behaviour, and they don’t want that either.”
He says he and previous chairs Glenn Murphy and Joseph Allan, who also attended, will take the messages back and seek to address concerns where the local board can play a role.
“We can’t achieve change overnight and we don’t have authority over some of the things raised, but the path to change has to begin with talking and listening to each other.”
What young people raised
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Grants to families for uniforms
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work with youth council more closely
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help stop vaping
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longer library times
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litter - more bins, maintenance
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illegal dumping education
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improve community gardens / spaces
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bring youth and influencers together
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more work experience programmes.
Watch the video below produced for students.
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