Pūtake Nui

Rangatahi Potential

Permission gained for use of image by Te Waiariki Purea Trust

Our challenge is how as a city, can we make sure we’re doing the right things, so rangatahi know who they are and what’s possible to realise their full potential.

Pūtake Nui is initiated from the Rotorua Working Together Forum – a forum of local and central government, social sector initiatives & community.

Each of the 4 Kokonga or ‘corner posts’ work together as ONE. These core principles of the Pūtake Nui approach are:

Rangatahi get the support they need, when they need it – Act Early, Act Together Kokonga

Rangatahi grow up with aspirations for their lives – Rangatahi with Aspirations Kokonga

Rangatahi can flourish in all aspects of their lives – Rangatahi Wellbeing Kokonga

Rangatahi involved in all things rangatahi – Rangatahi Centric Kokonga

For an overview of the Pūtake Nui principles and approach: Pūtake Nui Overview

In Rotorua……

41% children aren’t regularly attending school every day.
The trend is for younger children to stop attending regularly.
Rotorua school roll is 13,600 with 55% being Māori.
Identity and connection are at the heart of wellbeing – too many young people don’t have that feeling.
Many rangatahi have no clear aspirations for their lives & careers.
Of our 10,000 18-24 year olds, 1000 are not earning or learning
Increasing demands for youth mental health & addiction services.

How to get involved:

Many organisations have already come on board, bringing ideas, connections and most importantly a shared passion for making a positive difference for our rangatahi.

Those who can add resources and energy are crucial. We encourage anyone who has contact with youth to think about your role in Pūtake Nui to make sure we’re doing the right mahi for rangatahi to realise their full potential – connect with one or more of the four kokonga.

The commitment. big or small, is open to you and anyone who has a connection with youth. There is no minimum input, just the willingness to help out when and where you can.

If you are committed to helping our young people in Rotorua, however you are able, then you can, and should, make the commitment.

The more who commit to the heart of Pūtake Nui, the more successful the outcome will be for all young people in Rotorua.

Ways to implement a Pūtaki Nui Approach:
Pūtake Nui isn’t an organisation or a service provider – it’s a shared approach to doing things differently together. These are some of the ways you can put a Pūtake Nui approach into action in your work or organisation: Ways to put Pūtake Nui into Practice

To find out more about Pūtake Nui:

Pou Whakapiri

Diana Beattie – 021 0254 9666 – Email: pouwhakapiri@putakenui.org

Collective Steering Group

A Collective Steering Group protects the integrity of the Pūtake Nui kaupapa, and promotes and supports establishment and implementation of the Pūtake Nui approach. Steering Group members are:

Jen Murray – Rotorua Community Youth Centre – Email: CEO@taiohiturama.org.nz

Barbara Mackenzie – The Department of Internal Affairs – Email: barbara.mackenzie@dia.govt.nz

Kiti Ransfield-King – Te Waiariki Purea Trust – Email:kiti@twptnz.org

Dominic Lepa – Ministry of Social Development – Email: Dominic.Lepa001@msd.govt.nz

Nireaha Pirika – Tatau Pounamu – Email: n.pirika@gmail.com

Rose Walker – Oranga Tamariki – Email: rose.walker@ot.govt.nz

Renee Chapman – Ministry of Education – Email: Renee.Chapman@education.govt.nz

Paraone Pirika – Email: paraone@twptnz.org

Youth Voice

A project is underway to give Rotorua rangatahi a voice in decisions that concern them and to increase the valuing and impact of youth voice.

A group of 16 rangatahi aged between 13 – 24 years came together in September to co-create and trial an approach to engage a wide range of Rotorua rangatahi in sharing their voice, thoughts, opinions and stories, using existing digital platforms.

Supporting rangatahi to take the lead in creating and testing the youth voice approach is a team that is highly experienced in supporting rangatahi leadership, with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao Trust and Digital Natives Academy facilitating this collaboration.

To find out more about what’s happening, contact:
Mamaeroa and Te Pae at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao: mmerito@pikiaorunanga.org.nz, tfitzell@pikiaorunanga.org.nz
Nikolasa at Digital Natives Academy: nikolasa@digitalnatives.academy

Aspiration Rotorua – Rangatahi PATH Planning

In collaboration with Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa, Pūtake Nui is building an environment in Rotorua that enables and encourages young people to have aspirations for their lives, through growing a consistent approach that supports all rangatahi to develop individual aspirational plans, by:

Building on an existing foundation of use of the PATH planning tool in Rotorua, we’re providing access to PATH Facilitator Training, so all those who are supporting and working with Rotorua rangatahi can support them to have an aspirational plan.
Creating opportunities to support rangatahi to complete their own PATH aspirational plan.

P.A.T.H. is an acronym for ‘Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope’. The PATH planning tool helps people reflect upon where they currently are, and their aspirations for the future. It is a facilitated graphic planning method that encourages aspirational thinking – fosters hope, and thinking about what is possible. Through their PATH plan mokopuna-tamariki-rangatahi have agency over their own aspirational goal, which has meaning for them. PATH is a process that encourages positive change.

To train as a PATH Facilitator: PATH Facilitator Training
If you would like rangatahi you’re supporting to have an opportunity to create an aspirational plan, email: pouwhakapiri@putakenui.org

Supporting Rangatahi and their Families during COVID-19

Resources for talking about COVID-19 Vaccination: We have collated links to a range of resources to assist you in supporting young people and families to make their decision about COVID-19 vaccination.

Providing Services and Support to Young People during COVID-19: These resources focus on continuing to provide services and support to rangatahi during COVID-19.

What strategies is your organisation developing to make sure young people can keep receiving your services and support when COVID-19 is in the local community? We would like to share ideas and great practice that emerge locally – email to: pouwhakapiri@putakenui.org