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Sharing Hope

Co-creating understandings of what gives young people hope

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This Collaborative Trust project investigated what gives young people hope and how hope can be fostered. The study recruited young people to be participant researchers and co-create a qualitative pilot study using Participatory Action Research methods. The project enabled an exploration of young people’s understandings of hope and how these can be used to inform and support the healthy development of young people.

Summary of the Results

Our youth-led research, with the generous support from The Oakley Foundation, explored the concept of hope, what it means for rangatahi, what builds feelings of hope, and what gets in the way of feeling hopeful. We asked young people how we can help them feel more hopeful.

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Young people do better in life when they feel a sense of hope – when they have a future focus and faith in their future and that of the people close to them, the wider community, or their environment. Hope motivates and gives rangatahi a sense of purpose.

It is easier for rangatahi to feel a sense of hope when they:

  • Have access to the financial resources and opportunities needed to support their hopes

  • Are aware of their mental and physical health and understand the needs of their hauora / wellbeing

  • Have supportive whānau and friends around them who accept them for who they are

  • Feel good about themselves

  • Have access to the practical and emotional supports they need in order to thrive

It's much trickier for rangatahi to feel a sense of hope when:

  • Poverty is a big part of their journey

  • Opportunities are limited

  • People judge them and decide things about them and what they are capable of based on their ethnicity, disability, gender, sexuality, age, faith etc

  • People close to them try to control them

  • They face mental and physical health challenges and its hard to access supports to overcome these

  • They don’t believe in themselves

  • They lack influence and feelings of power to be able to change things for the better

What we can do to support rangatahi to feel more hopeful

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Whānau

  • Be supportive – love your kids for who they are, celebrate their success and generally uplift and affirm them

  • Check in on young people often, listen to them and spend time with them

  • As much as you are able, provide ways to help them towards their goals

  • Advocate for young people

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Schools

  • Affirm young people in their goals – build their confidence and self-belief and challenge them to pursue their aspirations

  • Actively build self-knowledge and awareness in young people, and communicate better with whānau about how they can best support their rangatahi

  • Offer consistent support to young people

  • Ensure availability of strong individual pastoral care

  • Advocate strongly for resourcing to overcome financial hardship

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Community

  • Involve young people in decisions that affect them

  • Operate in a fair and respectful manner, and make sure rangatahi feel safe

  • Be welcoming to all rangatahi - encourage and foster connection

  • Ensure that supports are available for young people who are struggling, and that these supports are accessible

  • Embrace diversity and take an inclusive approach

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Decision makers

  • Get more involved with young people - engage and listen to them, make youth-informed decisions

  • Invest more strongly in proactive mental health systems

  • Make healthcare more affordable, empathetic, and foster autonomy

  • Increase disability awareness, and improve opportunities for people with disabilities

  • Reduce inequality

  • Recognise and embrace diversity

  • Support young people towards their hopes and dreams

  • Encourage government to take a long-term focus

In their own words:
What rangatahi can do for themselves and other rangatahi to feel more hopeful

Ma wai i ora ai?

  • Whaia te whakaohoho - Find ways to experience and express joy – do things that inspire you and others

  • Manaakitanga - Practice acts of kindness and generosity, and take notice of the kindness you receive from others

  • He kai kei aku ringa - Be mindful of your skills and strengths and the part these things can play in your future and the future of others

  • Aroha mai, aroha atu - Practise being the friend to others that you need for yourself – listen, encourage, play and laugh together

Ko wai ou kaiarahi?

  • Spend time with the role models in your whānau and your community who believe in you, and encourage your friends to spend time with their own role models

  • Make your voice heard about things that you are passionate about

Ka mate kainga tahi, ka ora kainga rua

From challenges come the opportunities to make positive change to the world we live in.

Read the full research report

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