Following our 2022 case for change report, we have been focusing on supporting our rangatahi in two areas- youth homelessness and youth employment.

Youth Homelessness

WWP Lead Social Innovator Joe Wilson has been working closely with the ‘Manaaki Rangatahi’ collective, a ‘End Youth Homelessness’ kaupapa lobbying and advocating to government for policy and housing change to tackle the endemic problem facing so many rangatahi, across Aotearoa including here in the Waikato.

Joe sees his role as simply connecting, learning perspectives and waiting for the right time to put together an advocacy video piece to capture the movement here, speak to sector leaders and hear from rangatahi who are experiencing homelessness. Providing this opportunity is the WWP contribution to the kaupapa and Joe wants to encourage everybody to support this kaupapa through their own platforms and connections.

We are working alongside the Waikato Housing Initiative tom ensure this aligns with their wider programme to improve hosing access, quality and affordability in the Waikato.

Youth Employment

Joe is close to finalizing the edit for the Stronger Together Business Collective and Youth Sector whakawhanaungatanga kauapapa to be shared in September. Joe will be showcasing this in Wellington at the Youth Employability Aotearoa (Home - YEA) expo with Shirley Johnson and talk about how this community-led kaupapa focused on supporting employers to recruit and retain rangatahi from challenging backgrounds into their business.

This piece is very focused on a specific cohort of rangatahi and these are those mostly not in school and are working with youth service organizations. The skills and wrap around support needed by employers and youth services is critical to be more successful in this space and this kaupapa is championing the collective response to this need and demonstrating a way for other business and youth worker collectives to come together in a similar way to awhi their rangatahi and business success simultaneously.

We will keep everybody updated on this inspiring and important initiative. If you are interested in joining this movement, contact Joe at joe@waikatowellbeingproject.com.