Entry received from: Auckland Council
Category: The Department of Internal Affairs Award for Excellence in Community Engagement
In 2022 / 2023 we reviewed I Am Auckland, the council’s strategy for children and young people, to determine if it was still fit for purpose.
Engaging with children and young people was a fundamental part of the review to help us understand their experiences of living in Auckland and assess whether the council was addressing the things that matter most to them.
Our engagement approach was designed with and by young people using a range of creative methods. We focussed on engaging with people we might not always hear from, especially tamariki and rangatahi Māori and children and young people from Auckland’s diverse communities including Pasifika, former refugees and migrants, disabled people, and the rainbow community.
We heard from over 400 children and young people across Auckland and their voices have contributed directly to the council approving a new approach that will focus our support on those facing the greatest disparities. It has created rich insights on ways we can work with children and youth that are mana enhancing, effective and targeted; that build capability and increase opportunities for participation. We heard loud and clear that young people want to be involved in the big decisions that affect them.
Thank you to our category sponsor