Careful Vessels: Designing Artefacts to Support an NGO Advocating for Care-experienced Tamariki and Rangatahi

Abstract

In New Zealand, more than 4,200 children and youth are currently in state or foster care (Oranga Tamariki, 2024). Many decisions are made every year about the rights and care of care-experienced children and youth. Care-experienced children and youth voices need to be included in these decision-making processes because their lived experiences make them experts on the care system (Te Rōpū Arotahi, 2022). VOYCE Whakarongo Mai is a non-governmental organisation that advocates for care-experienced children and youth (McCarthy et al., 2017). In 2022, VOYCE published ‘Kia Tika, Kia Pono’: a framework which outlines how to partner with care-experienced children and young people in safe and ethical ways (Te Rōpū Arotahi, 2022). This practice-led research project used co-design and communication design methods, working in partnership with VOYCE and care-experienced people to develop a set of creative artefacts to support ‘Kia Tika, Kia Pono’. The intention in creating these resources was to support wider engagement with the frame-work. This thesis outlines the design process, contributing perspectives on the nuance and complexity of working in partnership with an NGO as a designer.