An Appreciative Inquiry to Identify Project and Policy Opportunities for Tauranga City Council to Improve Social Wellbeing for Youth
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Vujnovich, Michael
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Waring, Marilyn
Wenster, Karen
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Auckland University of Technology
Abstract
The purpose of a council in New Zealand is to “play a broad role promoting … social wellbeing” (LGA, 2002, 2019 amendment, 3d). This research asked, “what project or policy opportunities are there for Tauranga City Council to improve social wellbeing for youth in Tauranga?”. A group of 16–20-year-olds from Merivale, Tauranga, were the participants. The research paradigm to investigate this question used a social constructionist epistemology (Gergen, 2004), Sen’s (2010) capabilities approach as its theoretical basis, Appreciative Inquiry methodology (Cooperrider et al., 2008) and interview, focus group (Patton, 2002, 2015) and Photovoice (Blackman, 2007) methods. Reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022b) was used to analyse the data.
The findings reflect the participants’ values of social wellbeing in thematic terms: 1) ‘Pride of place and belonging - a love of Merivale’ where the participants valued social cohesion; shared pro-social norms, values, identity and history; and love of the people and place around them; 2) ‘Youth development – self-aware and taking steps to adulthood’ shows the participants valued the “right direction” for their development. Important personal development included social skills, confidence and decision making, and support and skills for parenting. The participants acted directly and valued support, especially when parenting, to develop skills, knowledge and formal certifications for employment. Young women participants valued gender separated opportunities for gendered knowledge transfer; 3) ‘Aunties, mentors and role models – an ecology of support and expectations’ shows the participants valued access to this group of seniors who supported them and had high expectations of them and provided a safe and positive social ecology for coaching, navigation and opportunities for personal and career development. Aunties were especially valued by the young women participants; 4) ‘The Merivale community centre – a social wellbeing superpower enhancing beings and doings’. The participants valued the Merivale community centre as a safe accessible place with pro-social norms, positive welcoming people, food and activities, and to access developmental and wellbeing support. The participants valued the difference the centre made for their own development and for the wellbeing of the community, that is, its high conversion value for social cohesion and human capability.
The findings identified project opportunities for Tauranga City Council (TCC) to improve social wellbeing for youth in Tauranga (see Appendix A). The discussion examines policy opportunities for a council to improve social wellbeing for youth and recommended promoting local access; pro-social norms, practices and methods; and public reasoning and co-construction with youth and their communities so that policy and the actions of a council can better reflect and generate social wellbeing.