PYDA: All Reflective Questions

Outcome 1: Developing the Whole Person

  • In what ways does your work with young people consider the whole person? This involves considering the young person and their whānau, whakapapa and whenua?
  • How does your own cultural heritage, background and experiences influence the way you see the world? What impact could this have on your work with young people? What are the assumptions, privileges, and biases you hold; that you need to consider in your work with young people?

Outcome 2: Developing Connected Communities

  • Who in your organisation whakapapa to local Iwi? How do you value and acknowledge the contribution they’re making within a cultural context?
  • What is your organisation’s whakapapa to local Iwi? What do you do or what can you do to uphold and acknowledge mana whenua?
  • What communities and subcultures are important to the young people that you are working with? What does it mean to work respectfully with these communities to best support young people?
  • Do you work with Māori young people and know where they whakapapa to? How do you support and value the connection of those young people to whānau (people and place)?
  • In the context of bicultural Aotearoa, how does your practice embody the principles in Te Tiriti o Waitangi? What pūrākau (traditional narratives and stories which generate knowledge and understanding) and waiata do you know and how do you embed these in your practice?

Approach 1: Strengths-Based

  • What does a strengths-based approach mean to you? How is this evident in your work with young people?
  • How do you and your organisation create opportunities for young people to develop and demonstrate their strengths?
  • In what ways do you and your organisation identify and develop community strengths and resources?

Approach 2: Respectful Relationships

  • What does it mean for you/your organisation to work in a ‘mana-enhancing’ way?
  • How do you enable the young people who you work alongside to experience support, challenge, and growth in mana-enhancing ways?
  • In what ways do you create and maintain respectful relationships with whānau and why is this important?
  • Think about the diverse cultural identities of the young people who you work alongside (such as ethnicity, sexuality, gender, disability, religion). What policies and practices do you and your organisation have in place to ensure that all young people who you work with are respected, safe and supported? What policies and practices need to be developed?
  • What processes do you and your organisation have in place to refer young people to other sources of support when you are unable to best meet their needs?

Approach 3: Building Ownership & Empowerment

  • How can you and your organisation ensure that young people have meaningful involvement in decisions that affect them? What opportunities do young people have to express their voice and agency?
  • How can you and your organisation ensure that whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori have meaningful involvement in decisions that affect them? What opportunities do they have to express their voice and agency?
  • How are you and your organisation putting into practice the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (participation, partnership, protection). How is this evident in your policies and practices?
  • How is power present in your relationships with young people and whānau? How do you acknowledge and manage this?
  • How can you and your organisation use your power to advocate for changes in broader society to ensure that all rangatahi and their whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori have access to the resources and opportunities needed to support positive development?

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