The ‘Education matters to me’ reports share the views of tamariki and rangatahi, children and young people, about their experiences in the education system. The project was initiated in early 2018 between the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and New Zealand School of Trustees Association and engages directly with children and young people through online in-school surveys, postcards and face-to-face engagement.
Purpose
The purpose of this project was to hear and share the views of a diverse group of children and young people on their experiences of New Zealand’s education system. The aim was to support children and young people’s view’s being heard in the setting of the National Education and Learning Priorities, applicable to all children 0-18 years over the next five years.
Methodology
1. On-line in-school surveys
2. Postcards
3. Face to face techniques including group discussion, pair and trio interviews, slam poetry, and activity based engagements.
Both the online surveys and the face to face engagements were built around the project’s six key areas of enquiry.
These areas of enquiry were identified from analysis of prior OCC engagements with children and young people on the topic of education.
The areas of enquiry were:
- He tirohanga Māori (Experiences of tamariki and rangatahi Māori)
- Emotional wellbeing
- Engagement
- ‘If I were the boss’ - improving our education
- Progress and achievement
- Transitions.
Each facilitator took a positive youth development approach during face to face engagements with the children and young people. They focussed on the child or young person’s strengths and supported them to share their views in the way that suited them best. All engagements were informed by Lundy’s model of children’s participation (2007). The facilitators used a range of methods in their face to face interactions including interviews, drawing, art, and activity based engagements.