The Tāmaki Youth Wellbeing Project

Responding to the need of the community after a contagion of seven young people lost their lives to suicide, Rākau Tautoko led a community meeting, calling people together to create a “united community response to suicide prevention”. This led to an application for funding to The Vodafone Foundation in collaboration with Tāmaki Community Development Trust (fund holder) on behalf of the collective community of practice and the development of ten different projects that all focuses on raising the wellbeing of young people.

Each of the projects have a lead and local collaborators. The lead is funded a lot of the work is achieved voluntarily, allowing the funds to be spread through the projects and used where needed most. Rākau Tautoko role in this work is in coordination and supporting the ongoing development and application of each project in the community.

10 x different projects focused on developing youth wellbeing in this work:

Youth Drop In Spaces – a space for young people to gather and hang out.
Youth Initiated Mentoring – developing a mentoring programme where young people are choosing their own mentors from their communities.
Tāmaki Youth Wellbeing Index – developing a research-based index that identifies and measures what is needed to grow wellbeing.
Collecting Youth Stories – digital media experts walking alongside young people to help them learn how to capture their stories and share them.
Connection with Schools – a combination of youth groups, you leadership and student council growth all in local schools.
Wellbeing and Suicide Prevention Programmes – Coordinating and facilitating a series of workshops and training to build up the capability of our community.
Support Group – running a fortnightly support group for those that are affected by the ripples of suicide.
Youth Wellbeing Symposium – A one day event, bringing people together and sharing the skills and expertise needed to grow youth wellbeing throughout a community.
Placemaking – Activating spaces and places throughout the community for young people and those that they are connected with.
Community of Practice – a monthly gathering of practitioners and community members, where we learn and discuss a key topic that they decide on, about youth wellbeing.