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Mission
Rerenga Awa strengthens the youth development sector through professional development, working collaboratively and creating meaningful partnerships for those who support young people.
Mission Definition
Rerenga Awa’s mission is to strengthen the youth development sector by providing professional development, fostering collaborative partnerships, and nurturing leadership in those who support young people. By building the capacity and skills of youth practitioners, we enable them to create sustainable, empowering programs that directly benefit the youth they serve.
Vision
To see a well-supported, connected and professional youth development sector in Waitaha. Where young people are empowered, supported and at the heart of every decision.
Vision Definition
Rerenga Awa supports the youth sector by ensuring that those who work with youth are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence necessary to create positive, lasting change. We believe that when those who support youth are strong and capable, the youth themselves will be empowered to thrive and lead.
Values
1. Mauri Ora (Vitality and Well-being)
“We value the mauri ora of individuals and communities, ensuring that all who engage with Rerenga Awa are empowered to thrive in a safe, strengths based and supportive environment, with their holistic well-being at the forefront.”
Kaitiakitanga
(Guardianship and Stewardship)
“We embrace kaitiakitanga by acting as responsible regional guardians of the youth development sector, offering stability, and ensuring sustainable practices in our work, safeguarding the future of our communities.”
Awhinatanga
(Support and Assistance)
“We commit to Awhinatanga, providing the guidance, support, and resources needed for kaimahi to succeed in their roles and for young people to have the opportunity to flourish.”
Whānaungatanga
(Relationships and Belonging)
“We foster whānaungatanga, building strong, meaningful relationships that create a sense of belonging, where all members of our community feel supported and valued.”
Whakamana
(Integrity and Accountability)
“We act with integrity, ensuring that we remain accountable for our actions and commitments, bringing life to Te Tiriti o Waitangi maintaining transparency and trust in all our relationships and efforts.”
Strategic Objectives
Build Capacity and Empower Youth Practitioners
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“To provide ongoing professional development and support systems for youth practitioners (youth workers, mentors, leaders, and youth supporters), ensuring they have the skills and tools necessary to foster youth empowerment.”
Foster Collaborative Partnerships and Shared Leadership
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“To strengthen reciprocal partnerships with Tangata Whenua, Tangata Tiriti, and other communities to create shared leadership in youth development efforts, ensuring collaborative networks.”
Uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Bicultural Practices
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“To embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and bicultural practices in all operations, ensuring that Rerenga Awa’s work honours Māori worldviews and supports culturally safe environments for all involved.”
Contribute to developing a sustainable community driven youth sector
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“Through these efforts, we guide and equip youth practitioners with the tools and resources necessary to create long-term, impactful programs, ensuring young people benefit from well-designed, effective support systems. We offer our expertise, resources, and facilitation support to other organisations.”
Strengthen Mentorship and Leadership Capacity of Youth Practitioners
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“To develop the leadership capacity of youth practitioners by providing training, resources and support, to enhance their ability to succeed.
About Us
In 1986 The Canterbury Youth Workers Training Forum was established by the Department of Internal Affairs, along with 8 other forums in New Zealand. The 9 June 1986 The Forum became an Incorporated Society and was funded by DIA around $11,000 per annum for Youth Worker training. These forums were run by Youth Workers for Youth Workers.
In 1993 the DIA took the funding away from the 9 forums and set up the Youth Worker Training Scheme, which is still operating today. Four of the 9 forums continued to operate as networks. Canterbury was one of these, the other 5 closed. The Canterbury Youth Workers Training Forum was administrated by the Christchurch City Council and run on a voluntary basis by Youth Workers. In 1996 (20 Nov.) the Canterbury Youth Workers Training Forum became the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective to align itself in name as a branch member of the National Youth Work organisation, the Aotearoa Youth Workers Collective. In late 1996 the Christchurch City Council offered funding to the Collective to employ a full-time coordinator. The intent behind this was to create better coordination between Youth Workers and the organisations they worked for.
In 1996 the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective was granted funding to employ a full-time Coordinator. This was a huge step forward for an organisation, which had really struggled being run by volunteers and yet had wanted to do so much for Youth Workers in its region. The Canterbury Youth Workers Collective was formerly the Canterbury Youth Workers Training Forum established in 1986 by the Department of Internal Affairs, as one of nine forums set up throughout New Zealand in that time.
In 1998 the Collective developed the Code of Ethics that the Coordinator wrote as a draft in April. A policy sub-committee group was formed to develop the code and a membership process that would make the code binding to members. This took approximately one year to develop with consultation and submissions. In 1999 we launched our membership package and Code of Ethics. Youth Workers involved in our Collective endorsed this. In the first year we had a membership of 60 Youth Workers.
In 2001 the Collective asked Ruru Hona (Ngā Puhi) to be the organisation’s kaumatua. Ruru has the blessing of Mark Solomon (Kaiwhakahaere of Ngai Tahu) to act as our kaumatua. Ruru is actively involved in the organisation and supports the Rerenga Awa with Taha Māori. Matua Ruru stepped down from Kaumatua in 2023.
In 2011 the Rerenga Awa was heavily impacted by the Christchurch earthquakes. Since the earthquakes Rerenga Awa has broadened its support of the youth development sector, which is reflected in our new goals updated in 2017. In 2012 Rerenga Awa was integral in the development of a large-scale youth sector collaboration called Strengthening the Youth Sector Project which sought to address the priorities for young people and those who work with them in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes. Through this project and the development of Youth Voice Canterbury, Rerenga Awa has gone on to play a significant role in support youth participation in the rebuild and in civic life generally. Currently Rerenga Awa is the backbone organisation for both the Strengthening the Youth Sector collaboration and the Youth Voice Canterbury Network.
In 2013 we began a project to further develop the tool Scope as a peer review assessment tool for youth development organisations. In 2016 Rerenga Awa was successful in attracting a new phase of funding for both Scope and the Strengthening the Youth Sector project. As a result of this Scope became a national project with its own business plan. SCOPE became its own legal entity in 2018 and moved out from being under the umbrella of Rerenga Awa. The Strengthening the Youth Sector project attracted funding to hire an SYS Project Manager and SYS/Rerenga Awa Administrator for an 18-month period to finish off several of the projects started under the collaboration and to undertake a review and evaluation to help determine the future of the project. The Youth Voice Canterbury network, a key project of the SYS Project, decided to move out from under the SYS Project and sit instead directly under Rerenga Awa. Rerenga Awa’s agreement and support of this has cemented a key priority for the organisation in a greater and more active supporting youth participation in our region. The SYS project wound up in 2023.
In 2016 with the help of our Kaumatua, Rerenga Awa developed our Tangata Whenua Kaitohutohu consisting of a group of Māori experienced in youth development to advise and guide on the bicultural practices of the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective, and actively supported and provided guidance on the implementation of SCOPE regionally and nationally. In 2025 with the introduction of the Co-governance structure the Tangata Whenua Kaitohutohu ceased to exist.
Early 2020 COVID19 had a large impact on Rerenga Awa and our activities. The organisation was able to move largely online and during lockdowns ran a wide range of trainings and networking hui online. We also received funding to offer 20 free ‘youth audits’ a tool that had been developed under SYS giving young people a voice into rebuild of Christchurch. Allowing young people to audit a space or plans and report back on how safe and youth friendly they found it, as well as giving recommendations to how it could be further improved. In 2024 this tool was Rebranded as ‘ReVision Youth Friendly Places and Spaces’ and began to contract its services out, 2025 saw our first Audits outside of Canterbury.
In October 2020, the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective rebranded and renamed to Rerenga Awa. A name gifted by our Kaumatua, Matua Ruru, along with the whakatauki ‘Mai Ngā Maunga ki te moana’ From the Mountains to the Sea.
In 2025 as part of the Reregistration process of all incorporated societies Rerenga Awa Manatōpū will become our Legal name.
As part of Rerenga Awa’s desire to be a culturally responsible organisation which endeavours to honour and give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi the organisation moved to a co-governance structure with Tangata Whenua, consisting of Co-chairs one tangata whenua one tangata tiriti. As well as 3 designated seats on the governance committee to be filled by indigenous practitioners as nominated by ‘Pou Tuhono’ the Māori Youth workers network.