RSL was commissioned to undertake a feasibility study to understand the need for a youth centre, or network of centres, as a proactive response to supporting rangatahi across Tauranga City.
The project’s success lay in the engagement with both the youth sector and rangatahi. This included a youth sector hui, one on one conversations with existing youth service providers, and an online rangatahi survey.
The key principle of the findings was that resources should be invested in young people as opposed to facilities, with youth development programmes delivered in suburbs close to where young people lived. Partnership opportunities with existing youth agencies, community organisations and venue owners were recommended as the way to increase the provision of and accessibility to youth development programmes.
The findings suggested that rangatahi were well served in the central city by both established youth centres and a number of new youth spaces or services currently in their establishment phase. The study identified planned redevelopment or new builds outlined in the TCC Community Centre Action and Investment Plan provided an opportunity to deliver localised youth development programmes that would be delivered in appropriate spaces for young people. These spaces would be developed across the growth areas of the city over the coming 15 years.
