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Engaging rangatahi back into active recreation

Rates of rangatahi youth participating in active recreation have fallen by six percent since Covid, according to research by Active NZ.   

Sport Tasman hopes to turn that statistic around with targeted approach programmes like Marlborough-based Ngahi Foha oe Moana Pasifika that link with the values and interests of young people and encourage them to go back into active recreation.

Ngahi Foha oe Moana Pasifika is a partnership between Sport Tasman, the Marlborough Pacific Trust, Marlborough Boys’ College and the PR Shed.

Sport Tasman supports the programme by providing capability building on how to co-design the programme with and incorporate the principles of Mana Taiohi when engaging rangatahi. Ensuring the Pasifika Success Compass and insight-gathering mechanisms are included in the design are noted as key success elements.

The programme was created for Pasifika rangatahi, who may be disengaging from mainstream education and reconnecting them by using physical activity as a driver for change.

Sport Tasman Community Outcomes Adviser for Marlborough, Māhina Henry Campbell, says the programme is a chance for Pasifika youth to try new activities such as CrossFit, boxing, jujitsu and provides a pathway to explore their leadership throughout a different environment other than school.

There are numerous reasons rangatahi youth disengage in active recreation. Cost is probably number one, but distractions include social media, part-time jobs, study, and having girlfriends or boyfriends. There was also a growing gap between those living in under-served communities and not having access to the same opportunities as others.

Marlborough Pacific Trust youth worker Soni Leger-Kula says that talking to the young people themselves evidenced the need for a programme like Ngahi Foha.

“We observed through the process that a growing population of our young men was starting to disengage and pull back from college. We wanted to provide a space where our young people could feel safe enough to participate in these activities,” he says. 

Activities include different styles of physical exercise, nutrition education, leadership activities and whānau connection.

PR Gym Shed coach Maria Gear hopes the collaborative programme will enable mana-enhancing change for the Pasifika rangatahi involved.

“When the kids come in, I coach them, take them through movements, and ensure they are having a good experience of non-mainstream sport.”

Māhina, Soni, and Maria all agree that they have seen a real change in how participants engage with the programme.   They are starting to exhibit not just engagement but confidence and leadership.

“We have seen our young people start re-engaging a lot more, not only with our services but with other services out there to provide support. Watching them re-engage back into school has been a massive highlight,” says Soni.

Rangatahi participant Ezra says he has been attending the programme for six months.

“When I box, it makes me feel stronger and more confident in myself and helps release all that anger.”

South Island funder Rātā Foundation supports the programme through its Rangatahi partnership with Sport Tasman. A partnership focused on engaging target groups of rangatahi, including Māori, Pasifika, refugees and teenage girls who are most at risk of disengaging with sport and active recreation.

Māhina says Rātā has been a massive supporter of Sport Tasman, and they could not do what they do without support.

“We appreciate that their thinking on improving health and wellbeing outcomes for young people closely aligns with ours.”

Rātā Foundation Chief Executive Leighton Evans says the Ngahi Foha oe Moana Pacific programme aligns strongly with the Rātā focus on removing barriers to participation in sport and active recreation.

“It also helps strengthen the wider youth and active recreation sectors to help them deliver effectively to rangatahi,” he says.

Māhina says they want to expand the programme further, with Marlborough Boys remaining the anchor school. 

“We are looking at creating a tuakana teina trainer model that could be introduced in intermediate schools for better consistency and relationships within the region’s youth sector.”

They are also planning to develop a programme targeted at young women.

With the success of this pilot, the programme could easily be rolled out nationwide.