Rotorua rangatahi are calling for change — not just in how support is delivered, but in who gets to design it.
At a recent Rangatahi Networking Hui hosted by Rangatahi Ora at Ōwhata Marae, young people from across the rohe gathered to share their thoughts openly about wellbeing, identity, and what they need to thrive.
Healthy Families Rotorua attended the hui to gather lived experiences to inform systems change in the mental health and wellbeing space. Practice & Development Lead, Pirihira Whata, says the kōrero was rich with insight and urgency.
“Rangatahi aren’t just asking to be heard — they’re ready to lead. They’re clearly telling us that support must be culturally safe, built on real relationships, and designed with them at the centre, not imposed from outside,” says Pirihira.
She welcomed the opportunity to gather insights from whānau and community and use them to influence system-level change, alongside and behind rangatahi leaders like those in the Whiria collective.
Young people at the hui responded to open questions about what strengthens them, what gets in the way of seeking help, and what real support looks like. Common themes emerged, such as fear of judgement, whakamā, the pressure to “have it all together,” and the deep desire for spaces that reflect their realities, not just their problems.
“What we’re hearing is that the real intervention isn’t always a programme or a service. Sometimes it’s just presence. It’s an adult sitting with a young person, not trying to fix them, but seeing them. That alone can shift the mauri of a situation,” says Pirihira.
The hui also surfaced powerful recommendations from rangatahi, including:
- Spaces that are fun, creative, and welcoming — with food, music, games, and no judgement.
- Consistent support, not crisis-based.
- More access to te ao Māori and cultural identity as a foundation for wellbeing.
- Genuine power in shaping the systems that affect them.
- Train us up to be the mentors for others.
- Let us lead the design.
Pirihira says this shift, from service delivery to youth leadership, is precisely what’s needed.
“Rangatahi are telling us they’re not just here to receive support. They’re ready to give it, lead it, and shape the future for themselves and others. Our role is to create systems that trust them, back them, and build with them,” she says.
Insights from this hui will contribute to a wider rangatahi-led kaupapa unfolding in Rotorua, involving schools, iwi, health providers and community organisations.
Pirihira says the next challenge is moving from kōrero to transformation.
“We’ve heard the vision, and now we need to back it. That means redesigning with rangatahi, not just for them. When they lead, the change is deeper, more authentic, and more likely to stick,” she says.
