Inspired by the whakataukī ‘ka pū te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi’ (‘when the old net is cast aside, the new net goes fishing’; often used to refer to intergenerational shifts in leadership), this project centres on elevating Rangatahi Māori voices, experiences, and perspectives in the development of tobacco and nicotine control policies.
This study was awarded a Health Research Council grant for just under $1.2 million and runs for 3 years. We will partner with up to 20 secondary schools and engage with rangatahi in various ways so we can understand what is happening in their world. Our mixed-methods approach is reflected in the three pillars of the study that will allow us to create a platform for rangatahi Māori voices, survey form-year cohorts of students, and conduct a range of qualitative activities like in-depth interviews, deliberate democracy hui and thought/space wananga to really delve into issues around vaping, tobacco, and nicotine. As researchers we will be led by and will support rangatahi in looking for opportunities for rangatahi themselves to take part in decision making processes, where we can explore their ideas or try to apply them.
The project is being led by Andrew Waa, Karyn Maclennan, and Lani Teddy. The team is supported by Micheala Pettie, Richard Edwards, and James Stanley. Alongside the schools, we are partnering with Research New Zealand and Hāpai te Hauora.
You can find out more about the study in Lani’s interview on Waatea News or Karyn’s interview with The Star.