Auckland Council Youth Voice (2025)
Project lead: Julie Radford Poupard
The Auckland Council Youth Voice Project is a region-wide review of twelve youth councils and structured youth boards funded through Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) which aims to understand how well youth voice groups are working, what impact they’re having, and how Auckland Council can better support them.
What the Project Explores
Impact of youth voice groups
What’s working well - and what could be improved - in relationships with elected members, host organisations, and Council staff
How to ensure future investment in youth engagement is cost-effective and impactful
Research Approach
The project uses a mixed-methods framework grounded in values meaningful to rangatahi and stakeholders. It includes:
A literature scan of youth voice initiatives in Aotearoa and internationally
A stocktake of funding agreements and accountability reports
Focus groups with youth voice members across twelve local boards
Semi-structured interviews with host organisations and Council staff
Survey with elected members from the twelve participating local boards
The research is guided by an advisory group of youth specialists, policy advisors, and researchers, ensuring that the process is collaborative, inclusive, and responsive to community needs
Why It Matters
Youth voice groups play a vital role in shaping local decision-making and civic engagement. This project helps ensure that their contributions are recognised, supported, and amplified - so that rangatahi across Tāmaki Makaurau can continue to lead, influence, and thrive.
