Whakamana: Empowering well-being for rangatahi takatāpui (Phase 1: Scoping review and engagement with Rainbow Organisations)

Project Summary 

This project forms the first phase of a broader initiative to create guidelines to help direct Rainbow Organisations (RO) in ensuring their work is successful in supporting the long-term flourishing of rangatahi takatāpui. 

Within this first phase of the project (i.e. what we are applying for in this grant application), we will undertake an intensive scoping review of RO throughout Te Ranga Tupua region (the collective of iwi across Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Ruapehu and South Taranaki), identifying (1) the RO available, (2) the capacity RO have to respond to the nuanced and context-specific needs of rangatahi takatāpui, and (3) to identify the support RO need to facilitate rangatahi takatāpui specific mahi. This project requires and foregrounds the distinction between LGBTQI+ people and takatāpui people, where takatāpui refers specifically to Māori people who fall outside of the cis-heteronormative template and as such experience realities shaped by intersecting marginalised identities.  This scoping review will consist of the creation of (1) a literature review that will combine western understandings and mātauranga Māori relating to hauoratanga for rangatahi takatāpui to foreground elements of well-being that RO based within te ao Pākehā are unable to acknowledge or foster, before (2) developing relationships with existing RO operating in this space, and (3) the development, delivery and analysis of survey/questionnaires for RO to explicitly identify the differences between existing practice and aspirational practice attending to the nuances in empowering hauoratanga in contemporary spaces.

Lead Researcher

Dr Rāwiri Tinirau, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hāua, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngā Rauru Kītahi, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Wairiki-Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Tamakōpiri, Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāti Maru, Te Atawhai o Te Ao

Research Team

Morgan Tupaea, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Tiipa, Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Te Atawhai o Te Ao

Dr Clive Aspin, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Whanaunga and Ngāti Tamaterā, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington

Fern Smith, Ngāpuhi, University of Auckland

Logan Hamley, Ngāti Rangi, Whanganui, University of Waikato

Cinnamon Lindsay Latimer, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Hāpai te Hauora

Donna Tuwhangai, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Ngāti Hauaroa, Ngāti Rereahu, Taumarunui Kōkiri Trust

Highlights

• Focused on rangatahi takatāpui—Māori youth navigating multiple marginalised identities.
• Collaborative approach with Rainbow Organisations to co-create solutions.
• Aim to rescue and amplify Māori knowledge in Rainbow Organisation practices for better support.
• Contributes to creating systemic change in the region.