“Global Research led a series of in person workshops with rangatahi throughout Christchurch to understand what a quality physical activity experience was to them to. They ensured that the workshops were tailored to the participants and each session was engaging and interactive. The findings from the workshops have informed how Sport Canterbury works with (and supports organisations that work with) rangatahi. We have shared the insights across the sector with the aim of improving the quality of physical experiences for rangatahi.”
Background and aims
Sport Canterbury sought to examine the leisure time preferences of a wide range of young people in Canterbury with a view to understanding how and why more young people might be engaged in higher levels of physically active leisure-time activities.
Our role
Global Research collaborated with Sport Canterbury and RSL Consultancy to design the workshop programme to engage rangatahi across a range of Canterbury school and educative settings. We prepared a booklet to facilitate workshop activities, and deployed facilitators to work with students and to encourage participation, conversation and sharing of ideas and opinions.
Our role also included analysis of the data collected, and reporting findings, recommendations, and key insights identifying the drivers of Rangatahi behaviour.
Design and method
To achieve the project objectives, Global Research developed a workshop process suitable for rangatahi in high school groups and education settings (such as school holiday youth programmes). The workshop was designed to be lively and interactive, with students encouraged to talk, ask questions, and share responses whenever they felt comfortable. The activity booklet prompted rangatahi to identify significant recreation activities, what they like and dislike them. They also critiqued activities and behaviours that encouraged or detracted from participation, such as peer and adult behaviour and the organisation and rules of particular activities.
The Global Research team analysed all workshop comments to identify prevalent and significant themes and topics that emerged in the data. What resulted were significant insights into the opinions of rangatahi on the recreation activities they choose freely or are encouraged to participate in by adults.
Result
We formulated an informative report with key themes, recommendations, and observations. The report outlined the ways in which rangatahi in Canterbury engage with physical activity in their leisure time, and what their preferences and barriers to participation are.
Outcome
Our findings were consistent with a growing body of literature suggesting that for young people to engage with regular physical activity they require easy and prompted pathways to activities; we found that young people’s participation will be ongoing when they feel physically and psychologically safe and when they feel they have the opportunity to do well or see personal improvement. Overall, the findings suggested that young people continue with activities that are fun for them – while acknowledging that what is fun is unique to every individual!
Results have been presented to the sector and Sport Canterbury will use these findings to strengthen and support their existing programmes to engage more rangatahi to partake in more physical activity more often.
Check out another project we have completed for Sport Canterbury:
SAY Now Programme Evaluation ~ Sport Canterbury
Sport Assisting Youth Now (SAY Now) is a collaborative education awareness approach to reducing alcohol-related harm through sports clubs. SAY Now provides a forum for bringing together sporting role models and key stakeholders (e.g. health professionals, NZ Police, local government, Accident Compensation Corporation) to raise awareness of alcohol-related harm with young people in sport settings.