Tamariki Tipu

Growing Children

The longevity of 24-7 YouthWork in presence-based youth work across Aotearoa, speaks to our ability to develop models which match the current needs of children and young people. 

What is Tamariki Tipu?

Our 24-7 YouthWork model has already embraced children in Intermediate Schools, which led to us see and hear the impacts our younger tamariki experience. In 2022 we undertook a feasibility study in response to these growing needs. Primary school children are experiencing an onslaught of information and pressure from a very young age, which is directly impacting their overall hauora (health and wellbeing), their resilience, and their connection to whānau and community.

Building on our presence-based approach, we believe a different level of support is needed to work alongside children at a younger age while the issues are still small. This brings preventative supports to create long-term benefits. We spoke with many teachers, providers and clinicians about how to develop a model suitable for primary aged school children. This is a ground up approach using research and informed practice to make a difference for generations to come.

Our Goals

Schools are overloaded and need support to speak to the issues tamariki are facing. Our younger tamariki also need support to develop their own resilience and hauora. We will focus on our goals using an analogy of tree roots and addressing needs of the roots, rather than tackling the effects on the branches.

  • We get to know our young people and their needs, supporting their unique strengths and understanding who they are, where they come from, and where they hope to go with their lives. We understand their family and community, actively journeying with them in their “village” and offering our supportive voice to their lives.

  • We connect with them as children’s workers in their local school and local community, offering wrap around supports that help them to grow in a healthy way mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We work alongside whānau, hapū, iwi, educators, and other child wellbeing focused agencies to strengthen protective factors in a child’s life.

  • By knowing and growing our young people and enabling them to transition out of primary into secondary education with strong mental health and wellbeing strategies, we will see them flourish and enhance their futures.

    Our research indicates that on a day-to-day basis, there are five priorities workers in primary schools can focus on for effective growth. We would work with the school to co-create outcomes from these Five Priorities which are tailored and specific to the needs of the school, their tamariki and whānau/community.

Join us for the journey

One of the barriers we are facing is the perception this area is over saturated with “help”. From our feasibility study it became clear there is help for schools through programme- based models, but nothing that reflects the presence-based model we have developed. Programme-based models offer a fixed message for situations, where presence-based models provide a space to co-create outcomes which truly benefit the school and their tamariki. We believe a both/and approach is required to make the biggest impact.

This model truly speaks to a whole village approach of raising tamariki. We have seen and heard the need for this model, and our goal is to be pioneering and stand in the gap for our tamariki.

We are piloting in 2024. If you wish to pursue a partnership with us as we build and launch Tamariki Tipu, we’d love to hear from you!