Events

The AUT Child and Youth Health Research Centre (CYHRC) presents and invites you to a series of events to showcase our work in promoting child and youth perspectives in health.

Symposium: Children's Right to a Good Life in Aotearoa

The two-day symposium focuses on supporting the health and well-being of all tamariki, rangatahi, and their whānau. It brings together leading voices from across the fields of health, education, social services, and community advocacy to share insights and strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of life for children and youth in New Zealand. This symposium focuses on practical approaches rather than academic abstracts and emphasises actionable solutions to the pressing challenges faced by young people today.

• When: 13-14 February 2025
• Where: AUT North Campus
• Programme

Past events

CYHRC Research showcased at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Research Roadshow 2024

AUT’s Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Research Roadshow is an annual research event showcasing the diversity of research being undertaken by faculty researchers, research teams and postgraduate students. The faculty research roadshow was held on Thursday 12 September 2024 at AUT’s North Campus. The AUT Child and Youth Health Research Centre investigates the impact of illness and disability, home and family, health services, nutrition, physical activity and the wider environment on young people. We’re committed to providing a space for young people’s voices. CYHRC presented examples of its members research projects as abstract posters.

The theme of the roadshow was ‘Partnerships for Impact’ which for CYHRC projects incorporates –

Youth as participants and coresearchers – Researchers in this field aim for meaningful youth engagement throughout the research process, from design, through recruitment and fieldwork, to dissemination.  All-important are efforts to create inclusive environments, providing appropriate support for youth, and demonstrating a willingness to share decision-making power. For example, in two projects refugee youth were coresearchers helping to shape decision-making related to their health.

Increasing the visibility of youth and the challenges they face - By focusing on a range of tools and activities, young participants and researchers, including postgraduate students, can significantly enhance their impact, visibility, and contributions to their fields. Building a strong research profile takes time and persistence, but ongoing effort will yield long-term benefits for research careers and the wider society.

Partnering with organisations and actors interested in youth health – Such partnerships can contribute to youth health and empowerment, and significantly increase the impact of research on youth voicelessness by application of key strategies and ensuring that organisations foster appropriate cultures and mindsets within their own and other organisations. By fostering partnerships, researchers can create a more robust ecosystem for addressing youth voicelessness. This collaborative approach ensures that research is not only more comprehensive and relevant but also more likely to lead to tangible improvements in young people's lives and opportunities for their voices to be heard.

Challenges of partnering with youth given issues of voicelessness These include adult-centric perspectives and organisations, power imbalances, and communications difficulties. While there are many challenges, the potential for improved research impact makes youth engagement a valuable indeed imperative approach, especially for those focused on youth issues, such as youth health and wellbeing.

The projects presented were

• Prioritising Planetary Health in university Public Health curricula in Aotearoa New Zealand: Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies –Cath Conn & Julie Trafford
• Adult Facilitators Creating a Space for Children to Co-Design a Toothbrushing Game to promote Oral Health - Daniel Fernandez, Cath Conn, Jennifer Nikolai
• A Child-Centred Research Checklist to Improve the Design and Reporting of Paediatric Research Studies: A Descriptive Mixed Methods Study – Mandie Foster, Lisa Whitehead, Therese O’Sullivan, Julie Hill, Evalotte Morelius
• Mobilising voices & agency of children & youth for planetary health: examples from Aotearoa & Sri Lanka – Julie Trafford
• Creating Space for Tribal Sahariya Youth to improve access to safe water in rural Rajasthan, India - Renu Sisodia, Cath Conn, Nadia Charania, Jennifer Nikolai
• The challenges of developing African methodologies illustrated with Dhaqan Inquiry based methods? - Ayan Said, Cath Conn, Michael Neufeld, Tineke Water
• Youth Leadership Program Cambodia for Health Systems Strengthening/Healthy Hands Healthy Babies/The lived experience of Deaf children in Cambodia, Malawi, and Zambia: exploring tech-based solutions for sign language – Tineke Water