Press release: Monday, 20 November 2017

WakaNZ: Navigating with foresight – a workshop exploring the shape of a postTreaty settlement New Zealand

On Monday, 20 November, 36 New Zealanders aged 18–25 will come together from all over the country to participate in WakaNZ: Navigating with foresight, a youth workshop exploring a preferred future for post-Treaty settlement New Zealand. The workshop has been organised by the McGuinness Institute and the New Zealand Treasury.

Over the four days participants will engage with and learn from Treasury policy analysts, Māori leaders, and indigenous foresight practitioners. Participants will build skills and capabilities, discussing Māori perspectives in a range of areas including the economy, arts, the environment, and public policy, before developing a way to communicate their ideas through storytelling and design. The workshop will be co-hosted by Wendy McGuinness, Chief Executive of the McGuinness Institute, and Dr Carwyn Jones, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Victoria University.

The outcomes of the workshop will be presented at two events. On Wednesday, 22 November a presentation to the Governor General, Dame Patsy Reddy, Members of Parliament, friends and family will be held at Government House. The presentation will be an opportunity to draw insights from the participants on the complex public policy issues guiding future-focused decision-making. On Thursday, 23 November a public forum held at Te Rongomaraeroa, Te Papa, will offer a fresh contribution to the national post-Treaty settlement conversation by bringing a youth voice on preferred futures.

Wendy McGuinness said today, ‘WakaNZ aims to empower rangatahi with foresight tools, build a network of like-minded individuals with a shared understanding of the future, and provide a space for youth to voice their ideas and observations about how to shape the future of Aotearoa.’ Dr Carwyn Jones notes that, ‘these are vitally important issues for the future of Aotearoa and the conversations these young people engage in will help to shape that future’. ENDS

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