A ground-breaking study which looks at how Māori and Samoan peoples describe their experience of youth justice across three different but comparable countries is calling for participants.

Led by Dr Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni and Dr Robert Webb of the University of Auckland and Dr Juan Tauri from the University of Waikato, the research will be used to inform policy and service delivery in youth justice-related areas across – and within – the three countries: Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

The study collects data from three key groups: Māori and Samoan young people who have experienced the youth justice system; family members who have supported a Māori or Samoan young person through the youth justice system and community members who work, or have worked, for the state, an NGO or other community-based group, including whanau or aiga groups.

This data will offer scholars, youth justice practitioners and policymakers an internationally comparative perspective on Māori and Samoan experiences of youth justice.

The project is now looking for participants from the Auckland, Porirua, Gisborne, New Plymouth/Taranaki and Christchurch areas who have had some experience of the youth justice system, are of Samoan or Māori ethnicity and have worked with, or supported a Samoan or Māori young person through the youth justice system.

The research builds Māori and Pacific research capacity by offering PhD, MA, research assistant, and community provider research training opportunities.
The project is funded by a grant from the Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund and will end in 2021.

In New Zealand, the project team is working collaboratively with: the Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA), Hoani Waititi Marae, Community Law Centre (Mangere and Waitakere), Community Approach (Auckland), Community Action on Youth and Drugs (CAYAD, Auckland), Gisborne Pacific Island Community Trust, Tautua Arts Ltd Gisborne, New Plymouth Vaimoana Pacific Trust, Taeaomanino Trust (Porirua), Kokiri marae (Petone), and the Christchurch Youth and Culture Development (YCD) Trust.

Dr Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni is of Samoan heritage, Dr Robert Webb is of Ngāpuhi and Dr Juan Tauri is of Ngāti Porou heritage.

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