Co-designing Spaces and Places

Introduction

Sport New Zealand Ihi Aotearoa cares deeply about creating better outcomes for rangatahi in Aotearoa, and the role physical activity can play in their development and wellbeing.

To contribute to these outcomes, Sport New Zealand sees an opportunity for rangatahi (ages 12-18) to be given more agency in designing the active spaces and places in their communities to ensure they meet their needs. Supporting organisations to co-design these spaces with rangatahi creates positive outcomes for rangatahi and the community beyond the final physical space.

This guidance has been created using the Mana Taiohi framework. Mana Taiohi is a bi-cultural, principle-based framework developed by Ara Taiohi, the peak body for youth development in Aotearoa. It informs how we can work with young people to support positive youth development. 

More information about the Mana Taiohi framework is available here. 

Co-designing spaces and places with rangatahi (PDF 9.7MB)

Co-design practice across the Mana Taiohi framework

This section outlines what mana-enhancing co-design practice can look like using the Mana Taiohi principles. Keep these principles at the forefront of your process, prioritising meaningful relationships throughout. 

Whanaungatanga

Build relationships before doing the work

Whanaungatanga: Build relationships before doing the work

Manaakitanga

Ensure rangatahi feel welcome and safe

Manaakitanga: Ensure rangatahi feel welcome and safe

Whai wāhitanga

Give young people space to assume agency and take responsibility. 

Whai wāhitanga: Give young people space to assume agency

Mātauranga

Provide authentic and transparent information 

Mātauranga: Provide authentic and transparent information

Co-designing across the phases of a project

Choosing the right activities and channels to co-design with rangatahi throughout a project depends on what you want to understand and work on with rangatahi, and the phase of the project. 

Below outlines some options and examples of ways to practically involve rangatahi depending on the project stage.

Scope

Defining the why, what, where, when, who, and how much it will cost

Co-design scope

Design

Defining the details of the space and what features it includes

Co-design Design phase

Build

Construction of the space, equipment, landscape 

Co-design build phase

Evaluate and maintain

Keeping the space welcoming, engaging, activated and plan for any upgrades/extensions 