We have made a commitment to supporting children and young people – placing them ‘at the heart our city’. As a strategic priority this means ensuring our plans and our decisions help all our children to reach their potential. It also means providing a healthy and beautiful city in which to grow up.
On this page you will find:
Children and young people
It is the Council’s view that there are long-term benefits for the City if we take a strengths-based approach to promoting the wellbeing of our children and young people.
We believe that if we are more inclusive in our thinking we will make better and more enduring decisions together that will benefit everyone. As one young person aptly put it:
Children and young people are actively involved in the care and protection of the harbour and the environment, and enjoy living in clean and attractive neighbourhoods.
Children and young people in Porirua grow up healthy, active, and safe. Public places promote health and well-being and strengthen connections for the well-being of young people.
For example, in 2018 Council introduced a Healthy Drinks Policy to help make it easier for children and young people to make healthy choices at our events and facilities. Changes in the Policy will be implemented over the next 12 months.
Children and young people are supported to achieve academic success at school, and to transition from formal education into a future they aspire to. They participate in the life our city, broadening their experiences and expanding their horizons.
Children and young people feel supported by strong connections with families, each other, and the wider community. They have places to go and things to do, and enjoy celebrating a variety of cultures in their everyday life.
Children and young people are active participants in decision making processes and local projects to help shape the look and feel of our city.
Download the Strategic framework for children and young people 2018-2021
Council has reported its progress towards achieving better wellbeing outcomes for children and young people for 2018-19. Progress is described using the five key focus areas from the At the heart of the city strategic framework.
People aged under 25 years make up nearly 40 per cent of our population. We want them to feel proud of the city they live in and have opportunities to participate in city life.
As part of this work, we need to know how well children and young people are doing. The Status Report collates wellbeing indicators across a range of areas, including health, education, engagement, recreation, satisfaction with living in Porirua, housing and safety. Each Status Report includes comparisons with national averages and provides ethnic breakdowns when available.
The report is produced annually.
We use it to review the way we support children and young people and make changes if required. It provides us with an advocacy platform for issues outside our control. We also encourage others to use this information in their work with children and young people.
Download the 2022 Status of children and young people in Porirua here
To review reports between 2017 to 2020 please click the link below.
Outcome of the pre Long-term Plan Mayoral Youth Forum for students from Porirua Schools
The Forum was a vehicle to understand what’s important to tamariki and rangatahi and to encourage participation in our Long-term Plan Download it here
We've created several funds for children and young people to apply for, so they can achieve their goals. Check out our funding page for more information.
We support young people in our city through grants and funding programmes. But it’s not just about money – we want to support our rangatahi and tamariki as they take on challenges and learn new skills.
