Report on Evaluations of Māori Youth Transition Programmes

Project dates: 
Apr-2009 to Jun-2009
Description of the project: 

This report reviewed the evaluations of three youth transition programmes. The aim of the review was to provide a body of evidence that would help Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) determine the state sector's contribution in enabling Māori youth to successfully transition from secondary to tertiary education.

The three programmes were:

  • Creating Pathways and Building Lives (CPaBL) – a Ministry of Education initiative, providing careers education and guidance to secondary school students
  • Gateway – a Tertiary Education Commission programme, funded by the Ministry of Education, offering Year 11-13 students integrated learning opportunities between school and the workplace
  • Youth Transition Services (YTS) – a Ministry of Social Development programme, accommodating the career planning and transition needs of young people who had left school, were leaving school, or were thinking about doing so.

'Good practice' features (generic and Māori-specific) were highlighted in the report, with a view to their being adopted in subsequent programmes by state sector agencies - to optimise outcomes for Māori youth.

My involvement: 

My role was to analyse the programme evaluations to determine:

  1. Generic 'good practice' features; and
  2. Specific 'good practice' features for Māori youth.

I also had to synthesise, and analyse, other relevant documents.

In writing the final report, I provided detail on:

  • each of the programmes and their associated evaluations, with specific information on programme design, delivery and results;
  • 'good practice' features across all three initiatives;
  • aspects of 'good practice' that were particularly relevant for Māori youth;
  • my personal reflections (grounded in Māori values/concepts) on how such programmes could be enhanced to engage te taiohi Māori and help them realise their potential;
  • the strengths and limitations of the programme evaluations;
  • the key evaluation themes and findings
Key skills used: 
  • Writing of project plan and project brief eg tasks, due dates, outputs, key objectives, expectations, approach
  • Agency consultation and relationship management, to access documentation on youth transition programmes (e.g. Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education, Careers Services and Tertiary Education Commission)
  • Writing of literature review
  • Analysis of programme evaluations and other relevant information eg Education Review Office reports
  • Gap analysis re programmes
  • Synthesis of information e.g. 'good practice' featuresacross all three programmes
  • Writing of report
  • Incorporation of feedback from internal and external reviews re draft report
  • Adherence to TPK's quality assurance measures ie quality of written work, and editing; relevance of content; cultural appropriateness; accuracy of te reo Māori; and consultation
Outcomes: 

My review:

  • provided a body of evidence to help TPK determine the state sector's contribution in providing effective youth transition programmes for Māori;
  • assessed the outcomes of transition programmes for Māori youth;
  • highlighted gaps and areas for improvement in Māori youth transition programmes; and
  • informed the development of criteria for TPK to adjudge subsequent Māori youth transition programmes.

My report, with its inclusion of Māori-specific 'good practice' features, was useful for state sector agencies seeking to optimise outcomes for Māori youth and enhance the effectiveness of youth transition programmes.