Rangatahi Voices, Real Change

Overview

Ākonga investigate social justice through a local issue affecting rangatahi, such as transport, access to recreation, housing, safety, environmental quality or wellbeing. They identify how power operates, map who influences decisions, and collaboratively create a respectful statement or action proposal for an authentic audience.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain social justice and describe how unfairness can affect people and communities.
• WALT identify different forms of power and where decisions about a local issue are made.
• WALT recognise how rangatahi voices can contribute to positive change.
• WALT use collective voice to propose a realistic response to unfairness.

Success criteria

• I can describe the unfairness in a local issue and explain who is affected.
• I can distinguish between formal, informal, collective and lived-experience power.
• I can create a power map that identifies decision-makers, influencers and possible allies.
• I can present a clear, evidence-informed and respectful proposal for change.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences — understand how people participate within communities and how groups make decisions.
• Social Sciences — understand how systems of power and decision-making influence people and communities.
• Social Sciences — use social inquiry to investigate perspectives, values, actions and consequences.
• New Zealand Curriculum values and competencies — participation, community engagement, justice, respect, managing self, relating to others and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook: Whose voice counts? Teacher displays a local image or scenario, such as an unsafe bus stop or lack of youth facilities, and asks: “Who gets heard when decisions are made, and who is expected to live with the result?” Open with the provocative hook and local issue scenario. Students complete a quick individual response, then share one example of unfairness they have noticed or heard about, without naming private individuals.

2. 7–17 min · Build shared understanding. Teacher defines social justice as fair treatment, fair access to opportunities and resources, recognition of rights, and meaningful participation in decisions. Introduce “power” as the ability to influence people, resources, decisions or public attention. Use the social justice and power teaching slides to explain formal power held through roles, informal power held through relationships or expertise, collective power created by groups, and lived-experience power gained through direct knowledge of an issue. Students annotate the definitions and discuss: “Can people have power even when they do not hold an official position?”

3. 17–23 min · Model a power map. Teacher models a simple power map using a neutral local example, such as limited after-school transport. Place the issue in the centre, then add those directly affected, formal decision-makers, people who influence decisions, potential allies and groups who may be overlooked. Demonstrate arrows labelled “funds”, “votes”, “advises”, “informs”, “organises” or “experiences”. Students suggest additions and justify the strength or direction of each connection.

4. 23–40 min · Group investigation and mapping. Arrange five groups of four, with roles such as facilitator, recorder, evidence checker and spokesperson. Distribute the local issue and power-mapping organiser. Each group selects or receives a local issue affecting rangatahi, identifies the unfairness and affected groups, and creates a power map. They must include at least six stakeholders, identify where decisions are made, describe two forms of power, and note one ethical way rangatahi could influence the issue. Teacher conferences with groups, checking that claims are specific and do not stereotype individuals or communities.

5. 40–52 min · Collective voice proposal. Teacher directs groups to use their map to prepare a 60–90 second statement or action proposal for an authentic audience, such as the school leadership team, student council, local board representative, youth worker or community organisation. Use the proposal planning and respectful presentation prompts. Each proposal must state the issue, explain why it is unjust, identify the decision-maker or influence point, suggest one achievable action, and explain how rangatahi will participate. Students rehearse, using inclusive and respectful language, evidence or lived experience appropriately, and a clear call to action.

6. 52–60 min · Present, respond and reflect. Each group presents to the class or the arranged audience. The audience records one strength and one constructive question for each proposal. Teacher closes by asking: “What makes a voice powerful?” and “How can we challenge unfairness without reproducing harm?” Students complete the individual reflection and exit response: define social justice in their own words, name one form of power, and identify one action rangatahi could take.

Resources

• the social justice, power mapping and proposal presentation deck
• the local issue and power-mapping organiser
• Whiteboard or shared digital canvas
• Markers and large sheets of paper
• Sticky notes
• Timer
• Optional guest or authentic audience member
• Teacher-selected, age-appropriate information about local issues

Assessment

• Listen during discussion for accurate use of social justice and power concepts; address confusion between influence and authority.
• Check each power map for a clearly described unfairness, affected groups, decision-making sites, forms of power and possible allies.
• Assess presentations informally against the success criteria, focusing on clarity, evidence, respectful language, realistic action and recognition of rangatahi agency.
• Use the final reflection to identify whether ākonga can connect social justice, power and civic participation.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters: “This issue is unfair because…”, “The people with formal power are…”, “Rangatahi could influence change by…”.
• Offer a prepared set of local issue cards or stakeholder suggestions for groups needing a narrower starting point; allow students to work from an issue they know through whānau or community experience.
• Extend confident ākonga by asking them to identify unintended consequences, competing perspectives, or how their proposal could include mana whenua and affected communities appropriately.
• Allow oral recording, scribing, shared typing or visual mapping for students with writing needs. Pre-teach key terms, pair EAL learners with supportive peers, and avoid requiring personal disclosure about experiences of injustice.
• Remind groups to protect privacy, distinguish evidence from assumption, and use tikanga-appropriate, non-confrontational engagement when addressing an authentic audience.