Engagement

Civics Education

Civics education is about fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging people to understand their rights and duties, including their obligations to respect the law, and the more formal processes of civic life, such as how laws are made and how voting works. It also encompasses engagement with local and central government and opportunities to participate in decision-making processes.

Ultimately, it seeks to empower people to be informed, engaged and active in their communities, democratic processes and society.

Civics education examples

Materials shared by Auckland Council:

• Introduction-Auckland council, and teacher student resources
• Co-governance-relationship-Māori, and teacher student resources
• Civic-participation, and teacher student resources
• Elections-representation, and teacher student resources

"What does your council do?" type videos:

• Dunedin City Council: Introducing your City Council – YouTube

• Hamilton City Council: What does Council do? – YouTube

• Palmerston North City Council: Welcome to Palmerston North City Council – YouTube

Graphic:

• Illustration of local authority responsibilities: LG_Illustration_HighRes.pdf (lgnz.co.nz)

• Local Government New Zealand: Vote 2022: LGNZ Youth-Voting-Teachers-Guide-Te-Reo-Māori and LGNZ Youth-Voting Teachers-Guide

• Electoral Commission: Teaching voting at schools

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Community Enablement and Wellbeing

Community enablement and wellbeing is about creating environments where people can thrive, both individually and collectively. It involves addressing various needs and fostering a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.

Community enablement

Community enablement examples

• A webinar to help support councils to develop the skills and practice of community enablement. You will hear international and local examples of how councils can enable and facilitate strong community groupings, tap easily into community networks and knowledge, support co-design and co-production and help build inclusive communities: watch here

• Megan Courtney from Inspiring Communities examines localism in Aotearoa through a community-led lens in A Focus on the How not the Who – Victoria University of Wellington: https://ojs.victoria.ac.nz/pq/article/view/5367/4696

• Inspiring Communities (https://inspiringcommunities.org.nz) provide a raft of tools and resources to help support collaborative, community-led action, helping everyone (central and local government, iwi, non-government organisations, and communities) work together to solve complex issues and shift Aotearoa towards a sustainable future

• The Southern Institute shares resources on how Te Tokotoru can help activate a wider ecology of wellbeing, and the key shifts it represents as a holistic approach to prevention: https://tepunaaonui.govt.nz/assets/Resources/TeTokotoru_October_InnovationBrief_2021.pdf

Anchor institutions

• This webinar is a good introduction to how a council can position itself as an anchor institution. Matthew Baqueriza-Jackson is a well-respected international expert on community wealth building and social procurement: watch here

Community wellbeing

Community wellbeing examples

• Future for Local Government – Unlocking the potential: https://www.futureforlocalgovernment.govt.nz/assets/Unlocking-the-Potential-of-Local-Government-Wellbeing-Ecology-OCT-2022.pdf

• Mahere Hauora – Western Bay of Plenty wellbeing plan: https://www.westernbay.govt.nz/repository/libraries/id:25p4fe6mo17q9stw0v5w/hierarchy/council/plans-and-strategies/Longtermplan2021-2031/Final_LTP_2021-2031/Chapter%20Two/Wellbeing%20Plan%202021-2031.pdf

Social wellbeing examples

• Te Awa Kairangi Kai collective: https://www.takk.org.nz/

• Its Flaxmere’s time: https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/assets/Document-Library/Community-Plans/Flaxmere/Flaxmere-Commuinity-Plan-2022-2025.pdf

• Kainga Tupu – Tauranga City Council collaborating to tackle homelessness: https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/community/community-services/homelessness

Cultural wellbeing examples

• Te Ara Atea – The heart of Rolleston’s town centre: https://www.selwynlibraries.co.nz/your-libraries/te-ara-atea

• Te Ahu Area – LGNZ cultural wellbeing discussion starter: http://www.lgnz.org.nz/assets/Uploads/7e3a49c931/20190703-Attachment_Cultural-Well-being-Brochure_Creative-NZ.PDF

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Community-led Development

Community-led development is a way of working with communities – you acknowledge and build on local strengths, foster collaborative leadership, and create a shared vision for the future state, while empowering  community lead development processes.

Community-led development examples

• Bank of Ideas (Great Newsletter): Bank Of Ideas | Community Consultancy

• Inspiring Communities (Good Newsletter): Inspiring Communities | Supporting Community-Led Development

• Community Matters: https://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/community-led-development-principles/

Programme examples

• Christchurch City Council Community-led Development: https://ccc.govt.nz/culture-and-community/community-led-development

• Rangitikei – ‘Making This Place Home’: https://www.rangitikei.govt.nz/files/general/Other/RDC-Community-led-Development-Guide-2021-A4-Doc.pdf

• Mangakino Community-led Development Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg1whvgmNnM

Evaluation examples

• Department of Internal Affairs Community-led Development Programme, Summary of Evaluation Findings: https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Community-led-development/$file/CLDP-summary-report-2022.pdf

• Effective Community-level change: What makes community-level initiatives effective and how can central government best support them?: https://thehub.swa.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Community-level-change-report-0.pdf

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Deliberative Democracy

Deliberative democracy is about ensuring the public has the opportunity to participate in decision making and that any decisions reached are done so through fair and reasonable discussion and debate.

"In addition to improving the level of discussion and accounting for the most arguments, more-inclusive deliberative processes are fairer because more people have their views considered. Whether or not a citizen’s view is present in the outcome, it has at least been figured into the debate by fellow citizen deliberators." (Jennifer L Eagan, Deliberative Democracy (2016), In Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/topic/deliberative-democracy, accessed 28 April 2025).

Deliberative democracy engagement examples

• A resource hub developed by the Mosaic Lab with “how to guides” for key deliberative democracy processes: Deliberative democracy resource hub – MosaicLab 

• A toolbox full of resources from the OECD detailing the implementation, evaluation and embedding of deliberative democracy: Innovative Citizen Participation and the Guidelines for citizen participation processes

• newDemocracy is an independent, non-partisan organisation, which aims to develop, demonstrate, and promote deliberative processes. They provide a range of useful guidance on deliberative processes: newDemocracy Foundation

• The 2022 4th Public Participation and Deliberative Democracy Festival. Providing video recordings detailing how deliberative democracy has transformed youth participants understanding of democracy, their day-to-day life and their political and civic engagement: The impact of deliberative democracy on youth

• A Design Factory presentation outlining design thinking processes for an engagement group: Design Factory presentation

• A Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) presentation on Strengthened Local Democracy. 
  • The recording features international expert, Lyn Carson, a highly regarded Australian academic and current research director at newDemocracy; and Jean Drage, a renowned researcher, writer and teacher of New Zealand local government and politics
  • The pair discussed what a strengthened and inclusive local democracy could look like in New Zealand, including the idea of citizen juries to make difficult decisions. Limitless Local: Exploring the Future for Local Government zoom #1 (access passcode: 62658701)
• See other LGNZ resources, including a Stronger Focus on Wellbeing and Authentic Relationships with Hapū, Iwi and Māori: Future for Local Government | Ko Tātou LGNZ

Research and reports on citizen assemblies and juries

Watercare Citizens’ Assembly (2022)

"What should be Tāmaki Makaurau’s next future water source?" – led to a recommendation that direct recycled water would be the best solution to meet the city’s water needs beyond 2040.

• Watercare – Citizens’ Assembly recommends direct recycled water for Auckland’s future water source
• Video recap – Watercare citizens' assembly project
• Podcast episode from Business Lab
• Newsroom article – The Watercare Citizen's Assembly

Future for Local Government Report (July 2023)

The Future for Local Government report was published in July 2023 along with a Technical report on collaborative models. The panel responsible for the review also commissioned additional research including:

• Rangatiratanga, Citizenship and a Crown that is 'Māori too' Boldness and the Future of Local Government
• Rethinking democracy – and why local government is the best place to start
• Digital Futures: Democratising Digital and Data
• Get Vocal in Your Local: Project Summary
• How local government in Victoria (Aus) is using deliberative democracy, and what we can learn from this
• McGuinness Institute discussion paper – Future for Local Government Workshop
• Four key points to the Panel of the Review into the Future for Local Government
• Unlocking the potential of local government: Activating a wellbeing ecology, in place

The Southern Initiative

Unlocking the Potential of Local Government: Activating a wellbeing ecology, in place – developed in 2022 by The Southern Initiative as a contribution to the Review into the Future for Local Government by the Auckland Co-design Lab, The Southern and Western Initiative and with contributions from teams across Auckland Council: Unlocking the Potential of Local Government – Activating a wellbeing ecology, in place

The Southern Initiative works across southern and western Auckland developing equity programmes, in particular for Māori and Pasifika peoples. It brings central and local government together to deliver the programmes. Other reports can be found at https://www.tsi.nz/our-reports

Examples from other Countries

• Irish Citizens’ Assemblies (2016-2018): on abortion, same-sex marriage, divorce, blasphemy, and climate change – that have all led to either referendums, constitutional changes and/or new legislation: About the Citizens' Assembly – The Citizens' Assembly (citizensassembly.ie)

• French Citizens’ Climate Convention (2019-2020): on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, in a spirit of social justice that influenced France’s Climate Act: Home – The Citizens' Convention on Climate, what is it?

• Canada’s Citizens’ Assemblies on Democratic Expression (2020-2022): on examining the impact of digital technologies on Canadian society, reporting to the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression, to the federal government and the public: Citizens' Assembly on Democratic Expression (commissioncanada.ca)

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Effective Engagement with Māori

Te Arawhiti have developed fantastic resources to raise the capability of public servants to effectively engage with Māori, these include:

• Engagement framework: https://www.tearawhiti.govt.nz/assets/Maori-Crown-Relations-Roopu/451100e49c/Engagement-Framework-1-Oct-18.pdf

• Engagement guidelines: https://www.tearawhiti.govt.nz/assets/Maori-Crown-Relations-Roopu/6b46d994f8/Engagement-Guidelines-1-Oct-18.pdf

• Engagement strategy template: https://www.tearawhiti.govt.nz/assets/Tools-and-Resources/Crown-engagement-with-Maori-Engagement-strategy-template.pdf

• Capability building: https://www.learnmaori.com/te-ao-maori-course/for-professionals/ and https://www.tearawhiti.govt.nz/tools-and-resources/tools-for-your-development/

Know your council's settlement commitments and iwi, hapū interests

• Find a treaty settlement: https://www.govt.nz/browse/history-culture-and-heritage/treaty-settlements/find-a-treaty-settlement/

• A searchable database of commitments: https://tehaeata.govt.nz/nau-mai-haere-mai-ki-te-haeata?destination=/kia-ora

• Te Kāhui Māngai is a useful tool for anyone to find out basic information about iwi, hapū and marae: https://www.tkm.govt.nz/

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Engagement Resources

• International Association for Public Participation (IAP2): https://iap2.org.au/resources/

• Auckland Council's guide to involving communities in our projects and decisions: Engagement Guidelines 2022

• Citizenlab: Inclusion in e-democracy 

• Check out their "but is it codesign?" test. It's helpful for understanding when codesign is being used as a buzz word: Beyond sticky notes

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Engaging with Diverse Communities

Pacific
https://www.mpp.govt.nz/publications-resources/resources/yavu/

Disabled people
https://www.odi.govt.nz/disability-toolkit/engaging-with-the-disability-community/

Ethnic communities
https://www.ethniccommunities.govt.nz/resources-2/guides-and-how-tos/ethnicity-matters-a-guide-to-working-with-ethnic-communities/

Rainbow communities
Auckland Council – Rainbow Communities Engagement Guidelines 

Children and Youth

• A compilation of case studies from around the world, produced by the C40 Global Youth and Mayors Forum (GYMF), to help youth leaders and cities to spark and accelerate immediate, on the ground action on climate change and foster a collaborative spirit between mayors and youth climate leaders: Youth Engagement Playbook for Cities: How to tackle the climate crisis through collaboration with youth

• A variety of engagement methods which can be used to engage with mokopuna: Engagement methods: guidance by the Children’s Commissioner

• The child and youth engagement toolkit that was used in the development of the Government’s first Child and Youth Wellbeing Strategy: Child and youth toolkit

• A good practice guidance framework developed by Auckland council to support two youth deliberative democracy pilots aimed at increasing meaningful engagement with young people across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland: Youth Deliberative Democracy Guidance Framework

• A resource developed by the Ministry of Youth Development for involving young people in decision-making: Keepin’ It Real

• A Children's Commissioner 2018 Case Study: In depth engagement with tamariki and rangatahi Māori

• Youth voices toolkit: final-youth-voices-toolkit.pdf (myd.govt.nz)

• Benefits for your organisation – Youth engagement: final-youth-engagement-benefits-for-your-organisation.pdf (myd.govt.nz)

• Youth engagement in local government: final-youth-engagement-in-local-government.pdf (myd.govt.nz)

• Project planning tool: final-youth-engagement-in-decision-making.pdf (myd.govt.nz)

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Taituarā Excellence Awards Winners 

Te Tohu Waka Hourua

Ngāti Tūrangitukua and Taupō District Council Partnership
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=397 

Tamatea Hapū and Central Hawke's Bay District Council Partnership
https://taituara.org.nz/nga-ara-tipuna-ki-tamatea

Greater Wellington Regional Council Climate Resilience Programme
https://taituara.org.nz/building-climate-resilience

Greater Wellington Regional Council Māori Outcomes Framework
https://taituara.org.nz/te-whariki-maori-outcomes-framework

Tauranga City Council Civic Precinct Redevelopment
https://taituara.org.nz/joint-land-ownership

Wellington City Council ‘Tupiki ora’ Strategy and Action Plan
https://taituara.org.nz/tupiki-ora

Digital Local Government

Hastings District Council Virtual Digital Twin Asset Management
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=404

Toi Moana Rates Collection Project
https://taituara.org.nz/toi-moana-rates-collection-project

Christchurch City Council Early Fire Detection Solution
https://taituara.org.nz/early-fire-detection-sensor-network

Hamilton City Council Website Upgrade
https://taituara.org.nz/hamilton-website-redevelopment

Hamilton City Council Forecasting Housing Demand
https://taituara.org.nz/dwelling-projection-model

Waikato District Council Land Capacity Model
https://taituara.org.nz/land-capacity-model

Placemaking

It’s Flaxmere’s Time
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=403

Ashburton CBD Streetscaping Revitalisation Project
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=407

Hastings District – Toitoi ‘A Place for Everyone’
https://taituara.org.nz/a-place-for-everyone

Tasman District Walking and Cycling Strategy
https://taituara.org.nz/walking-and-cycling-strategy

Kāpiti Coast District Council Accessible Playground
https://taituara.org.nz/lorna-irene-reserve-playground

Whangārei City Council Pūtahi Park Redevelopment
https://taituara.org.nz/putahi-park

Taupō Town Centre Transformation
https://taituara.org.nz/taupo-town-centre-transformation

Nelson City Council Te Pā Harakeke Reserve
https://taituara.org.nz/Article?Action=View&Article_id=364

The Pōneke Promise
https://taituara.org.nz/poneke-promise

Organisation and People

Far North District Council – ‘Great Workplaces’
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=405

Hastings District Council Engaging Our People
https://taituara.org.nz/engaging-our-people

Taupō Customer Services Transformation
https://taituara.org.nz/Article?Action=View&Article_id=352

Toi Tangata – Growing a Great Culture at Toi Moana
https://taituara.org.nz/toi-tangata

Whakatāne District Council ‘Toitū te Kotahitanga – Better Together’
https://taituara.org.nz/toitu-te-kotahitanga

Hutt City Council Wellbeing Programme Enhancements
https://taituara.org.nz/wellbeing-programme-enhancements

Ōtorohanga District Council Organisation Realignment
https://taituara.org.nz/where-kiwi-can-fly

Environmental Leadership

Wairoa District Council 'Toi te whenua, Manaaki ki te whenua'
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=400

Eke Panuku Development Auckland
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=297

Hamilton City Council Stormwater Master Plan Webviewer
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=408

Queenstown Lakes District Council Whare Mahana Luggate Memorial Centre
https://taituara.org.nz/luggate-memorial-centre

Thames Coromandel District Council Shoreline Management Pathways Project
https://taituara.org.nz/shoreline-management-pathways-project

Collaborative Government

Auckland Wynyard Edge Alliance
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=406

Nelson Community Carbon Footprint
https://taituara.org.nz/community-carbon-footprint

Hamilton Economic Development Showcase
https://taituara.org.nz/economic-development-showcase

Tauranga Transport System Plan Funding
https://taituara.org.nz/infrastructure-funding-and-financing-transport-system-plan-funding

Turanga mahi ki Tamatea
https://taituara.org.nz/jobs-in-central-hawkes-bay

Takai Here Tāngata
https://taituara.org.nz/takai-here-tangata

Kaipara Moana Remediation Programme
https://taituara.org.nz/kaipara-moana-remediation-programme

Centre of Excellence for Unsealed Roads
https://taituara.org.nz/unsealed-road-network-centre-of-excellence

Tasman Joint Future Development Strategy
https://taituara.org.nz/working-together

Hastings Place Based Housing Solution
https://taituara.org.nz/Story?Action=View&Story_id=300 

Community Relations, Community Engagement

Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Project
https://taituara.org.nz/Article?Action=View&Article_id=469

Te Hiku o te Ika Revitalisation Project
https://taituara.org.nz/2022-Datacom-Award-for-Transforming-Service-Delivery/2022-Minister-of-Local-Government-Award-for-Council-Community-Relations

Onehunga Community Recycling Centre
https://taituara.org.nz/onehunga-recycling-centre

Whaitua Kāpiti
https://taituara.org.nz/whaitua-kapiti

Te Pae Whīra o Pā Harakeke
https://taituara.org.nz/te-pae-whira-o-pa-harakeke

Te Awa Kairangi Kai Collective
https://taituara.org.nz/kai-collective

Tell Tom
https://taituara.org.nz/tell-tom

A City for All Ages
https://taituara.org.nz/a-city-for-all-ages

Stand for Tasman!
https://taituara.org.nz/elections-campaign-stand-for-tasman

Waimea Inlet Forum
https://taituara.org.nz/waimea-inlet

Taupō Animal Control Shelter
https://taituara.org.nz/taupo-animal-control-shelter

Regeneration Kaiapoi
https://taituara.org.nz/regeneration-kaiapoi

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