The Hive is humming

In April we welcomed the next season of young people into the Hive; a kaupapa we run alongside the Ministry of Youth Development to help centre youth voice in decision-making.  

Established in 2019, The Hive is a rōpū of young people who act as a two-way bridge between taiohi and government. For decision-makers, the group engages with young people and communicates what’s on top for them. For young people, the rōpū helps to demystify the processes of government. This means The Hive is doing something a bit different than being a youth advisory group – we talk about it as an amplifier of youth voice.

The Hive was developed from our partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development and is a core part of the Ministry’s Youth Plan. Every year a new group of Hivers between 16-24 are recruited from an open application process. In 2024, we have further evolved the programme to work within a longer tuakana-teina framework to help deepen and support positive youth development. This means that the Hive rōpū is now made up of ten new Hivers (teina) and seven tuakana who have been part of a previous season of The Hive. This season of Hivers come from all over the motu: Ōtepoti, Ōtautahi, rural Ōtakou, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Kirikiriroa, and Tāmaki Makaurau.

As we gathered this new season together for the first time in April, we discussed the issues that matter to taiohi – issues such as climate change, mental health, and the cost of living – and unpacked the range of ways these issues can be explored and communicated. Most importantly, the rōpū began the work of uncovering their combined skills, strengths, and the ways they want to work together to help decision-makers connect with taiohi around Aotearoa.

Alongside the new season, we’ve also revealed a new look for The Hive, with a refreshed website and a new quarterly newsletter for decision-makers. The new design direction introduces an ‘ugly cool’ colour palette that encapsulates The Hive’s fearlessness when it comes to the gnarly, authentic conversations. Playful illustrations use a half-tone effect that hark back to printed newspapers, while bold typography elements exude confidence and optimism.

If you’re a public sector decision-maker, The Hive can help you engage with young people and centre their perspectives in your mahi. Whether it’s about collecting insights about what’s on top for taiohi now or gathering youth perspectives on policies or reforms, The Hive is all about supporting your work and helping to ensure the voices of taiohi are front and centre.

You can find more info on the different ways The Hive works at the website. Get in touch or sign up to our quarterly newsie here, it’s packed with things that young people are doing, thinking and hoping for right now!