After-school and community activities

Definition

The proportion of young people aged 12 to 17 who report that they want more after-school activities and community places to hang out, as measured by the Youth Connectedness Survey.

Relevance

Having activities to engage in and places to go after school helps young people to use their leisure time safely. 

Youth-friendly places in local communities help young people to feel like they are part of their communities, and that their presence is welcomed and their contribution valued.  It also helps them form connections with community groups, which has been linked to higher levels of well-being, life-satisfaction, and positive body-image, and stronger ethnic identity for Māori and New Zealand European young people.(1)

Current level

Nearly a third (28.9 percent) of young people aged 12 to 17 reported that they want more after-school activities in 2006, and about two-fifths (41.5 percent) wanted more community places to hang out.

Proportion of young people aged 12 to 17 reporting that they want more after-school activities and community places to hang out, by age and gender, 2006

Proportion of young people aged 12 to 17 reporting that they want more after-school activities and community places to hang out, by age and gender, 2006

Source: Youth Connectedness Survey.

Notes

1. See presentation by Crespo, C. (2007), Young People and the Community: Year 1 data [from the VUW Youth Connectedness Study]. Wellington: Roy McKenzie Centre for Family Studies, Victoria University of Wellington.  Presentation (accessed 10 August 2008) available online at http://www.vuw.ac.nz/youthconnectedness/projects/Community.aspx.