Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi funded Research Programmes

Generation Kāinga (Gen K) is a kaupapa Māori research and development programme designed to co-construct rangatahi solutions that support safe, secure and affordable housing and flourishing kāinga. An important part of this work is to innovate and strengthen kāinga economies, community-based systems that integrate cultural, social, and economic wellbeing. Rangatahi Māori continue to be significantly less likely than other New Zealanders to own their own home or sustain secure living environments. The final year of this project focusses on the timely application of research findings to address these challenges and create pathways for a generation to activate their and kāinga aspirations.

This project provides an analysis of one of the largest bodies of research data gathered about rangatahi and housing. This final year provides a key platform from which to sharpen our focus on a key dimension of the Gen K research: Ohanga Ora - building resilient kāinga economies and rangatahi enterprise. This work will result in practical tools, policy frameworks, and activation events that enable rangatahi to innovate in housing and enterprise. These initiatives will ensure rangatahi voices can influence housing policy and practice, creating pathways for intergenerational wealth and sustainable communities.

Gen K positions rangatahi as agents of economic transformation, embedding mātauranga Māori into housing innovation and enterprise development. Leveraging partnerships with iwi, government, and industry, the project will deliver solutions that promote affordability, Indigenous entrepreneurship, kāinga economies, climate resilience, and social cohesion. Our vision is clear: to make Aotearoa the best place in the world for tamariki by enabling rangatahi to shape a prosperous future.

Generation Kāinga addresses one of the most pressing Māori priorities and greatest aspirations: Māori housing tenure and our ability to exercise authority over our kāinga for the well-being of whānau, hapū, iwi and communities. This kaupapa Māori research programme seeks to unlock the capacity of rangatahi Māori to become key agents in promoting and developing whanau housing and kāinga solutions.

A Kaupapa Māori approach aligns with a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) that centralises the participation and agency of the community, or in this case rangatahi. A strength of this project is the participation of outstanding rangatahi who are emerging researchers and change-making leaders, as well as innovative and successful rangatahi groups and initiatives.

Given the holistic nature of kāinga and the complex challenge of transformative change in the Māori housing sector, the multiple dimensions that facilitate a Generation (of rangatahi committed to) Kāinga is expressed in four ORA (wellbeing) themes: Kāinga ora; whenua ora; rangatahi ora; and ōhanga ora.

This project is organised to systematically undertake innovative research that will deeply connect with our rangatahi and whānau; reveal innovative rangatahi solutions and pathways to repatriate, restore and create kainga; and mobilise whānau, iwi and hapu, as well as government agencies and service to take action and enact strategic change.

This kaupapa Māori project is not only made up exclusively of Māori researchers, but features some of the most eminent Māori research leaders in their respective fields, including Prof Linda Smith, Prof Jenny Lee-Morgan and Rau Hoskins. Our team brings together the wisdom of mātauranga Māori, intersections with western science, expertise in the Māori housing sector, as well as wide professional and community networks through our extensive whanaungatanga relationships.