Manaaki Rangatahi are concerned that punitive approaches to welfare, such as National's latest policy announcement, and current sanction policies for young people in need of financial support from MSD, run the risk of increasing harm for young people and placing them at greater risk of experiencing homelessness.

Manaaki Rangatahi acknowledge the mana of our rangatahi, recognizing that all our young people have worth and dignity, whether they have paid employment, or not.

Rather than approaches to welfare that focus on incentives and sanctions, Manaaki Rangatahi call on all political parties to respond to the reasons why our rangatahi are in need of the benefit.

We ask for our political leaders to engage with young people and youth advocates in order to understand the context behind why many of our rangatahi are in need of financial support. For example, the rangatahi we service collectively are often facing complex challenges which incentives and sanctions are unable to address.

Many of the rangatahi we serve are experiencing homelessness, mental illness, disabilities, and the impacts of generational poverty and colonization.

If we are to support our rangatahi appropriately we must understand their needs, and respond accordingly.

Manaaki Rangatahi calls on our political leaders to enshrine the #Right2Housing in law in order to ensure all our young people have access to safe, stable and supported housing. We also call on our political leaders to work together across the house to develop a strategy to end youth homelessness, and to ensure that all our young people are able to access liveable incomes and have access to tailored support that meets their needs.

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