Youth Futures Workshop 2023
The Youth Futures Workshop, hosted by Think Beyond, Grow Waitaha and The University of Canterbury, brought together rangatahi (young people) from across Waitaha Canterbury to explore how futures thinking can shape more hopeful and sustainable communities.
Guided by futurist Dr. Cheryl Doig and Sophie Howe, the first Commissioner for Future Generations in Wales, the workshop invited youth to imagine their preferred futures and identify practical steps to move toward them.
Participants engaged with two key tools:
The Futures Wheel – to map the ripple effects of emerging changes and explore systemic interconnections.
The Proaction Canvas – to turn future aspirations into actionable plans by identifying clear, specific goals and first steps.
The hui emphasised that change doesn’t happen in silos; systems thinking and collaboration are essential. Participants were encouraged to start small, stay curious, and build momentum toward their positive futures.
To support ongoing engagement, Think Beyond shared a resource folder containing templates, examples, and Sophie Howe’s presentation materials. Young people were also connected to networks like Teach the Future’s Young Voices Network and Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) to continue growing their futures thinking practice.
A strong community of adult allies, including leaders from Christchurch City Council, Grow Waitaha, University of Canterbury, ChristchurchNZ, and others, offered their support to amplify youth influence and intergenerational collaboration.
The workshop closed with a challenge to imagine Waitaha as the most youth-engaged region in Aotearoa, asking:
What would it look like, and what would it take?
Participants were invited to #AcceptTheNudge — to take one small action toward the futures they want to create.
Read about the full workshop by Think Beyond.
The recording of Creating intergenerational wellbeing with Sophie Howe as part of the Christchurch Conversations event run by Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City Making.