“It’s a Window to the Outside World”: Rangatahi Digital Lives and Indigenous Wellbeing
Tracks
Ballroom 1 - In-Person Only
| Monday, October 12, 2026 |
| 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Ballroom 1 |
Overview
Jennifer Smith, University Of Canterbury
Presenter
Jennifer Smith
Senior Lecturer
University Of Canterbury
“It’s a Window to the Outside World”: Rangatahi Digital Lives and Indigenous Wellbeing
Presentation Overview
Rangatahi are growing up in digital environments that shape how they connect, learn, express identity, and experience wellbeing. Public narratives frequently position young people as passive recipients of harm in online spaces, leading to restrictive policies that are developed without their meaningful involvement. This presentation centres rangatahi voices from participatory research with young people aged 12–15 from Māori, Pacific, Deaf, and Rainbow communities across Aotearoa New Zealand, exploring how digital media shapes their everyday lives and wellbeing.
The study positions rangatahi as knowledge holders and co-interpreters of their own experiences through a Youth Participatory Action Research approach. Findings highlight the complex realities of digital life, where online environments function simultaneously as spaces of belonging, cultural validation, identity expression, creativity, and support—particularly for young people whose identities are not always reflected in offline settings. At the same time, rangatahi described challenges including pressure to remain constantly connected, exposure to harmful or discriminatory content, and the emotional impacts of comparison and online conflict.
Importantly, rangatahi demonstrated strong critical awareness of these tensions and articulated practical strategies for supporting healthy engagement. They emphasised the importance of relational guidance, trust, and shared decision-making with adults, while also highlighting the limitations of restrictive approaches such as device bans, which often fail to reflect the realities of their digital worlds.
We argue that restoring rangatahi authority in conversations about digital wellbeing is essential for developing culturally grounded and sustainable responses. Rather than positioning digital environments as problems to be controlled, this work invites a shift toward understanding them as relational spaces that require collective navigation. Aligning with Indigenous wellbeing frameworks that privilege collective responsibility and relational practice, the session explores how youth-centred approaches can inform education, policy, and community initiatives in digitally saturated contexts, supporting not only safe engagement, but identity, connection, and long-term wellbeing.
The study positions rangatahi as knowledge holders and co-interpreters of their own experiences through a Youth Participatory Action Research approach. Findings highlight the complex realities of digital life, where online environments function simultaneously as spaces of belonging, cultural validation, identity expression, creativity, and support—particularly for young people whose identities are not always reflected in offline settings. At the same time, rangatahi described challenges including pressure to remain constantly connected, exposure to harmful or discriminatory content, and the emotional impacts of comparison and online conflict.
Importantly, rangatahi demonstrated strong critical awareness of these tensions and articulated practical strategies for supporting healthy engagement. They emphasised the importance of relational guidance, trust, and shared decision-making with adults, while also highlighting the limitations of restrictive approaches such as device bans, which often fail to reflect the realities of their digital worlds.
We argue that restoring rangatahi authority in conversations about digital wellbeing is essential for developing culturally grounded and sustainable responses. Rather than positioning digital environments as problems to be controlled, this work invites a shift toward understanding them as relational spaces that require collective navigation. Aligning with Indigenous wellbeing frameworks that privilege collective responsibility and relational practice, the session explores how youth-centred approaches can inform education, policy, and community initiatives in digitally saturated contexts, supporting not only safe engagement, but identity, connection, and long-term wellbeing.
Biography
Ko Jen Smith tōku ingoa (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi). I am a Senior Lecturer in Māori education at the University of Canterbury. My research centres on culturally responsive practices. I work alongside communities and educators to strengthen rangatahi outcomes through kaupapa Māori approaches and relational practice.
Ko Aaron Hāpuku tōku ingoa (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Tahinga). I am a Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences at the University of Canterbury. My work centres hauora Māori, focusing on whānau experiences, disability, and Indigenous approaches to wellbeing, identity, and community-led practice.
