Achieving good outcomes with vulnerable youth
The Pathways and Transitions Studies
Robyn Munford
Jackie Sanders
With grateful thanks to: The Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment who have funded the research and to Linda
Liebenberg and Michael Ungar in Canada who conceptualised the
original Pathways study and have supported the development of
the research.
Do you ever wonder what happened to
those children you saw in your practice,
those who you worried about and who
came to mind when you were not at
work, those you felt a sense of disquiet
about?
Two Studies
Pathways to Resilience.
National sample
Mixed methods
Multi stage
The role of services and resilience in
outcomes for youth at high risk
Youth Transitions.
Factors associated with positive transitions
to young adulthood for high risk youth
Who are the young people?

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1494 youth
61% male, 39% female
45% Maori, 18% Pacific, 34% Pakeha/other
euro, 4% other
12-17 years. Mean age 15.7 years
Service involvement: 339 welfare, 642 youth
justice, 642 alternative education, 351 mental
health
High service users are very
different to comparison group
youth
Mean Risk and Resilience Scores Comparison and High Service
Users Group
90
80
70
60
50
Mean Risk score
40
Mean Resilience Score
30
20
10
0
Matched Comparison
Group
Multiple Service Users
Group
Service Use – what makes a
difference?

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
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Staff engagement
Agency (by the young person)
Convergence between professionals
Avoid episodic interventions for chronic problems
Hard to reach?
Education
Do whatever it takes to
keep youth engaged and
achieving in school
Accelerated and compressed
transitions
Compressed childhoods:
•
Frequent moves
•
Social & emotional disruption
•
Unpredictable and little effective family support
•
Abuse & neglect
Accelerated autonomy:
•
Adult decisions
•
Financial responsibility
We gratefully thank all the young people and their supporters who participated in the research. We also acknowledge the contribution
of The Donald Beasley Institute, The Victoria University Research Trust and its staff, Youthline Auckland and all the other researchers
who helped with the research.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the young people who have participated in this study and taken the time to share their experiences with us. They have been
generous in their time and in the effort they have put into answering a complex questionnaire. Many of the youth who participated in this research also
nominated an adult who knew a lot about them (PMK) who we could interview. We would like to thank all the PMK who generously gave their time to this
study. The following individuals and organisations have provided intensive support to us at various points in the study. Professor Michael Ungar and Dr Linda
Liebenberg at the Resilience Research Centre based at Dalhousie University in Halifax Canada provided the methodologies and research materials and
supported us in applying their ground-breaking Canadian study in New Zealand. They have provided enormous amounts of ongoing support to the project.
Kāpiti Youth Support (KYS) and particularly Raechel the Manager and Briar the social worker, Presbyterian Support Upper South Island, and in particular Sue
Quinn, the Highbury Whānau Centre and particularly Michelle Swain and Anjali Butler, Pete Butler and his team at START, Youth Transitions in Palmerston
North. Special thanks to Barbara, Vicki and the team at Otago Youth Wellness Trust who provided assistance and support to the Dunedin research team for
the duration of the study. The Ministry of Social Development, and particularly Child Youth and Family Services, The Families Commission, as well as the
Department of Corrections also provided ongoing support at various stages in the research which would like to acknowledge. We also acknowledge the
contribution of the Victoria University Research Trust and its staff; The Donald Beasley Institute; Youthline Auckland and Otago University. Finally, we would
like to thank and acknowledge the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment for funding this research
In addition to this many organisations across the country supported the research at various stages in its development and we would like to thank them
for everything they have done to contribute to the research:
Adventure Development Ltd
Mt Cargill Trust
London House Learning Centre
Te Hou Ora Whanau Services
Mirror Services Whakāta Tohu Tohu
Kokiri Training Centre
Corstorphine Baptist Community Trust
Presbyterian Support Otago Family Works
YouthGrow and Buddy Programme
Presybterian Support Upper South Island,
Christchurch
Cafe for Youth Health Taupo
AIMHI Alternative Education Consortium
Auckland Central Alternative Education
Consortium
Best Training
Bluelight
Dingwall Trust
Genesis Project
Martin Hautus Institute
Aotea College
QEC College PN
St Patricks Town School
2 Much YDP
South Pacific Academy
YMCA
Challenge 2000
City Mission
EVOLVE
Mission for Youth
BGI
Porirua Alt School
VIBE
Wellington Activity Centre
Porirua Activity Centre
Strengthening Families
BGI
YMCA Palmerston North
YOSS Palmerston North
198 Youth Health
The Collaborative
Glenfield AOG youth
Strive Trust
Awatapu College
St Peters College PN
Wellington Girls College
Kings College