We’re here to lend a hand with great teaching and research resources crammed full of information to help learning about, and participating in, New Zealand’s political life.

Young adults leaving school knowing about our democracy and having already experienced their individual political power are much more likely to participate and contribute for the rest of their life.  This fact is underpinned by the new curriculum framework’s vision of young people being actively involved and contributing - which is to be realised through the encouraged values, the participating and contributing key competency, and the emphasis on citizenship in the social sciences learning area.

Elect!

Elect! helps schools (or anyone else) run authentic elections and referendums. It can be used in its entirety as a significant study unit, “cherrypicked”, focused or scaled to suit any learning, administrative or electoral context. After a comprehensive introduction for teachers, modules cover: the role of elections; franchise; electoral systems and electorates; running elections and election day; the roles of parties, candidates, lobby groups and the news media; counting and analysing votes; getting the elected body to work or decision implemented. Elect! is available at www.elections.org.nz

Kids Voting

Now going nationwide after several years’ growing success in Auckland City, Kids Voting gives year 9 students an election experience alongside the real general or council election, or other electoral question depending on the year. Kids Voting participants have the opportunity to consider the campaign, vote for the same parties or candidates as registered electors, and then get to compare their decisions with the real voters after the event. Find out more at www.kidsvoting.org.nz

Hands up!

Hands up! – Exploring decision making and action in our place – is a series of hands-on activities for primary and intermediate students working at levels 1 to 4 which explores identity, groups, decision-making, political structures and social action. The Hands up! teacher resource available on www.elections.org.nz includes a conceptual overview, background information for teachers and students, activity materials and assessment suggestions. While Hands up! is designed as a complete unit, its activities will work standalone or as part of another unit with a related focus. Hands up! will adapt easily for use at higher levels.

Democracy – everyday concepts

Written by political scientists as an easy-to-read foundation resource for New Zealand teachers, Democracy – everyday concepts helps anyone wanting to deepen their conceptual and practical understanding of democracy, politics, elections and their practice in the New Zealand context. This web text will help build content confidence to support teaching delivery (perhaps using other units highlighted on this page). This web text will also be suitable for some senior or extension students, as well as tertiary students, political activists, and journalists. Democracy – everyday concepts is also provided in .pdf for download at www.elections.org.nz

History of the Vote

Free and fair elections have always been central to New Zealand’s identity as a progressive, democratic nation. History of the Vote is a rich student research resource. It was developed from and supports “Adventures in Democracy: A History of the Vote in New Zealand” which traces the evolution of New Zealand’s democracy over 150 years (Neill Atkinson, University of Otago Press, 2003, ISBN 1 877276 58 8).

Taking Part

A poster sketching out the relationships of central and local government institutions and processes to the everyday life of citizens - and the opportunities for having a say - supports three booklets designed for anyone with a specific issue or general interest in New Zealand politics. Taking Part’s booklets describe how decisions are made and the opportunities for public input and influence, give tips and techniques for getting heard in different ways, and outline New Zealand norms for people new to the country. Taking Part would be a useful addition to teacher and student resource boxes and school library vertical files. More detail and ordering information is at www.elections.org.nz

ivotenz.org.nz

Presented by the electoral agencies, www.ivotenz.org.nz is designed for young adults enrolling and voting for the first time. It answers How do I get to vote? What can I vote for? How do I do it? How do I get involved? with the aims of informing and encouraging participation in New Zealand’s electoral and wider political life.

Parliament

The Parliament education team offer resources and activities to be used and experienced in school or during a visit to Wellington. See www.explore.parliament.nz and try out for yourself the great online interactive learning games, access more traditional information about parliament and its workings, and the education services available.

Elections New Zealand

In addition to this education-focused content, there’s a wealth of information and data to support political participation, and the needs of electors, political parties, researchers, and the news media available on this website. You can also contact us on 04-474 0670 or by email to info@elections.govt.nz with any questions or suggestions on education for active citizenship, or to request resource packs of election materials to provide context for classroom learning.