Activating our Values: A collaborative resource capturing key values identified by InsideOUT volunteers and staff.

InsideOUT Kōaro was one of six youth-led groups and campaigns to take part in the Young Activists project, led by a team of researchers from the University of Otago between 2018 and 2022.

As part of this project, InsideOUT Kōaro and the research team collaboratively developed Activating Our Values, a resource that explores the key values InsideOUT Kōaro staff and volunteers identified throughout the project’s interviews. This document also outlines the kaupapa and structure of InsideOUT Kōaro, and how we aim to enact the values identified through this project in our practices.

Some of the main values that interview participants talked about include fostering community, flexibility, reciprocity, and centring self-determination. These values capture a ‘snapshot’ in time during an important stage in our organisation’s life.

This resource was written to encourage other volunteer-led or non-profit organisations in Aotearoa and beyond to document and share how they enact, activate and communicate their values.

On a very related note, the Young Activists team recently published their book, Fierce Hope, bringing together all their findings and insights from working with youth-led organisations and groups across Aotearoa working towards social justice.

You can read more about Fierce Hope here and find it in bookshops around Aotearoa.