Through the lens: accessing children's voices in New Zealand on well‐being

Abstract

This article illustrates the story of a primary school in South Auckland, New Zealand, considering the state of well‐being of its pupils. Situated in a deprived area with many people living in poverty, parts of the community caught in inter‐gang rivalry, some children consider the school environment to be a safer place to be. Elements of the early years New Zealand curriculum, Te Whaariki, the primary school curriculum and the school ethos, as well as policy and legislation are considered as supporting frameworks to the educational environment of the school. Inclusion is high on the school's agenda with the intention that all students are valued and treated equally within the diverse community in which they live. Undertaking visual methodology combined with participative action research, this study provides a window on children's own perspectives of their well‐being. Existing adult perspectives on well‐being have plethoric meanings attached; however, this article seeks the views of children themselves. In a school of predominantly Māori children, children from a range of ethnic backgrounds aged 8–10 years took part in a series of workshops to explore their feelings surrounding their school experiences. The children were given cameras to photograph what they perceive to be as important and significant in their school lives. The children's photographs and narratives provide a rich understanding of their opinions. A further element of the research is that the children involved also developed greater self‐confidence through the empowering experience of the photo‐narrative work that they took part in. Some of their stories are explained and illustrated with their photographs in this two‐fold outcome. Despite the turbulent community in which they live, the strong Māori values of whānau (extended family and friends) is apparent in the children's work; the importance of place (the school) and creativity are further themes that emerge as important aspects of school life linking strongly to the cultural heritage of the area.