title: Scootering on: An investigation of children’s use of scooters for transport and recreation

authors: Wolfaardt, Trish

subjects: child safety

abstract: Non-motorised scooters have increased significantly in popularity over the last few years in New Zealand, following similar trends in the US, Australia, Canada and Europe. Non-motorised scooters are an important source of recreation, transport and exercise and children of all ages enjoy riding them to and from school and in skate parks. 
Along with the increase in popularity and use of the scooters, New Zealand is also experiencing a considerable increase in the numbers of injuries to children, with a notable spike in ACC claims in the 2011-12 year. Whilst most of the injuries are moderate – dislocations, fractures, lacerations and soft-tissue injuries – an increase in the number of severe injuries, and at times, even fatalities is also evident. Boys tend to be injured more frequently than girls and the median age for injury is nine years. Most injuries occur at home, with public roads the next most likely location. 
International literature shows similar trends world-wide. Numbers of scooter injuries are escalating and an intervention to minimise harm and reduce risk is considered imperative in all regions. The evidence shows that children are not wearing protective equipment (such as helmets) when travelling on a non-motorised scooter and there is no legal requirement for them to do so. Elbow and knee pads – and even footwear – were conspicuously absent amongst children observed in fieldwork undertaken for this project. 
Children routinely use basic scooters for activities unsuited to their design and on terrain that poses further risks. It was also evident that children scootering to school were not subject to the same regulations as those cycling to school and there appears to be a general lack of awareness of the risks associated with scootering. We therefore propose the following recommendations as means by which we might minimise the risks and reduce harm to children: 
o Amend the current cycle helmet legislation to include the riders of all wheeled recreational devices, irrespective of the age of the rider; 
o Introduce school policies requiring that helmets and footwear are worn when scootering to and from school; 
o Implement a minimum age for scootering to and from school; 
o Extend the coverage of existing school training programmes on road safety in general and safe scootering in particular; 
o Require compulsory distribution of point-of-sale information packs on the risks of scooters and the protective equipment options available; 
o Ensure continued funding of current community resources and training initiatives 
o Further research on scooter accidents and associated risk factors

text: Scootering on: An investigation of children’s use of scooters for transport and recreation Non-motorised scooters have increased significantly in popularity over the last few years in New Zealand, following similar trends in the US, Australia, Canada and Europe. Non-motorised scooters are an important source of recreation, transport and exercise and children of all ages enjoy riding them to and from school and in skate parks. 
Along with the increase in popularity and use of the scooters, New Zealand is also experiencing a considerable increase in the numbers of injuries to children, with a notable spike in ACC claims in the 2011-12 year. Whilst most of the injuries are moderate – dislocations, fractures, lacerations and soft-tissue injuries – an increase in the number of severe injuries, and at times, even fatalities is also evident. Boys tend to be injured more frequently than girls and the median age for injury is nine years. Most injuries occur at home, with public roads the next most likely location. 
International literature shows similar trends world-wide. Numbers of scooter injuries are escalating and an intervention to minimise harm and reduce risk is considered imperative in all regions. The evidence shows that children are not wearing protective equipment (such as helmets) when travelling on a non-motorised scooter and there is no legal requirement for them to do so. Elbow and knee pads – and even footwear – were conspicuously absent amongst children observed in fieldwork undertaken for this project. 
Children routinely use basic scooters for activities unsuited to their design and on terrain that poses further risks. It was also evident that children scootering to school were not subject to the same regulations as those cycling to school and there appears to be a general lack of awareness of the risks associated with scootering. We therefore propose the following recommendations as means by which we might minimise the risks and reduce harm to children: 
o Amend the current cycle helmet legislation to include the riders of all wheeled recreational devices, irrespective of the age of the rider; 
o Introduce school policies requiring that helmets and footwear are worn when scootering to and from school; 
o Implement a minimum age for scootering to and from school; 
o Extend the coverage of existing school training programmes on road safety in general and safe scootering in particular; 
o Require compulsory distribution of point-of-sale information packs on the risks of scooters and the protective equipment options available; 
o Ensure continued funding of current community resources and training initiatives 
o Further research on scooter accidents and associated risk factors

year: 2013

title: Articulate the Kiwi way: perception insights from a language game corpus

authors: Calude, Andreea S.

abstract: This short communication reports on folk perceptions of New Zealand English lexical variation, specifically regarding which Māori loanwords are widely known by New Zealanders. We inspect the words used in a popular board game which has recently produced a New Zealand Edition – Articulate – and comb through these for all loanword uses, drawing comparisons with linguistics research and two popular websites containing lists of “Māori words every New Zealander should know” (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2022). We find remarkable overlap between the loanwords used in the board game and the former, but not the latter. The most frequent loanwords included are social culture loanwords, in line with research in other genres. The lack of consistency in spelling and macron usage leads us to believe that board games such as Articulate constitute rich sources for folk perceptions of language varieties, showing that even small-scale corpora can provide inroads into thorny questions regarding perceptions of contact-induced lexical variation.

text: Articulate the Kiwi way: perception insights from a language game corpus This short communication reports on folk perceptions of New Zealand English lexical variation, specifically regarding which Māori loanwords are widely known by New Zealanders. We inspect the words used in a popular board game which has recently produced a New Zealand Edition – Articulate – and comb through these for all loanword uses, drawing comparisons with linguistics research and two popular websites containing lists of “Māori words every New Zealander should know” (Ministry for Culture and Heritage, 2022). We find remarkable overlap between the loanwords used in the board game and the former, but not the latter. The most frequent loanwords included are social culture loanwords, in line with research in other genres. The lack of consistency in spelling and macron usage leads us to believe that board games such as Articulate constitute rich sources for folk perceptions of language varieties, showing that even small-scale corpora can provide inroads into thorny questions regarding perceptions of contact-induced lexical variation.

year: 2024-09-01

title: Exploring the experiences of young Māori mothers

authors: Shepherd, Cindy-Joe Theresa Aroha

subjects: Young Māori mothers

abstract: This thesis explores the lived experiences of three young Māori mothers (aged 16 
years old) in Aotearoa, New Zealand, focusing on their strengths, challenges, and resilience. 
By employing a Kaupapa Māori methodological framework, the research aims to reframe 
narratives about young Māori mothers towards a strengths-based perspective, advocating for 
protection and nurturing Māori whakapapa. Using qualitative methods, the study explores the 
pūrākau (stories) of three young Māori mothers attending a teen parent unit in Waikato. 
The study highlights how, by living within both individualistic and collective realms, 
these young mothers actively challenge stigma, assert their worth, and develop unique 
underlying strengths. The findings, structured around emergent themes from their collective 
experiences, reveal a dichotomy: these young mothers must navigate the individualistic 
pressures and high expectations of motherhood while also drawing strength from collective 
responsibilities upheld within their whānau and supportive community services. Despite 
facing significant societal stigma and systemic barriers, the mothers demonstrate immense 
strength. Their resilience is grounded in whānau connections, proactive self-care, and 
engagement with taiao, wairua, and tino rangatiratanga—processes that also support 
intergenerational healing. 
This research underscores the importance of culturally responsive support systems 
that honour Indigenous knowledge and collective well-being. It offers insights for reorienting 
policy and practice to empower young Māori mothers, recognising their tino rangatiratanga 
and transformative agency by embracing their multifaceted realities.

text: Exploring the experiences of young Māori mothers This thesis explores the lived experiences of three young Māori mothers (aged 16 
years old) in Aotearoa, New Zealand, focusing on their strengths, challenges, and resilience. 
By employing a Kaupapa Māori methodological framework, the research aims to reframe 
narratives about young Māori mothers towards a strengths-based perspective, advocating for 
protection and nurturing Māori whakapapa. Using qualitative methods, the study explores the 
pūrākau (stories) of three young Māori mothers attending a teen parent unit in Waikato. 
The study highlights how, by living within both individualistic and collective realms, 
these young mothers actively challenge stigma, assert their worth, and develop unique 
underlying strengths. The findings, structured around emergent themes from their collective 
experiences, reveal a dichotomy: these young mothers must navigate the individualistic 
pressures and high expectations of motherhood while also drawing strength from collective 
responsibilities upheld within their whānau and supportive community services. Despite 
facing significant societal stigma and systemic barriers, the mothers demonstrate immense 
strength. Their resilience is grounded in whānau connections, proactive self-care, and 
engagement with taiao, wairua, and tino rangatiratanga—processes that also support 
intergenerational healing. 
This research underscores the importance of culturally responsive support systems 
that honour Indigenous knowledge and collective well-being. It offers insights for reorienting 
policy and practice to empower young Māori mothers, recognising their tino rangatiratanga 
and transformative agency by embracing their multifaceted realities.

year: 2024-06-23