Processes of the
Commission
3.
section 3.7 |
appendix 1
Context and process
Section contents
3.
Processes of the Commission
102
3.7 Youth Forum: the process 149
Introduction
149
Establishing the forum
149
Venue
149
Date and time
149
Publicity and advertising
150
Registration
150
Programme of the event
150
Recording the event
152
Attendance at the event
152
Competition winners
152
Participants
152
Assessing the event
152
Report Appendix 1 | Royal Commission on Genetic M odification
3.7 Youth Forum: the process
Introduction
The Commission sought to consult directly with youth as the outcomes of its
inquiry would particularly impact on this group of New Zealanders.
A one-day forum was held at Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa, Museum of New
Zealand) in Wellington on 5 March 2001 for this purpose. The Youth Forum was
one of several consultative programmes used by the Commission during its inquiry
and outlined within this volume.
The forum was open to 100 youth (those aged 12 to 25, as defined by the Ministry
of Youth Affairs). To encourage national participation in this event, the Commission
paid for 20 people, aged 16 to 18, to travel to Wellington to attend the forum.
Selection was based on responses to a short essay competition. A total of 99 young
people attended the forum.
The forum was tape-recorded and a transcript placed on the Commission website.
A summary of the resultant discussion is included in Appendix 3 (see "Youth
Forum: summary of outcomes").
Establishing the forum
In order to meet the Commission objective of consulting with youth in a manner
appropriate to their needs and interests, the following aspects were considered:
venue, date and time, publicity and advertising, registration, programme of the
event, recording the event.
Venue
The Youth Forum venue was chosen on the basis of its geographic centrality and
interest to youth. As the national museum of New Zealand, Wellington's Te Papa
also contained historical and cultural material relevant to the genetic modification
debate.
Date and time
Monday, 5 March 2001, was selected to accommodate the Commission's
commitments to other consultation programmes. The forum was held between
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10 am and 3.30 pm (times chosen to suit participants travelling to and from
Wellington by aeroplane).
Publicity and advertising
Information packs containing a covering letter, registration forms and posters
were sent to all secondary schools, regional and city councils and Interested
Persons on 17 January 2001 advising of the Youth Forum and competition. A news
release was also distributed to national, regional, education and youth media on
the same day. The Youth Forum received considerable publicity in the print media
in the month prior to the forum. Details about the forum and competition were
also placed on the Commission website. In addition, 3100 A3-size posters were
also placed in 13 regional centres (in cafes, schools, cyber zones, skate shops,
record stores and video parlours) from 3 February 2001.
Registration
Because of the size of the venue and to encourage discussion, the number of
participants was limited to 100. Youth were requested to register their interest in
attending and the first 80 applications received were accepted.
In addition, the Commission conducted a national essay competition to select 20
youth, aged 16 to 18, from outside of Wellington to attend the forum. The
Commission paid the transport costs of these 20 young people.
Youth were invited to write 500 words on the topic: "What future does genetic
modification have in New Zealand?" Entrants were encouraged to discuss the
technology's medical, agricultural, food, research, cultural, ethical and
environmental risks and benefits.
Almost 200 competition entries and attendance registration forms were received
by the deadline of 5 pm, 12 February 2001. Letters of acceptance and information
packs were sent to the 100 successful applicants and essay winners on 16 February
2001 advising them of the forum programme and containing background
information on the Commission and its processes. Information contained in the
kit was also placed on the Commission website. A news release detailing the
outcome of the registration process was also distributed on that day.
Programme of the event
The Youth Forum programme was designed to maximise the time available and
encourage feedback to the Commission regarding young people's opinions and
views on the risks and benefits of utilising genetic modification in New Zealand.
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The programme was also designed to reflect the requirements of the participants
and was adjusted when needed.
To this end, the majority of the programme incorporated a workshop run by two
independent facilitators, experienced in working with youth. The workshop
commenced with a role-playing exercise to encourage participants to consider
additional points of view on genetic modification, a brainstorming session to
identify issues for discussion and a feedback session at its conclusion.
Before starting the workshop, the Commission and its kaumatua and Te Papa's
kaihatu welcomed participants to the forum. And at the conclusion of the event,
the Commission kaumatua closed the day with a prayer.
Attendees were also given the choice to tour Te Papa or view a video on genetic
modification technology. The majority chose to spend 30 minutes on a self-guided
tour based on a tour map that asked questions on genetic modification in relation
to exhibits on levels 2 and 4 of the museum.
Youth Forum timetable
10 am
Welcome by Commission
10.15 am
Introduction to programme by facilitator
10.30 am
Tour of Te Papa (optional)
11.10 am
Role-play
11.45 am
Brainstorming to identify topics for discussion in workshop
12 pm
Lunch
12.45 pm
Workshop
1.45 pm
Report back and discussion
3.15 pm
Wrap-up of discussion and farewell
3.30 pm
Conclusion
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Recording the event
All segments of the Youth Forum, excluding the Te Papa tour, were tape-recorded
and transcribed. Participants also had the opportunity to write their views on a
large `graffiti board' and their workshop discussions itemised on wall charts.
Feedback on the forum was also sought and recorded by the facilitators.
Attendance at the event
Competition winners
An independent judge selected 20 winning entries on the basis of the depth of
thought and concern about the issues of genetic modification. The Commission
paid for winners to travel from Auckland (five), Christchurch (three), Dannevirke
(one), Dunedin (two), Hastings (one), Hamilton (two), Napier (one), Pukekohe
(one), Taupo (two), Wanganui (one) and Whangarei (one) to attend the forum and
have lunch with the Commissioners. The winning essays were posted on the
Commission website.
Participants
The average age of participants was 17.3 years. At the time of registration, these
participants indicated an interest in discussing (in order of priority) environmental,
human health and medicine, future uses, global development, consumer choice,
ethical, economic and cultural and spiritual issues at the forum.
The Wellington, Hutt Valley, Kapiti Coast, Wairarapa, Manawatu and
Marlborough regions were well represented at the forum. Participants also
travelled from Napier, Auckland and Tauranga to attend, at their own expense.
Ninety-nine of the 100 registered participants attended the Youth Forum. The
four Commissioners, the Commission kaumatua and two Commission staff were
in attendance on the day. Representatives of the print and electronic media also
attended.
Assessing the event
In the Commission's opening address, the Chair outlined the objective of the
Youth Forum:
We decided we should have a special opportunity to hear the views of the youth of New
Zealand ... the issues involved in the Commission are of importance to all people in New
Zealand.
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Many people would say that they have a special stake in the debate. The decisions that are
ultimately made by Government following our report may impact on their business and
may affect it for better or for worse. In some cases, their jobs may be affected, they may
have to go overseas to continue the same line of research or work if GM should be banned,
for example, so I don't want to say that any section of the community has more to gain or
lose than another.
Certainly the youth of this country has an important place in the debate. After all, you
will have to live with the outcome for longer than other people, so we decided to have a
Youth Day. Today, we would like to find out what particular issues are of importance to you
in this debate and what your views are on them, how you feel about them.
The information presented to the Commission was informative yet differed from
that presented at other consultative programmes in the priority given to issues. In
his concluding remarks, the Chair made the observations:
I think my overwhelming impression of today is that it's been a very well-informed
discussion. We've heard many discussions in many different forms over the past six months
... and if I may say so, without trying to flatter you ... you are better informed on the
subject than the previous generation is.
... some of the really difficult questions that have popped up you have found difficult too.
I suppose, in one sense, that's a comfort to us. The questions that you thought were really
important are the ones that have emerged as being important in the wider discussions we
have heard.
It's interesting to me that you have actually ranked them in the different order or priority
than the previous generation has done, and we'll have to think about that and see what
that proves to us.
Participants indicated that they would have liked to have had more time to discuss
the issues. However, based on the feedback received by the facilitators, the forum
achieved the objective of hearing youth's views on genetic modification.