Lay summary
The focus of the current study is the youth that take part in the 7-day youth development voyages run on the R. Tucker Thompson, a traditional gaff-rigged schooner based in the Bay of Islands, Northland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The voyages draw youth exclusively from the Northland region of Aotearoa New Zealand, an area characterised by a large Maori population and a number of low socio-economic indicators (e.g. low educational achievement, high unemployment, etc.). Previously, we have shown that youth that take part in these voyages display an increase in a number of positive youth development outcomes, including resilience and self-esteem. The aim of the current study is to move beyond these quantitative approaches and conduct a qualitative study.