Create your own class census with the 2023 Census Teacher’s Toolkit

Entertainer and dancer Elvis Lopeti helps bring the 2023 Census to life in a fun and entertaining way.

The New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings is the official five-yearly nationwide survey of all people and dwellings in Aotearoa New Zealand, and will be held on 7 March. Data gathered through the census is used by communities, iwi, councils, businesses and government to make important decisions about where to fund and locate services and infrastructure across the motu; services like hospitals, schools, roads, public transport and parks and recreation facilities, power, internet, water, and housing.

The 2023 Census Teacher’s Toolkit includes a tailored lesson plan, activity pack and a competition in which students can create their own census. 

Dancer and entertainer Elvis Lopeti has been brought in to inject some fun and humour into the lessons through TikTok videos that will be available for use in the classroom and at home. The lessons are aimed at Years 3–7 but can also be adapted for Years 8–10. 

“We hope that the excitement these lessons will generate in classrooms will spill over into homes across the nation and encourage all whānau to take part in the 2023 Census,” says Simon Mason, deputy government statistician and deputy chief executive census and collections operations.

“We look forward to seeing what tamariki and rangitahi come up with when developing their own censuses and what’s important to them.”

There are around 100 stationery voucher prizes, valued at $100 each, up for grabs for those participating in the census competition.

The Teacher’s Toolkit is available in English, te reo Māori and nine Pacific languages. It has been developed with teachers, alongside tamariki and rangatahi, and reflects connections to culture, values and community. The toolkit aligns with level 2 and 3 social studies curricula.

The toolkit relates specifically to the 2023 Census and is not part of the CensusAtSchool programme. 

Census community engagement advisor for Te Wai Pounami South Island, Lio Fasi, is a former youth worker in alternative education and helped develop the toolkit.

After attending a focus group, Esther Sauvao Pasene has already got her family participating and her sister signed up as a census collector.

“This new toolkit will be a real asset to teachers when talking about the census. It’s an opportunity to educate and connect our tamariki to the value of the census in a way they can relate to and easily understand,” he says.

Elvis Lopeti, whose most recent claim to fame is choreographing the dance routine with superstar Rihanna at the Superbowl in the United States, flew to New Zealand to film his TikTok videos at Waiau Pa School in Pukekohe. 

“It was great fun to be part of this really important kaupapa. The census plays a vital role in determining the needs of our communities. Getting tamariki and rangatahi involved in the 2023 Census will benefit us all in future,” says Elvis.  

“I mean who knows, sitting in one of those classrooms could be a future royal family dance crew member or maybe even a prime minister. I hope the videos bring a little energy to the classroom and that they enjoy them as much as I loved making them,” he says.

For further information and to download the resources 2023 Census(external link).