Manukau City Council, the Pakuranga Youth Centre, and Edgewater College are planning a youth forum to be held on August 7 at the Pakuranga Youth Centre.

Youth aged 13 to 17 are being selected from Edgewater College and the Pakuranga Youth Centre to attend.

Council¡¦s community advisor for Pakuranga, Ayr Jones, says that the youth forum is in response to a priority established by the Pakuranga Community Board early in the year that youth in the community be given opportunities to discuss issues and ideas relating to youth.

Manukau City Council, through their Community Advisors, regularly sponsors youth forums throughout the City in order to seek feedback from youth on social, recreational, and community issues that may affect individuals, family units, their local community, the city as a whole and youth social issues affecting the country in general.

Previous youth forums have led to youth advocating for youth-specific services, skateboard bowls, and even influenced planning regarding placement of theatres and other recreational facilities.

After the workshop it is hoped some youth leaders may be identified to report their concerns, issues, and ideas of their peers back to the Community Board, school and parents.

The workshop provides young people with a safe, yet challenging environment for them to speak out on any issue that may affect them, their community and their peers.

ENDS

Proposed Youth Forum: General Detail
In conjunction with Sean McNulty, (area youth co-ordinator for the Pakuranga Howick Council of Churches), the two Deans of Edgewater College (Andrew Wood, and Michelle Schuman), Danny Lama (Supervisor Pakuranga Youth Centre) and Ayr Jones (Community Advisor Pakuranga) a series of initial meetings have been held proposing a youth forum being held at the Pakuranga Youth Centre for students drawn from Edgewater College and youth who frequent the Youth Centre.

Following discussion with Andrew and Michelle ( Edgewater Deans) a forum is proposed to discuss issues pertinent to Youth regarding support at school and in the community. Outcomes of the forum will hopefully give direction to any further project or programmes that are put in place to support young people of Edgewater College and the Pakuranga Youth Centre.

Proposal Goals:
„h To involve local youth in the discussion of issues affecting themselves, their peers, the Community, and NZ Society.
„h For youth to give input into how these issues may be resolved.
„h To support youth participation in the process of change.
„h To encourage youth by them gaining new skills.
„h To forge stronger links between youth and the Community.

Proposal Plan:
Stage 1: School Input
¡P Forum Facilitators meet with school deans to discuss youth forum proposal.
¡P Schedule for the forum and schools expected outcomes are discussed.
¡P Potential delegates are identified and discussed.

Stage 2: Delegate Selection
¡P School deans select representatives from the student body.
¡P Deans inform delegates of selection.
¡P Deans arrange a suitable time for Briefing.

Stage 3: Delegate briefing.
¡P Student delegates meet with forum facilitators and are briefed regarding the purpose of the youth forum, the structure of the forum, and their role in the process.
¡P Students are invited to volunteer to take part in the youth forum.
¡P Interested students take home permission slips.

Stage 4: Parental Permission.
¡P Permission sought from parents to allow students to take part in the forum.
¡P Deans collect signed permission slips from students.

Stage 5: Forum.
¡P Held for a full school day at the Pakuranga Youth Centre using local facilitators.
¡P Students are invited to part of the feedback process.

Stage 6: Feedback
¡P Volunteer students feedback issues, concerns and possible solutions to school and community.

Stage 7: Action Plan.
¡P Potential outcomes and solutions are discussed with a view to implementation.
¡P An action plan for implementation.

Stage 8:Consultation of action plan.
¡P Other applicable parties are invited to be part of the process.
¡P Funding is sought if required.

Stage 9:Implementation of action plan.

[Background information ends.]

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