Nominations for outstanding youth voices opened today

If you are between 16 and 24 years old and want to represent youth at our Community Boards, we'd love to hear from you.

Nominations for outstanding youth voices around the Coromandel opened today.

Two youth representatives per ward will be appointed from the nominations. The new youth representatives will then meet with their local Community Board Youth Champion / Portfolio holder regularly and report to the Community Board within their area at least twice a year.

The champion or portfolio holder will then present the youth perspective on issues at Community Board meetings.

The ideal candidate/s will:

• Be aged 16-24 years

• Have wicked communication skills to meet with Community Boards and young people

• Be someone their peers look up to

• Know how to network - in real life as well as on social media

• Speak up for Youth issues

• Be passionate about Youth having a voice

• Live in the Thames-Coromandel District

• Be able to volunteer around two hours per week

• Have two referees

• Have a CV to attach to the nomination form here.

The concept was presented to all the Community Boards over the last month and was supported by all the Boards as a way to encourage our younger people to have more formal input into local issues.

"One of the key visions identified in the Youth Strategy, was that the Coromandel be a place where young people's voices were heard," says Marlene Perry, Thames Community Development Officer.

"A youth / Council partnership group was established to explore how we could facilitate an initiative that would not only accommodate a youth voice, but would also encourage it," says Mrs Perry.

Go to www.tcdc.govt.nz/youth-voice to learn more about how to nominate yourself or someone you know.

Nominations close on Monday 20 June.

Youth Week

Held every May, Youth Week is a nationwide festival of events organised by young New Zealanders to celebrate the talents, passion and success of local young people.

Youth Week recognises the amazing contributions and achievements of young people in New Zealand.

“Youth Week is a great chance for young people to take action and influence change in their communities," says Anya Satyanand, Executive Officer of Ara Taiohi, the organisers of the national Youth Week campaign.

"We encourage you to get behind Youth Week this year and join with us in celebrating our taiohi.”

The week inspires us to value, support, and affirm the diversity of young people in our society. We want the Coromandel to be a place where young people are vibrant and optimistic and are supported and encouraged to take up challenges. To that end, we are working with Coromandel Youth Collective on the following Volunteer and Business Expo.

Volunteer and Business Expo targets youth

The Volunteer Expo is being held at the Thames Civic Centre on Friday 10 June to encourage interaction between voluntary organisations and youth.

Coromandel Youth Collective is the driving force behind the Volunteer Expo in conjunction with the Thames Community House, Volunteer Waikato and our Council and funded by the Ministry of Youth Development.

The day is being organised in conjunction with the CAN DO Business Expo so that people can visit as many sites and experience as many opportunities as possible throughout the day.

"The purpose is to showcase the vocational pathways available to youth in the area. One key focus is to give some insight into what careers are available in the area, rather than young people feeling that they need to leave the region in order to gain employment," says Mrs Perry.

"Additionally, we want to highlight the type of work that young people may be able to return to if they do leave the area for study, travel or work," says Sean Hayes, Central Operations Manager for Smart Environmental Ltd and CAN DO member.

Instead of a 'traditional' careers expo, the focus is to try and make it a bit more interactive for those attending.

"It will create more interest for young people rather than leaflets being handed out and a bunch of people doing a whole lot of talking, and having the young people tune out," says Mr Hayes.

The Expo organisers are looking for exhibitors that have some hands-on things that attendees can do. If this sounds like your business, contact Marlene Perry on 07 868 0200.

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