Youth Ambassadors leading from the front at the best school day ever – LEADERSHIP DAY

The Upper Hutt Youth Ambassadors are spearheading a youth leadership development event on Wednesday 23 June from 8.30-3pm at Lane Park in Upper Hutt. The event is aimed at preparing their peers for leadership roles in Upper Hutt. Young people aged between 12 and 18 from all local high schools have been invited to participate.

The best school day ever “LEADERSHIP DAY” is a youth-led event funded by the Ministry of Youth Development. Tom Hern, who played Baxter Cormack on Shortland Street and was the producer of the film 'I'm Not Harry Jenson', is a confirmed keynote speaker along with Paula Teseriero (Paralympics’ Gold Medallist) and Tui Te Hau (former Trade Commissioner). These engaging speakers will share their leadership story and several creative development activities will be facilitated by the Youth Ambassadors themselves.

The event is being organised in response to feedback received from Upper Hutt’s young people in the 2008 Youth Survey. Young people indicated that they felt there was a lack of local young leaders/role models to look up to in Upper Hutt.

The Upper Hutt Youth Ambassadors Programme began in September 2009. 12 Upper Hutt young people were selected to be Youth Ambassadors. The goal of the programme is to enable local young people to gain quality leadership development which in turn will enable them to lead in all aspects of their life; from school to their family and wider community.

The Ministry of Youth Development requested that Upper Hutt City Council apply for additional funding specifically for extending the Youth Ambassadors Programme. Youth Ambassadors decided that was the way they would like to see the additional funding utilised to empower their peers for leadership roles.

Upper Hutt City Council works in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Development to deliver the Youth Ambassadors programme.

ENDS