New Youth Executive Urges More Community Engagement

Newly elected Southern Region Young Nationals Chair James Rawiri Meager is hoping that several new initiatives will encourage young people across the Southern Region to engage in political processes and ensure a brighter future for all New Zealanders.

Meager is excited about leading an organisation which he says has the potential to help improve the lives of many young people and change the way they think about politics in general.

“I’d really like to see us playing a more positive role in the community - connecting young people with employers, engaging the community through more voluntary work, and giving young people a voice – that’s what we want to do.”

Meager cites the recent Dunedin visit of Social Development Minister Paula Bennett speaking at a public meeting on vulnerable children as an example of areas where the Young Nationals can play an important role in connecting communities, individuals, and government.

“We encourage all young people to make a submission on the green paper about vulnerable children. They have first hand stories that need to be shared, and they are the next generation of parents, so it is important that their views are encouraged. Our new programmes look to facilitate this process in a much more comprehensive and meaningful way.”

People can make submissions on the green paper online at childrensactionplan.govt.nz before they close on February 28, and Meager says his organisation will be making a contribution on behalf of their members.

“We aren’t just the National Party promotional team. We are a group which cares about issues that affect the Southern Region and all of New Zealand. Being in the National Party puts us in a stronger position to make real change. When you see us at events in the next fortnight like the Southern Field Days or the University of Otago’s Clubs Day, we want to hear what the people think, we don’t just want to tell the people what we think.”

ENDS

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