Youth of taranaki unite

Tuesday evening saw a unique gathering in Stratford. The Stratford District Youth Council hosted the first meeting with the South Taranaki Rangatahi United group, and the New Plymouth Youth Sub Committee.

These groups each represent youth for their district councils, and each function in effective yet different ways. Ngawai Matthews, chairman of the Stratford District Youth Council, organised the meeting and says “we decided to meet up so we could learn a bit about who we all are, how our groups operate, and how we might be able to work together in the future.”

New Plymouth’s Youth Sub Committee is made up of 14 youth aged 15-22, and operates as a formal subcommittee to the New Plymouth District Council. This gives them the power to make recommendations, ask for reports, and request answers to questions.

The Stratford District Youth Council is made up of 15 youth aged 12-24. They are events based and make a difference for Stratford young people by providing events that interest them.

The South Taranaki Rangatahi United group consists of 14 young people; two each from seven towns around the South Taranaki district. They aim to unite and uplift South Taranaki youth, and provide a point of contact for any young person in South Taranaki who needs information or support.

Also attending were two representatives from the Ministry of Youth Development, who expressed their eagerness to support the growing profiles of these youth organisations.

Each organisation did a short presentation to the others that explained how they operate, and a discussion was held about the big issues youth face. Discussions touched on many subjects but specifically highlighted the trouble young people have getting around Taranaki using public transport.

Ngawai says “it’s important that youth around New Zealand have a chance to air their opinions and make themselves heard by those who make decisions that affect them. Each of these groups provide a method for youth to do exactly that, just in different ways. Perhaps in the future we’ll work together on a project that brings it all together.”