News

Young designers take note: Registrations for the Youthtown Creatifs Young Designer Awards open Monday 27th May 2013.

The Awards are open to all 13 - 18 year olds who are passionate about art, fashion and design and who want to challenge their creativity and share their skills with the nation.

As principal sponsor of the Youthtown Creatifs 2013, AUT will join Youthtown in the search for New Zealand’s top creative talent, so make sure you check out the Youthtown Creatifs website to learn more about the award categories, judges and the amazing prizes up for grabs.

Registrations close Friday 23 August. To learn more about the awards, to be creatively inspired, or to enter, go to www.youthtowncreatifs.org.nz.

This year’s Youth Week was themed ‘Live like a legend’ and was all about recognising the amazing contributions and achievements of young people in New Zealand.

Celebrations took place throughout the country with all Youthtown branches getting behind Youth Week and organising a range of exciting activities, workshops and events.

Youthtown Oamaru celebrated Youth Week by investing in the development of the up and coming ‘Legends’ of our country. Year 8 students from the Waitaki District took part in Youthtown Oamaru’s Leadership and Development Workshop, aimed at developing young people’s leadership potential.

The students worked with Rob Connolly, of Vertical Ventures NZ, to identify their individual strengths through challenges which focused on teamwork and problem solving. This was also a great opportunity for young people to get to know each other before heading to high school next year. 

[Youthtown Oamaru leadership workshop]

Youthtown Taupo celebrated Youth Week with their annual Body Rock hip-hop competition on Friday night (May 4). The night was full of amazing local talent and also featured Prestige, one of New Zealand’s premier dance crews, who were also on the judging panel.

Local Constable Ross Humphrey joined Youthtown Taupo in their celebration when he performed in front of 250 screaming youth between the ages of 12 – 24.

Check out Humphrey’s impressive moves alongside our staff and Youth Squad members here, which has since gone viral online.

[T.A.D Fierce and Prestige at Youthtown Taupo’s Body Rock Competition] 

Youthtown’s annual Voice of New Zealand Survey opened Friday 4 May in conjunction with the launch of Youth Week 2013. The survey is a chance for all New Zealanders 13-18 years old to have their say on issues that are important to them.

The survey which closes (Friday 24 May), has a positive emphasis on understanding young Kiwis’ relationships with family and friends, who they identify with and why, and what their vision is for the future.

We look forward to sharing the 2013 results with you all in July.

[Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy with Youthtown squad member, Fa’a Tuuina far right with other Young Achiever Award winners]

Upper Hutt Youth Squad member Fa’a Tuuina has been acknowledged for his incredible commitment to his community, including running local events for young people, establishment of the Pacific cultural group, dedication to the Youthtown Upper Hutt Youth Squad, and leadership as head boy at Upper Hutt College.

At this month’s Upper Hutt Inspire Young Achiever Awards, Fa’a won the ‘Culture Upper Hutt Young Achiever Award’ and was announced as Runner Up for the ‘Supreme Inspire Young Achiever Award’.

The 2013 Awards, held during Youth Week, recognise local young people who have achieved in the areas of culture, service & leadership.

Fa’a was nominated by Youthtown Upper Hutt for his generosity and skills as a real life role model within Youthtown’s After School Programmes, Youth Squad and in the wider community.

We are extremely proud of Fa’a’s achievements and would like to thank Upper Hutt Council for highlighting his successes. 

Youthtown branches around New Zealand are gearing up for Youth Week (4-12 May) which this year is themed “Live like a legend”.

To kick-start the week, Youthtown will be encouraging young New Zealanders aged between 13 and 18 to participate in the 2013 Youthtown Voice of NZ survey which officially opens on Friday May 4. Everyone who registers to take part in the survey will be emailed a link to the questionnaire which closes on new date of May 24.

The questionnaire will delve further into themes of interest from 2012, and will include questions associated with the 2013 Youth Week theme. 

Youth Week is about highlighting the amazing things young people can achieve by embracing and celebrating their success and participation in the community. The theme “Live like a legend” aims to get young people to push themselves and try new things whilst looking to the legends of the past for inspiration to be a legend in the present.

The program of events organised by Youthtown branches across New Zealand include a dance party; leadership & development workshops; Student Markets; Sports in the Park evenings; Amazing Race competitions and a few pool parties to cool down the action.

For more information about events taking place in your region check out the Youth Programmes page here.

This month we have a “changing of the guard” as we farewell Keith Thorpe, our CEO of the past eight years, and introduce our new Youthtown CEO, Paula Kearns.

Please join us in welcoming Paula as she takes up the reins to lead the Youthtown team. We know she has broad experience and skills across many corporate, sporting, youth and charitable organisations. Her expertise in leadership and governance will be a real asset to Youthtown as New Zealand’s largest youth organisation.

Like us, Paula is committed to developing young people and supporting New Zealand communities. She enjoys family time with her three children alongside social and sporting commitments.