Our Work

Youthtown's goals and vision

Seeing empowered and engaged Rangatahi & Tamariki

Youthtown is a place where you feel like you can be the very best version of yourself, for yourself, on your terms.

Youthtown aims to see empowered young people engaged in their communities.

We run programmes across the country for young people aged 5-25. Some key principles of these programmes include promoting life skills, working collaboratively, understanding and building potential and unlocking potential.

The school holidays, before, during and after school we do it all! We also run community events, project groups, workshops, youth hubs and camps and tramps too!

We are an MSD-accredited OSCAR provider and an Oranga Tamariki Breakaway youth programme provider. We also carry an Outdoorsmark accreditation for our EOTC work nationwide.

Life Skills

Cooking, Independence skills, teamwork, problem-solving and specialist qualifications.

At Youthtown, we aim to incorporate these key things in our programmes. You will find that our Holiday Programmes will help guide your children to learn and develop these skills. We also have community initiatives and opportunities that give Rangatahi the ability to advance their life skills. These include, the Learner Licence Programme and the Youth Employability Programme. 

Creative Arts

Performing arts, crafts, music, textiles, film and media.

We are always thinking of how we can add creativity to our programmes. It is an exciting outlet for children and we want to give them the opportunity to develop these skills. On our holiday programmes, you will always find a creative option. Tamariki can get their musical talents out, or create a picture to take home with them. We also offer deluxe days which will often incorporate a creative arts focus. 

Science and Technology

Experiments, engineering, technology. 

Here at Youthtown, we love showing our students new skills and giving them the opportunity to experience new things. A programme that we love to share with your tamariki is STEAM. This is an after-school add on, it gives children the opportunity to work with VR (virtual reality) technology and expand their understanding. 

Sports & Recreation

Sports and active pursuits from around the world tournaments. Sports Delivery and programmes.

Our organisation was built on basketball and we stay true to this. We offer sports delivery expertise in schools.  We also love to attend local community sports events, this includes Hoops and Life, and 3x3 Basketball.

We deliver a variety of sports-based programmes, Bike Ready, Camps & Tramps, Outdoors Mark-accredited water-sports, EOTC (education outside the classroom) & ABL (Adventure based learning). 

Wellbeing & Connection

Physical, mental, spiritual and community wellbeing activities.​​​​​​​ 

At Youthtown it is important that all of our programmes have a wellbeing foundation. We want to be able to provide opportunities, develop strengths and support all Rangatahi and Tamariki. 

Outdoors & Environment.

Camps, tramps, Outdoors Mark-accredited water-sports, EOTC (education outside the classroom) & ABL (Adventure based learning). 

We love the great outdoors. Always developing our skills and keeping programmes to a great standard to deliver to our Rangatahi. 

Motu Moana is where we do a lot of our outdoor delivery. We also love that we can deliver camps to our Rangatahi. In Christchurch and the West Coast the experienced team always deliver amazing camps. 


Everything we do at Youthtown is designed using our Youthtown Curriculum. It's our guide, filter, inspiration and it's a living thing that grows every time we learn something new!

In everything we do, we are intentional: we plan for outcomes, deliver our programmes for outcomes, and evaluate and review for outcomes.

We operate in a way that is proactive, preventative and powerfully positive. Youthtown's safe practice is guided by the Code of Ethics For Youth Work in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We love the Mana Taiohi framework for those working towards youth development, and we celebrate the journey that the Native American and First Nations Circle of Courage model is undertaking through Lloyd Martin's work on the Pacific-centred "Circle of Mana".