Belonging doesn’t just happen - it’s built through the spaces and relationships that young people return to, week after week.

Across Aotearoa, Youthtown’s hubs and community spaces are places where young people can connect, be themselves and feel part of something bigger. From after-school sessions and holiday programmes to youth, enterprise and leadership activities, every Youthtown space is designed to bring people together.

Dylan Perfect-Tait (General Manager - Programme Delivery & Community, Youthtown) says belonging is at the heart of everything Youthtown does. “When young people walk through our doors, they enter an environment where they’re accepted, encouraged and valued for who they are. These spaces give them stability, connection and a sense of community - things every young person deserves.”

Youthtown’s values come to life in these spaces: commitment to purpose, empowering others, belonging, diversity and collaboration. Whether it’s a group of young people learning new skills in Taupō, connecting through sport in Upper Hutt, or working together on an enterprise project in South Auckland, the same sense of belonging unites them.

Research in Aotearoa shows that a strong sense of belonging and connection plays a vital role in young people’s wellbeing, confidence and engagement in learning (The Education Hub, The Importance of Belonging and Connection to Student Mental Health, 2023). Young people who feel supported and included are more likely to flourish - in school, relationships, and in their communities.

At Youthtown, belonging is not just a feeling. It’s what allows young people to take risks, discover their strengths and see themselves as capable and valued.

As Charlotte Palmer (Outdoors Instructor, Youthtown) put it, “You can see the change in a young person when they realise they’re in a place where they belong. They start showing up differently - with confidence, curiosity and pride.”

Since 1932, Youthtown has been creating spaces that build community. Because when young people feel they belong, they don’t just participate - they lead, contribute and grow.

To find out more about Youthtown and the spaces we’re building for young people across Aotearoa, visit www.youthtown.org.nz or contact info@youthtown.org.nz.