From May 18 to May 24, Youth Week was celebrated across New Zealand. Coordinated by Ara Taiohi, this annual festival celebrates the talents, passions, and contributions of rangatahi. 

This year’s theme, “Our voices matter! We deserve to be heard | Taringa whakarongo! Ki te reo o ngā taiohi,” highlights the importance of ensuring youth voices are heard and valued. Representing both Waitākere College and the Henderson-Massey Youth Council, student leaders Lance Breva, Ezekiel Marzuki, Anisha Yadav, Riya Maharjan, and Nancy Lim took part in this year’s celebrations.

On Saturday, May 23rd, the Henderson-Massey Youth Council partnered with Visionwest Community Trust to host a Relax~Talk~Recharge stall, encouraging greater youth participation in local councils, strengthening rangatahi voice, and building connections between young people.

On Sunday, May 24th, the Youth Council hosted a youth picnic designed to encourage rangatahi to engage with their community, centred on the idea of “youth supporting youth.”

During Youth Week, Lance also engaged with Te Puna Manawa Trust and their partner Rainbow Shed, gaining insight into support networks available to rangatahi in West Auckland. This included youth-focused health and wellbeing services, alongside the provision of essential goods for young people and whānau experiencing socioeconomic hardship, highlighting opportunities for schools and the wider community to connect with and access these support services.

Keep an eye out, as the youth council plans to continue creating more events in the future!