The youth involved with the Grey District Youth Trust Youth Council wish to build on the success of the Youth Voice Café & survey which was their 2022 Youth Week Event and hold a similar event and survey in 2023 Youth Week: Youth Voice Cafe: Rangatira mo apopo? Rangatira i tenei ra! Leaders of Tomorrow? Leaders of Today!.
This is a youth led initiative supported by the Grey District Youth Trust.
The youth are planning a Youth Voice Cafe to be held in their new venue – Art Soup.
They are inviting youth leaders from schools and community in the Grey District & Westland to attend the Café event.
They are inviting a prominent youth leader (Samantha Bergin) to present to the group at the Youth Voice Café and talk about her life and experiences as a youth leader from Greymouth.
Samantha is currently studying at University of Canterbury. She has extensive experience in youth leadership roles including:
• Greymouth High School Student Leadership Team: Pumanawa Wahine
• Youth Member of Parliament in the 2022 with Rt Hon Damien O’Connor MP
• Tuia National Kaupapa 2022,
• UC He Tētēkura emerging leaders programme,
• UC Te kakau a māui leadership programme.
• Te Pūtāiki: Māori Law Students association
• Kahui Rep for her university hall
The Youth Council are planning a follow up survey to their 2022 version which was very well supported by local youth and led to the Youth Council presenting the results to a Grey District Council Meeting late last year.
The Youth Council will host the event at Art Soup and will organise the event & plan and prepare kai for the attendees.
They would like to offer transport to youth who may find travel to the event a barrier as we live in a rural, isolated area on the West Coast of the South Island.