Search Results

Youth Week Grants Before you jump in, please take a moment to read through the whole form so you’ve got everything you need. If you need any support at any stage, reach out on (04) 802 5000 or youthweek@arataiohi.org.nz . Dayna is always happy to kōrero and help with any pātai. A few key things to note Applications close Sunday 15 March, 5pm. You will be notified by April 12th on the outcome of your application. Grants are up to $1,000 + GST. Keep answers clear and concise to support our youth grants panel to assess your application. Make sure you read our Terms and Conditions. Each year, Youth Week grants are oversubscribed. This means we can’t fund every application and may not be able to fund the full amount you have asked for. Please take your time to understand how our panel of youth assessors will consider your application. Our youth panel brings their own lived experience and expertise to the final assessment. Make sure your application clearly shows us how your idea lines up with the following criteria: Youth-Led: clearly show how your event was led by young people, from ideation to delivery to evaluation. Connection to the 2026 theme: show how your event reflects or celebrates the theme: “Taringa whakarongo! Ki te reo o ngā taiohi – Our voices matter! We deserve to be heard.” Equity lens: We want to distribute funds fairly across Aotearoa. Our youth assessors will consider accessibility, regional representation and how your event uplifts or provides space for taiohi who are often underserved or underrepresented.  You and your organisation do not have be a membership of Ara Taiohi, however members do receive a small additional weighting as part of our commitment to recognising and strengthening the youth development sector. Apply Here Terms & Conditions You must fulfil each of these to be a successful applicant. I understand that funding will only be provided to legally registered organisations, not individuals. If your organisation submits more than one application, the maximum total we can allocate to that organisation is $1,000 + GST. Please check internally if there are multiple applications, as this may affect the outcome. Applications from a branch of a national organisations that has multiple branches will be treated as an individual organisation (for example the Wellington branch and the Christchurch branch of a national organisation can each apply for $1,000 +GST). I understand that grants are up to $1,000 + GST, i.e. if you are GST registered and request $1,000, your invoice will be $1,000 + GST, totalling $1,150. My event must be held during Youth Week 2026: 18-24 May, 2026. My event will be alcohol, smoke and drug-free. If my event is a public event, I will post it on the Ara Taiohi website on the Youth Week events schedule. I will share/tag my event with Ara Taiohi on Facebook and Instagram unless my event is a completely private event. I will include the Youth Week logo or theme image on promotional material. A payment and agreement form must be completed with details of who will receive the funds for my event. This must be provided alongside your invoice for payment. I will complete an evaluation form outlining how the Youth Week event went. This must be completed and returned to Ara Taiohi by 15 June 2026. I will distribute a participant survey to young people engaged in my event (Ara Taiohi will supply a link closer to the time).  I will distribute an engagement survey to young people directly involved in planning, decision-making, and/or delivering the funded event (Ara Taiohi will supply a link closer to the time). Privacy Statement We collect your information for the purpose of assessing your Youth Week application and contacting you about the grant. We will share organisation name and contact email and event details with our funders, for the purposes of supporting announcements and visits during Youth Week 2026. If anything sits outside of this, we will request permission before doing so.

Ara Taiohi is the peak body for youth development in Aotearoa. We are connected to 4,000 people who work with young people every day. Our sector is based on a positive youth development approach which focuses on nurturing young people’s strengths and abilities, fostering their healthy development, and promoting positive engagement with their communities. Learn More about Youth Work in Aotearoa

Youth Week Aotearoa is a better place because of young people! Youth Week is a nationwide campaign that celebrates this! It brings us all together to recognise the value, awesomeness, and impact of rangatahi, and to champion a society that supports young people to thrive. Celebrating Rangatahi Youth Week is all about celebrating everything that young people contribute to Aotearoa - just by being themselves. Too often, the amazing things young people bring to our communities go unnoticed - Youth Week aims to change that! Youth Week is for everyone. It’s about noticing and valuing the ways young people shape our hapori and world around us. Joining in the celebration means honouring the mana and energy they bring to the world. This year, our focus is all about making sure youth voices are heard. ‘Our Voices Matter, We Deserve to Be Heard’ is a chance for rangatahi to share themselves in the ways that feel right to them - through kōrero, creativity, culture, leadership, and everyday actions. We cannot wait to see how you all interpret the theme! YOUTH - LED EVENTS Planning an amazing event Read More YOUTH WEEK, YOUR WAY Youth Week resources for Rangatahi View More STANDING WITH RANGATAHI Celebrate the young people in your life View More Why celebrate? One in six kiwis are aged between 12-24 - they are our emerging workforce, creators, innovators and leaders Our Youth Week Image This year's amazing image has been designed by Sao May Nguyen, a young multidisciplinary designer and content creator from Vietnam, now based in Auckland. For this year's image, she drew inspiration from a blend of modern design and pop art to reflect how young people express themselves in today’s world: bold, creative, and full of energy! More details The Whakapapa of Youth Week Youth Week began in 1995 with a handful of events scattered throughout Canada. Since then it has gathered momentum and is now celebrated each year in countries all around the world. Aotearoa New Zealand first marked Youth Week in the late 1990s, with NZAAHD weaving the first festivals and later entrusting it’s celebrations to Ara Taiohi in 2010. More details

Youth Week Grant Agreement By submitting the form below, you agree to accept the offer of a Youth Week Grant from Ara Taiohi and understand that by agreeing you/ your organisation must meet the following criteria: Your event must be held during Youth Week 2026: 18-24 May, 2026. Your event will be alcohol, smoke and drug-free. If your event is a public event, you understand that it will be posted on the Ara Taiohi website as part of the official Youth Week calendar. This information will be drawn from the response you provide below in the Youth Week Grant Agreement . All information relating to the amount and payment of grants will remain private and will not be shared. You will share/tag your event with Ara Taiohi on Facebook and Instagram unless your event is a completely private event. You will include the Youth Week logo or theme image on promotional material. These will be made available on the Ara Taiohi website shortly. Any equipment bought with this grant belongs to your organisation, not an individual. You will complete an evaluation form, outlining how your Youth Week event went. The Ara Taiohi team will share this form with you. It must be completed and returned to Ara Taiohi by 15 June 2026. You agree to distribute a participant survey to the young people engaged in your event. The Ara Taiohi team will share this form with you closer to Youth Week. Youth Week Grant Agreement Title of your event * Event Organiser * Event Address* Event Date* Day Month Year Start Time Time : Hours Minutes AM Event Type Online Events Health & Sport Games & Kai Art Music & Dance Cultural Educational Youth Market Film Screening Youth Voice Other Short description of your event* Event Image Upload File Is your event open to the public?* Yes, the more the merrier No, members of our org only Registration Link Target age (click all that apply) 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Contact email address* Payment Agreement Are you GST registered?* Yes, we are GST registered. Please upload an invoice with the amount you have been granted PLUS GST. Please make your tax invoice is IRD compliant. No, we are not GST registered. Please upload an invoice with the amount you have been granted WITHOUT GST. Please make your tax invoice is IRD compliant. File upload* Upload invoice for your grant If you are GST registered, please invoice the amount you have been grant PLUS GST. If you are not GST registered, please invoice the amount you have been granted WITHOUT GST. Signature* Drawing mode selected. Drawing requires a mouse or touchpad. For keyboard accessibility, select Type or Upload. Submit

Chris Davidson Accountant He/ Him Community focused financial translator I started out as a Chartered Accountant in the corporate world, but working with a few non-profit clients quickly made me realise where my heart truly was - helping communities, especially young people. So, I traded spreadsheets for sociology books, did some extra study, and never looked back. Now, more than 20 years later, I’m still passionate about making a real impact, empowering youth-focused organisations, and loving every moment of it! Get in touch to discuss Finance and billing issues Contact bookkeeping@arataiohi.org.nz

Alex Bligh Intern He/They Kia ora e te whānau! Ko Tararua te maunga, ko Paraparaumu takutai te moana, Ko Otaihanga te Awa. Ko Awatea te roto, ko Tainui te waka, Nō te Atiawa ahau. Ko Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Porou, ā Ngā Tahu ōku iwi; Ko whakarongotai te hapu. Nō Paraparaumu ahau, Nō moana ahau; Ko Alexander Bligh ahau. Hiya, I'm Alex and I am apart of the Youth Week intern whānau; I hold joy and adoration for supporting our rangatahi and our āo. Exploring anthropology, music, and poetry are my passions and keep me grounded. I love connecting with people and finding out our stories intertwined. Outside of mahi, my hands are engrossed in baking, story-telling, and fibre arts, and my heart holds friends, whānau, and the āo around me. Get in touch to discuss Youth Week alex.bligh@arataiohi.org.nz

Kaupapa Ara Taiohi is the peak body for youth development in Aotearoa. We are a national membership based organisation connected to over 3,700 individuals and organisations who represent a diverse range of groups and practitioners that work with young people. Youth Week Youth Week is a nationwide festival of events organised by young New Zealanders to celebrate the talents, passion and success of local young people. MOSAIC Our MOSAIC resources support youth workers to hold safe, meaningful kōrero with rangatahi about racism, discrimination, and values, and to navigate situations where young people express discriminatory views. INVOLVE INVOLVE is Aotearoa’s national youth development biennial conference — a vibrant gathering of youth workers, rangatahi, researchers, and sector leaders. Over two dynamic days, it’s a space to connect, learn, and be inspired through powerful kōrero, creative sessions, and shared experiences that celebrate and strengthen youth work across the motu. Our Partnerships

Youth Led Events Youth-led events are what make Youth Week come alive. Every year, rangatahi around Aotearoa dream up and run their own celebrations - stuff that reflects who they are and what they care about. We’ve seen everything from epic, once-in-a-lifetime experiences to chill hangouts and sharing kai with the community. Whatever it looks like, Youth Week hits different when it’s led by young people your young people, and that energy is what makes the festival of events so special. Want to build your leadership skills & be part of a team that plans a Youth Week event? Planning a Youth Week event starts with figuring out what you and your crew care about. Think about the kind of vibe you want - something creative, something active, something chill, something that brings people together, or something that uses your voice to spark change. So where do you start? Your idea: What’s the purpose? What do you want people to feel or experience? Your people: Who’s helping? Who’s coming along? Your place: Where will it happen? Your plan: What do you need to make it happen? Think about gear, support, funding, food, music, and transport? Your backup: Who’s there to support you? Is there a youth worker, school, community group, council, or local organisation that can help you with the logistics? Running a public event? Add your event to this year's events calendar to spread the word to rangatahi near you! Add Your Event to the Calendar Find an event near you Choose a date Filter by Region Select Region Filter by Event Type Select Event Type

Jane Zintl Chief Executive She/ Her Kia ora! I've been in the youth development sector for over 30 years, as a youth worker, youth lawyer, volunteer, ethics champion, qualification shaper, strengths coach, supervisor, facilitator and trainer! I believe passionately that youth work is a key ingredient all young people need to thrive, and I work tirelessly to bring equity to the systems youth work and young people operate in. Get in touch to discuss Ethical challenges and wins, youth development ecosystem. Contact executive.officer@arataiohi.org.nz

Meleseini Luhama Tau'alupe Kaimanaaki They/ Them I am passionate about the magic our that Taiao, Taiohi and everything in-between bring! They are a constant remind that a different world is possible. Get in touch to discuss I am the first point of contact for our beautiful org! Please touch base with me around general queries and inquiries! Contact admin@aratiohi.org.nz

Sarthak Rahangdale Office Administrator He/ Him Kia ora Koutou! I have recently joined Ara Taiohi, my mahi is in administration and operations. Being involved in type of kaupapa our organisation undertakes is the most rewarding aspect of my job alongside working with awesome people! I believe in building connections and hope to contribute in meaningful ways wherever possible. Get in touch to discuss Any operational and administrative questions! These are usually inquiries based around membership, registrations, book and resource orders, supervisor information and much more. A lot of the inquiries are unique in nature so if you are not sure who your question is most relevant to, send it to me and I will answer it or redirect to the appropriate person(s). admin@arataiohi.org.nz

Renee Ngatai Training & Mosaic Co-ordinator/ Korowai Tupu Administrator She/ Her No te uri o Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine, Ngāi Tahu, me Ngāti Porou. I am a dedicated advocate for the professionalisation of Youth Work, committed to strengthening the sector through research, training, and kaupapa like Mana Taiohi. As a mother to three amazing tamariki—Xavier (16), Marley (14), and Harper (6)—I see the power of youth development both personally and professionally. My passion lies in supporting taiohi to overcome ba Get in touch to discuss ⭐ Korowai Tupu ⭐ Kōrero Café ⭐ Korowau Tupu Applications ⭐ Kaiparahuarahi ⭐ Mosaic ⭐ Trainings Contact renee.ngatai@arataiohi.org.nz