Ōrākei Local Board teamed up recently with a youth-focused community group, Action Education to run a youth leadership forum in the local board area.
Around 30 young people attended the Amplify: Ōrākei Youth Leadership Forum held at the Meadowbank Community Centre.
At the forum, attendees heard from guest speakers and participated in workshops designed to prepare them towards forming an Ōrākei Youth Leadership group.
The youth leadership group will advise the local board on youth-related matters, providing a youth perspective. The local board will also support them to run their own local youth initiatives.
Ōrākei Local Board Community Development lead David Wong said he was impressed with the energy and enthusiasm the young people brought to the forum.
“I’m excited about what this means for the future of our local board. Having access to a youth perspective will be of immense value to our work going forward,” he said.
Guest speaker and young achiever Veisinia Maka gave an inspirational talk about her journey in youth politics and community work.
At the age of 22, Veisinia is the Chairperson of Auckland’s Youth Advisory Panel, Auckland Representative for Commonwealth Youth New Zealand and a New Zealand Local Hero.
“In this day and age, it's fundamental that young people are actively participating in politics. It’s equally important that politicians understand that young people are at the core of change. This means it’s vital for them to hear and consider the perspectives of youth,” she said.
The newly formed Ōrākei Youth Leadership group will hold their first meeting later this month where they will start developing their group vision and strategy.
