Youth leaders take on 'social ills' in Far North

Renee Walters (left), Aroha Puru, Blair Peters and Nina Griffiths, tackling issues that have defied the experts.

Kerikeri man Harko Brown has more faith in the Far North's younger generation than he does in the Beehive.

"While the election run-up bucks and fizzes and promises flow thick and fast from political parties both left and right, quietly in the background we have four determined, highly-motivated youth from our region, trying voluntarily, on a shoe-string budget, to solve some of our social ills that millions of dollars and busloads of politicians, health 'experts' and over-fed consultants have failed miserably to address this century - and every day conditions get worse," he said.

The Future Leaders programme they were part of, with Mr Brown as the regional mentor and innovation coach, was a national strategy devised by 2015 Young New Zealander of the Year Guy Ryan through his Inspiring Stories Social Enterprise.

The programme targets highly-motivated youth on a quick-fire six-month initiative to research and devise a project that will acknowledge and then address a youth concern, and 55 youth were interviewed by Mr Brown's team.

This was the first time that the Far North District Council had committed to a national strategy of this type and calibre, and he commended the council for sponsoring the four youth leaders, and for supporting the team via the organisational efficiency and enthusiasm of Aya Morris.

He also commended Mayor John Carter spending at least a couple of hours each month actively listening to their concerns, sharing his knowledge and backing their progress, as well as the wider council for their enthusiastic meet and greet.

"All heady stuff for these youngsters," he said. The council had listened and responded to community concerns about a dearth of local youth leaders influencing change in the health field.

The four young leaders were all hard-working volunteers. Aroha Puru was fitting in her programme responsibilities with her studies and obligations as deputy head girl at Okaihau College, Renee Walters is on the front desk at Te Hiku Hauora Medical Centre, Blair Peters was a respected conservationist, working for Te Runanga o Te Rarawa and Nina Griffiths was working for Papa Taiao Earthcare, travelling the country to advocate on major youth issues.

"They have little time on their hands, but industriously use every hour they have to maximum effect in their efforts to support their peers through their Future Leaders mentoring and project development," he said.

"Each month they are upskilled at various national conferences, the most recent being in Auckland, where they spent three days with 1300 other rangatahi, networking, workshopping and being inspired by the top change-makers in New Zealand.

"I expect that the projects being devised by our young future leaders, and others in their respective provinces, all presently undergoing testing before their public debuts, will bring about quicker and more sustainable positive results for their peers than all the promises we get each election cycle.

"We can only hope that young future leaders in our region who are experiencing social difficulties and economic hardship may rise to tackle the larger structural problems of a depressed economy and broken education system, which for decades has over-tested them, such as through national standards, to the detriment of their personal and social development.

'To all our empathetic and industrious youth leaders, kia kaha, kia toa."