Award for volunteer youth work

TOP HONOUR: Rangatahi to Rangatira (R2R) youth facilitator Rebecca Vergunst receives her Rangatahi for Youth Award from Carterton mayor John Booth.

Hours spent volunteering are finally paying off for youth worker Rebecca Vergunst.

The 21-year-old Rangatahi to Rangatira (R2R) member and Wairarapa Youth Council representative was honoured for her work in the community with the Rangatahi for Youth Award leadership prize at the Wairarapa Youth Awards, held last week.

Ms Vergunst, who also works at Ponatahi Christian School as a financial administrator, was volunteering for R2R for 10 hours a week before a part-time position was eventually created for her at the Carterton-based organisation.

Ms Vergunst said having positive encouragement from her parents and teachers was key.

"They put faith in me that I could do things and expected me to do them ... it's really motivating when someone has that belief in you."

However many young people she encountered often came from backgrounds where goals were not so high, and groups like R2R could help them to gain leadership skills and engage in their community, she said.

"If you don't expect great things you are not going to try because they don't believe in you ... [it's] having positive support in your life and having good role models."

Events like the Wairarapa Youth Awards showcased the achievements of young people in the area and might even lead to more people volunteering, Ms Vergunst said.

"It shows young people in a more positive light and I guess young people find that volunteering is actually a good thing, it's not just for geeks. I hope it inspires young people to get involved.

"Volunteering is a lot more fun than people think - it's a responsibility but at the same time it's a good thing."

With their energy, enthusiasm and aptitude for technology, young people had a lot to offer the community, she said.

Ms Vergunst's goals include becoming more involved in local government.