The Wairarapa Youth Council is running a hui during this week's Youth Week to give young people a chance to have their say.
The hui is to make people more aware of the role of the youth council, discover what it means to be a young person in Wairarapa today and to give them a chance to speak out.
The Spot youth centre co-ordinator Glenda Seville said the council was granted funding by the Ministry of Youth Development for leadership training and hosting an event. "The youth council wanted to address 'what's on top' for youth of the Wairarapa and how we can work together as a community to move forward."
She hoped the hui would help people understand current issues for youth, create unity between the schools, raise awareness of support services available and enable young people to be able to communicate with their schools more.
"Not only is it important to celebrate and encourage our young people, but also provide events and highlight services available to them. Ideally we shouldn't just have a week to put the spotlight on young people's successes and challenges, but youth week helps us to champion our future decision makers," she said. Key issues include wellbeing, physical activity and nutrition, bullying and unity between schools, drink driving, alcohol and other drugs, the youth voice and entertainment.
