Three Rotorua young people will talk about indigenous mental health during the royal visit.
Three young Māori mental health advocates hope their brush with the royal couple today will put the issue in the spotlight.
Hana Tapiata (Tuhourangi, Ngāti Porou), Te Mahara Swanson Hall (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Awa) and Wharehuia Evans (Ngāti Uenukukopako, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Arawa) have been selected to speak withthe Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their visit today.
They will discuss indigenous mental health.
Swanson Hall, 20, said she hoped it would result in the issue being heard by decision makers.
"We're able to provide a perspective on what it's like to be Māori in this country and at the end of the day we do have the worst mental health statistics.
"Them being here and having this conversation brings attention to the issue and makes it stand out as something that needs to be addressed."
Hana Tapiata, 26, Te Mahara Swanson Hall, 20, and Wharehuia Evans, 27, have been selected to have a conversation with the royal couple about mental health. Photo / Stephen Parker
She said mental health services needed to change as she believed they were under-funded and ineffective.
"It's easy to interview young people and ask for their perspective on the problems but no one invites them to the table to ask them what they think should change."
Tapiata, 26, has an online platform which looks at applying Māori philosophies to daily life. She said she tried to use that platform to bring awareness to different topics.
She said mental health was an important topic and work was already happening in that area.
"It's natural, it's normal but it's treated like it's something wrong, like they shouldn't be feeling or thinking negative thoughts ... the work is already happening in the community, us being able to meet with them [the royals] just promotes what's already going on," Tapiata said.
"They bring their light and shine it on what's happening."
Evans, 27, planned to go into a career in mental health and hoped he could be a mangai (face) for young people and someone people felt they could go to.
"I think everyone not affected by serious issues should be aware of mental health so they can be a port of call someone to talk to, that's all it's about.
"It's underfunded and it's really difficult to get funding for mental health."
Mental health advocate Mike Naera said the royals had asked to speak with rangatahi, especially those who had lived the experiences and were champions in the field of youth mental health.
"These guys were selected because of their leadership in the community and throughout the globe."
The group will briefly meet the royal couple during their visit to Ohinemutu today.
