Rotorua's new youth council for 2025 at the Tangatarua Marae. Photo / Laura Smith
Rotorua's new youth council for 2025 at the Tangatarua Marae. Photo / Laura Smith
A published researcher, a future diplomat and an international para-athlete are among the 12 young residents welcomed into the new Rotorua Youth Council.
A pōhiri for the new cohort was held at Tangatarua Marae at Toi Ohomai on Friday afternoon.
The new cohort attended with members of the former youth council, along with friends and whānau.
Tapsell, when introducing the new members, listed their accomplishments and reasons for applying.
Among them was Rotorua Boys’ High School head boy Dean Richardson, a published youth researcher and Shotokan karate black belt, who wanted to amplify the youth voice and to see Rotorua be a safe, nurturing environment where young people could thrive and reach their potential.
Ashmit Danney, 15, is a national record-holder in para-swimming. He won the Most Promising Athlete Award at the 2023 Halberg Games and was selected for the Pathway to Paralympic 2028.
Born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC), he has undergone 14 major surgeries and hopes to advocate for young people, especially those with disabilities.
John Paul College student Tyler Paul aspires to be a diplomat. A keen mountain biker, he has found a new passion in scuba diving. He represents peers on the student council and participates in debating competitions and school productions.
Rotorua Girls’ High School student Katelia Mita (Tainui, Tarukenga Marae) wants to ensure youth feel confident in their identity and that Māori culture is celebrated and preserved.
She hopes to promote inclusivity, understanding and a sense of belonging for all the community.
In a statement, Tapsell said the youth council provided an important opportunity for young people to give back to their community, grow their skills, and ensure the council heard a youth voice.
The 2025 (left) and 2024 Rotorua Youth Council members at the Tangatarua Marae. Photo / Laura Smith
“We were proud of what our youth council contributed last year and can’t wait to start working with this year’s youth councillors to help develop their leadership skills and understand how they’d like to contribute to a better Rotorua.”
Richardson is the only returning member of the council. Members were selected from 24 applications.
Opportunities as a youth councillor include development in leadership skills, public speaking, project management and civic engagement, as well as advocating for local youth.
The 2025 youth council will focus on three main projects during their term.
The first is the council’s Annual Plan 2024/25 by sharing data and insights to influence the plan on what matters to Rotorua’s youth.
This year’s group will implement a Youth Engagement Strategy created by their predecessors. A digital youth engagement plan will be launched to connect with the district’s young people and give them a voice in local matters.
They will also work to create materials to demystify local government to help young people understand their roles, rights and pathways to civic action in the city.
Last year’s group surveyed 182 young people about the council, including asking whether respondents had been involved with the council before – 160 said no.
Rotorua Boys' High School principal John Kendal at the pōhiri for the new Rotorua Youth Council. Photo / Laura Smith
Alumni councillor Fisher Wang and Mayor Tania Tapsell were appointed as the council’s representatives after the 2023 decision.
Community wellbeing adviser Felicity Jansonius-Bidois said at the time there was previously no formal mechanism for including youth voices in decision-making.
In his end of year reflection, Wang told Local Democracy Reporting he was proud of the first cohort from the revitalised programme for their dignity, maturity and clear vision.
In a statement, he said the programme offered numerous benefits for participants, including youth development and a chance to build leadership skills.
“Rangatahi are passionate about complex issues that will have a big impact on their future and they want to have their views acknowledged and considered.”
He believed the youth council’s success would only grow stronger with the new group and was excited to see how they progress.
Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
