Nominations open for John Turkington Forestry Rangitīkei Youth Awards

Angela Turkington (from left), Outstanding Youth winner Alyce Turner and John Turkington at the John Turkington Forestry Rangitikei youth awards in 2019. Photo / Supplied

The Rangitīkei Youth Awards are back for a fifth year with entries open for 10 categories.

The John Turkington Forestry Rangitīkei Youth Awards are open to youth aged between 12 and 24.

Categories include encouraging others, leadership, giving back, environment, sports and employment.

The Rangitīkei Anglican Parish Wairua for Wellbeing is the newest addition that recognises young people or a group of young people who significantly contributed to the cultivation of wairua and or the holistic wellbeing of other young people in the area.

"It's about celebrating the achievement of our kids but not just celebrating, acknowledging all the great things that our youth do in the district, it's not necessarily about winning the awards it's about acknowledging how much our youth participate in our communities," Rangitīkei District Council's strategic youth adviser Nardia Gower said.

New World Marton is once again sponsoring the awards with the New World Marton Youth For Youth award. Photo / File

Gower said when recognition was given then more opportunities for youth to participate arose.

"Actually the community ends up going actually I wonder if the youth would give me a hand with this that would be really cool and the youth are keen to do it."

Last year Alyce Turner won the trophy for overall Outstanding Youth award alongside the Giving Back award for her efforts in the formation of the Rangitīkei College Rotary Interact Group.

To be eligible nominees must be currently living or have lived in the Rangitīkei for the past 12 months.

They must have participated in the activities they have been nominated for within the past 12 months and it must have been for outside of their regular study or work commitments.

The outcome will be decided by a panel comprising Rangitīkei mayor Andy Watson, deputy mayor Nigel Belsham and representatives from local iwi, schools and youth agencies.

The awards evening is going to be held on Thursday, August 27.

Fortuna Forest Products, Marton Rotary, River Valley, Hautapu Pine, The Downs Group, New World Marton, Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, BJW Motors and Rangitīkei Anglican Parish have all sponsored a category by giving $500 cash to the winner of each.

Nominations can be made through https://rangitikei.smartygrants.com.au/httpsrangitikeismartygrantscomau and they close on August 10.