Youth Council
A group of awesome young people making a difference to the Kaikōura community.
The Youth Council has been active in Kaikōura for a number of years. They meet regularly after school at Te Hā o Mātauranga - Learning in Kaikōura to work on youth issues, organise events and bring Kaikōura's youth together.
Some regular events include youth blasts, games nights, Easter egg hunts at Easter time, movie nights and more!
They also help Council engage with the youth of Kaikōura by facilitating a pathway of communication and representing youth in Council matters.
On this page:
- Youth week 2018 - Getting better work stories: Police and students connect over Connect Four! (May 2018)
- Speak up, stand together, stop bullying: Pink shirt day at Kaikōura High School (May 2018)
- Kaikōura Youth awards 2017
- Useful links
Youth Week 2018- Getting better work stories: Police and students connect over Connect Four! (May 2018)
On Thursday 24 May, Kaikōura Youth Council invited two of Kaikōura's awesome Police to Kaikōura High School for some giant Jenga and Connect Four.
The aim of the game was to connect the youth of Kaikōura and the Police in a casual and fun setting.
The first tower of Jenga went falling to the ground with a gasp from the crowd, and the students took the lead one-nil. Connect Four was also in the students' favour, with red taking victory over blue. The games continued throughout lunchtime, with the playing field evening-out and the conversation flowing freely.
Lots of students got involved. Thanks to Kaikōura Youth Council and Kaikōura Police for an awesome event.
Kaikōura Youth Council organised events every day of the week at the High School, as the internationally celebrated Youth Week is on. We think the youth in our community are pretty outstanding.
Monday's Youth Council organised activity was a hand print mural, created to represent everyone coming together as one and supporting one another to be their best selves. Then Tuesday saw a mirror day, where mirrors were used for the youth of Kaikōura to look at their reflections and write positive things about themselves.
Youth Week 2018's theme was 'Ahakoa te aha, kei a koe te tikanga: Be who you want to be," and was 19-27 May. Youth Week is held every May and is a nationwide festival of events organised by young New Zealanders to celebrate the talents, passion and success of local young people. It recognises the amazing contributions and achievements of young people in New Zealand and inspires the wider community to value, support and affirm the diversity of young people in our society.
Youth Week began in 1995 with a handful of events scattered throughout Canada. Since then it has gathered momentum and is now celebrated each year in countries all over the world. It came to Aotearoa in the late 1990s.
Speak up, stand together, stop bullying: Pink shirt day at Kaikōura High School (May 2018)
Kaikōura Youth Council joined forces with Te Hā, All Right? Kaikōura and the Violence Free network to support Pink Shirt Day on Friday 18 May. 
The Youth Council hosted multi-sport at lunchtime and had a pledge board where students and teachers could sign the board pledging to not bully, and to do what they can to stop bullying if they see it. The Youth Council had some tee shirts available to students who came up with some good ways to deal with bullying and to encourage and build up our peers, whanau and social networks.
The day was beautiful and sunny, and lots of the students dressed up in their pink gear to take a stand against bullying.
Celebrated annually around the globe, Pink Shirt Day began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying, mobilising their whole school, after a peer was bullied for wearing a pink shirt.
The event also saw the end of week one for Courtney, Kaikōura's new Youth Development Worker based at Te Hā o Mātauranga - Leaning in Kaikōura. Welcome to Kaikōura, Courtney!
Update: The Kaikōura Youth awards 2017
On the 30th September 2017, for the first time ever, Kaikoura Youth Council hosted a Youth Awards to celebrate our outstanding youth and young leaders.
The 10 categories covered leadership, participation, service, arts and culture. There's also an Adult Support category to recognise those who help youth be the best they can be.
Youth Award Finalists 2017 - Latest news.
Check out the Finalists and winners here.
Useful links:
Last updated: 28 May 2018
