Media Release

Youth Week – 3 to 9 May

The Ministry of Youth Development is busy this week celebrating young people in a number of ways to mark Youth Week, which runs from 3 to 9 May.

“The highlight of the week will be a breakfast for around 60 Wellington-area Youth Development Student Representatives on Friday at our office”, said Patricia Reade, Acting General Manager at the Ministry.

“Students will be welcomed by Minister of Youth Affairs John Tamihere. They will find out how the Ministry operates and we hope they will tell us how best we can find out their views and concerns about issues that affect them”, said Patricia.

Youth Week is a great opportunity for communities to actively celebrate their young people. It’s about encouraging people to focus on the positive aspects of being young.

Another way the Ministry is celebrating young people is its support of the secondary schools Subway™ Stage Challenge. The regional performance tour involving approximately 14,000 young people around New Zealand has just begun. Stage Challenge is a dance, drama musical extravaganza put together by vibrant, healthy and optimistic young people. This week the tour is based in Wellington, with two shows at the Queens Wharf Event Centre.

Youth Week is also about providing an opportunity for young people to speak out about youth issues and influence adult views.

“The Ministry is busy organising Youth Parliament 2004, and this is all about young people participating in a real parliament”, said Patricia. “One hundred and twenty youth MPs and a Youth Press Gallery will fill the House of Representatives on 16 and 17 August this year.”

Youth Week encourages young people to share ideas, attend live gigs, present their talent and celebrate their contribution to the community.

From 3 to 9 May there will be events all over the country including: photo competitions, rapping and spoken word workshops, cultural performances and a huge rock music/hip-hop gig on the North Shore, Auckland.

Youth Week began in 1995 with a few youth-focussed events scattered around Canada. Since then countries around the world have adopted and adapted the week and put their own touches on it.

In New Zealand Youth Week is coordinated by the New Zealand Association for Adolescent Health & Development thanks to sponsorship from Rotary and the Ministry of Youth Development.

To find out what is on in your area you can visit the Youth Week website www.youthweek.co.nz

ENDS

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