Young people from around NZ come together for a new approach to justice

JustSpeak is bringing over 100 young people to Wellington this weekend to build a network of young people ready to speak up and tackle challenges faced in the justice sector. At JustSpeak Camp young people from all walks of life will consider recent reforms in the sector as well as more blue-skies ideas for a just Aotearoa. One focus of the Camp will be to explore and highlight young people’s responses to the terms of reference for the Youth Crime Action Plan released this month.

JustSpeak Camp has attracted young people from as far away as Raglan, Rotorua, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. Those that have registered for the Camp include high school students, social workers, teachers, youth workers, university students, public servants, lawyers, and academics. They will be gathering at Tapu Te Ranga Marae to connect with other young people interested in social justice, to develop advocacy skills for justice sector reform, and to explore substantive issues in the sector. As well as a series of creative workshops, the group will hear from long-time campaigner for social-change and founder of Tapu Te Ranga Marae Bruce Stewart; young film maker and CEO of Inspiring Stories, Guy Ryan; and restorative justice practitioner Jackie Katounas.

From public-private-partnership prisons to public protection orders, from the Government responses to the Stewart Wilson to Christie Marceau cases, there is a lot of change going on in the justice sector – but young people’s voices aren’t often heard.

JustSpeak believes that some of the strengths of young people; imagination, hope and a sense of urgency match up with failures in the justice system: a lack of imagination around prisons, negativity as reflected in media reporting of criminal justice issues, and a justice system that is both slow moving and slow to change.

Meaningful reform in the criminal justice sector requires social, economic and political change; it requires long-term thinking, commitment to prevention and to effective rehabilitation.

“JustSpeak has brought together young people from diverse backgrounds to lay a challenge to this generation of leaders, not only to adopt this approach to reform, but to include young people in the debate,” says JustSpeak spokesperson Kate Stone.

The young people coming to Camp this weekend will lay this challenge at an end of Camp reception at Parliament on Sunday, 23 September, 4 - 6pm, which will be co-hosted by Hon. Chester Borrows and Charles Chauvel MP.

www.justspeak.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media