Empowering the Next Generation: The Support of Youth Leadership in the Community

Deb Humphries (ANCAD)

Even with boundless passion, youth-led initiatives often face a “sustainability gap.” It is common for a youth-led initiative to lose its momentum as people graduate and move on to another chapter of life; however, this was not the case for Bays Youth Council.

From the very beginning till now, ANCAD has always been a part of the journey, not only acting as an anchor but also a source of empowerment that allows the youth council to grow and build momentum. Because of ANCAD’s steady hand, the Youth Council’s capacity has grown exponentially. No longer just a consultative group of 5-8 youths but a group of 20 young individuals across year 9 to year 13 who are now leading and initiating events.

ANCAD provided a range of support such as a consistent framework of mentorship, networking opportunities and strategic support. Rather than directing Bays Youth Council to host certain initiatives, ANCAD empowered them to do what they believe will interest and benefit youth.

From the early initiatives such as clothes swap and beach clean-ups to the more recent events such as supporting the consultation of Auckland Mayoral Plan, ANCAD provides the strategic scaffolding that allows the young leaders to navigate the complexities of organising and hosting initiatives but also the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

The recent consultation of Auckland Mayoral Plan at Summer spectacular showcased how important ANCAD’s support for Bays Youth Council has been. Infusing the plan with youth-led vibrancy, Bays Youth Council used lollies as votes and created engaging visuals to allow young people to gain an idea of the main aspects of the plan. Within the period of 4 hours, more than 80 individuals took the initiative to vote and take a lolly as a reward for themselves too!

Looking at the votes, transport and economic concerns are the main focus for many youths, with a combined 36 voters who believe Auckland Council should focus on these areas. Other voices that were captured highlighted the need to increase opportunities for young people. Some of the answers to the question “As youth, what do you want to see in our community?” were: “Uni student expo on specific subjects” / “Uni intro/prep guide”, “More youth performance opportunities,” “Safer/ more punctual public transport” and “Job market guide and what you can do.”

Today, Bays Youth Council continues to thrive under the support of ANCAD. Many initiatives are already being planned and executed for the coming month such as a potential collaboration with the Browns Bay Chinese Society to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year with the importance of sustainability in mind (the idea is to make dumplings from vege gardens and calculate how much carbon has been saved).

Thanks to ANCAD’s continuous support and their provision of a professional “safety net,” Bays Youth Council will continue to empower the community as well as mentor the next wave of young leaders.