Kia ora North Shore!

As the first month of spring brings hope for warmer weather and sunny days ahead, Younite has been hard at work, feeling inspired by this season of environmental rebirth. Before the end of this year, we have many exciting events occurring which will work to promote youth engagement in the community, encourage the integration of Māori values into society, and aim to show the importance of youth involvement in the Devonport-Takapuna area.
While many of these events are still in the process of planning and consideration, we first want to reflect on Younite’s tree planting and eco-restoration event held in late August. Despite Auckland’s unpredictable weather, our board came together to successfully provide teens in the community with an opportunity to promote sustainability at the William Souter Reserve in Forrest Hill. Ever since the rise in global protests against climate change a few years ago, youth have been at the forefront of the battle to save our planet. We as young people recognise the importance of caring for our earth, as well as encompassing the value of kaitiakitanga to restore our native environment. Through this event, local youth had the opportunity to engage in eco-restoration work, while enjoying a fun afternoon with friends and like-minded people. In addition, free pizza, beverages and candy were supplied to all teens who came along to plant a tree. As we like to say, “Do the mahi, get the treats!”.
Make sure to head to our Instagram to take a look at some photos.
Youth living in the Devonport-Takapuna area will also soon have the exciting opportunity to apply for a position on Younite’s board. We encourage you to apply if you feel passionate about change in the community, encourage the promotion of youth voices and opinions, and enjoy collaboration with others. All applicants must be between the ages of 14 to 24, and must reside in the Devonport-Takapuna area (regardless of whichever school you attend). Applications for 2025 will open in the next few months, so check out our Instagram page or email us for more information.
Additionally, we would like to continue to highlight that applications for the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board youth seat are still open! This is a unique opportunity for youth (ages 16 – 24 years) to get a behind-the-scenes look into how local governance works while also becoming a part of active decisions made by the board. If you want more information, please head to our Instagram page or email us.

If you have any queries or suggestions, please do not hesitate to reach out and contact us at younitechair@gmail.com or through our Instagram page: @younitedt.