< Back TYC Market & Busking Event *Tatinga Whakarongo* Youth Market Tuakau Youth Centre Charitable Trust Target Age: 13-24 Address: Tuakau, New Zealand When: 23 May 2026 10:00 pm info@tuakauyouthcentre.com Youth Week 2026 Market and Busking — celebrating “Our Voice Matters.” Twringa Whakarongo! This vibrant event amplifies the voices of rangatahi through music, dance, spoken word, cultural performances, and heartfelt speeches that express their dreams, needs, and perspectives. It’s a space for young people to be heard, to inspire change, and to remind us all that every voice has power. Previous Next

< Back Youth Week 2026 Games & Kai Hutt Valley High School Target Age: 12-18 Address: 84-114 Woburn Road, Woburn, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand When: 18 May 2026 9:00 pm lorenz.arabelo@hvhs.school.nz PRIVATE EVENT Activities all throughout the week ending with an inflatable obstacle course to close out the week. Previous Next

Atarau Hamilton he/ him I see Ara Taiohi as a vital force in advocating for the youth sector and strengthening the impact of Mana Taiohi in practice. My hope is to see a sector where all youth workers are well-supported, connected, and equipped to foster the wellbeing and potential of rangatahi. By embedding Mana Taiohi into every level of youth work, we can ensure that young people are at the center of decision-making, and that our sector continues to grow in strength, equity, and sustainability.

< Back Hutt Multiculutral Youth Week Youth Voice Wellington Chinese Women's Association Target Age: 12-20 Address: 124 Waterloo Road, Hutt Central, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand When: 23 May 2026 9:30 pm https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAAMAAP8k9MhURDBCMFo0RlNENFBTRDQzOVVNODgzWDc3QS4u&origin=QRCode achu@chilton.school.nz We are organising a Hutt Multicultural Youth Leadership & Volunteering Celebration. The event will be held on Saturday 23rd May, 9:30am–12:30pm at Chilton St James School. We are aiming to bring together around 80–100 young people from across Hutt Valley and Wellington regions. It’s a youth-led event focused on promoting youth voices, celebrating volunteering, and strengthening multicultural leadership within our community. The programme will include a youth panel discussion, interactive leadership workshops, and a recognition of service ceremony, where youth volunteers will be acknowledged. The Deputy Mayor will also be attending and speaking, which is really exciting and adds to the significance of the event. A key part of the vision for this event is to bring together student leaders from different schools across Lower Hutt to collaborate. This way, we can share ideas, distribute responsibilities, and create something that is truly youth-led and representative of our wider community. Previous Next

< Back Youth Circus Festival Cultural, Art, Other Circability Target Age: 12-17 Address: 203-271 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland 1010, New Zealand When: 23 May 2026 12:00 am https://events.humanitix.com/youth-circus-festival-2026 office@circability.org Circability is proud to present another fun-filled Youth Circus Festival, taking place this May 2026 at Circability Central in Auckland—a youth-led event celebrating people of all ages, abilities, and cultures. Previous Next

< Back David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet Movie Screening Film Forest and Bird Youth Wellington Hub Target Age: 13-24 Address: 203 Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011, New Zealand When: 18 May 2026 5:00 am https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=3T9-NMbw9Uu45fi_AZQ5rQjkRW-wJpZIpOoiL--NO61UOUFFT0I4UFU5MDRUWVJBUVNaQ0RLTTE3Vi4u n.ibrahim@youth.forestandbird.org.nz Bringing our youth together to watch a screening of one of the biggest climate figures of our time. A small introduction to Forest and Bird Youth Wellington Hub and opportunity to get involved in future events. Light Kai and drinks will be provided!! Please RSVP so we get an idea of numbers :) Previous Next

< Back Youth Talk Podcast - Our Voices, Our Stories Online VOICE OF AROHA Target Age: 12-24 Address: When: 20 May 2026 7:00 am voiceofaroha@gmail.com STAY TUNED a three-episode Youth Talk Podcast series coming through during Youth Week 2026, created by and for young people from diverse backgrounds, especially refugee and migrant communities in Wellington. Previous Next

< Back NZ Music Month: Studio tour and ukulele jam Music & Dance Wellington City Libraries Target Age: 12-16 Address: 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037, New Zealand When: 22 May 2026 3:30 am enquiries@wcl.govt.nz Ever wondered how a fully functional recording studio works? Enjoy a tour of the equipment and instruments that make up the Tūhura HIVE recording studio. No appointment necessary. Just come to the HIVE Makerspace at the Johnsonville Library and a staff member will show you around. Then if you’re feeling the music within, pop next door to Ani Waaka meeting room to try out our array of colourful ukuleles with your friends. Song and chord sheets provided. Recommended age: 10 – 16 years. Previous Next

< Back Voices of the Valley Festival Film East Bay REAP Target Age: 12-24 Address: 1567 Kopuriki Road, Murupara 3079, New Zealand When: 21 May 2026 5:00 am huia@eastbayreap.org.nz As part of Youth Week 2026 (18–24 May), we will deliver a Valley Short Film Challenge for young people aged 9 years and over from Murupara, Ruatāhuna, Kaingaroa, Waiohau, Galatea, and Minginui. Rangatahi will work in small groups to create a 1–3 minute short film that shares their voices, identity, and what matters to them in their community. Films will be created using phones or basic devices, with no prior experience required, ensuring the project is accessible and inclusive. The challenge builds confidence, creativity, teamwork, and digital storytelling skills, while providing a platform for young people in rural communities to be heard. Completed films will be showcased during Youth Week as part of the Voices of the Valley Film Festival, celebrating local stories and youth voice. Previous Next

< Back Miriam Sessa Kia ora! I am Miriam, an Italian/English migrant, and a registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience in community development and social services. My journey began in my own youth through activism, an experience that continues to inform my unwavering commitment to partnership with young people. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, my work is deeply rooted in lived experience and a commitment to intersectional social justice, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the advocacy of youth rights. Professional Journey Throughout my career, I have served in diverse capacities, from frontline youth mentoring to national leadership positions. This breadth of experience allows me to understand the complexities of the sector from multiple angles: Clinical Expertise: Delivering prevention programs, conducting brief interventions, and providing long-term therapy. Specialist Focus: Sexual and family violence prevention and response, cross-cultural practice, and LGBTQIA+ advocacy. Leadership & Strategy: Shaping national strategies and policies, and managing teams within the social service landscape. My Approach I have always valued the vital role supervision plays in professional practice of fostering growth, learning, and resilience. My approach is designed to support both your professional and personal development. I am passionate about the transformative power of prevention, the dynamic nature of group work, and the therapeutic potential of play. In our sessions, I collaborate with you to navigate the unique dynamics of your practice. My goal is to ensure you feel supported in your own growth while simultaneously holding the wellbeing and rights of the youth you serve. Having been both a team leader and a manager, I am skilled in individual and team supervision, training, and professional development. Finding the right fit is essential for a successful supervisory relationship. Get in touch to discuss your supervision needs, and we can explore together if I am the right supervisor for you. Qualifications Masters of Psychotherapy (Child and Adolescent), Auckland University of Technology, 2023 Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy Studies (Child and Adolescent), Auckland University of Technology, 2021 Certificate in supervision skills for health and social services professionals, Unitec, 2016 Profesional Association PBANZ The Psychotherapist Board of Aotearoa New Zealand Connect with the Supervisor Directly miriamsessa@therapy-consulting.com Previous Next

Raniera Pene he/ him Ko Puke Karoro te Maunga Ko Kaipara te Moana Ko Ōruawharo te Marae Ko Te Uri O Hau te Hapū Ko Ngāti Whātua te Iwi Ko Mahuhu Ki Te Rangi te Waka Ko Tumutumuwhenua te Tupuna My professional career in youth work began in 2016 when I was employed by the late MP Takutai Moana Kemp who, at that time, was the CEO of Te Kaha O Te Rangatahi based in South Auckland. Under her extraordinary leadership, we were guided by the famous words of the late kaumatua Eru Thompson who coined the phrase, “ko ngā rangatahi ngā rangatira o te nāianei.” (our youth are our leaders of today). Since 2021, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work for my iwi (Ngāti Whātua) as the Senior Advisor of Te Ha Oranga, delivering a wide range of youth-focused initiatives for all young people across our tribal boundary. Our belief is that when a community prioritises its youth, it ensures a safe and thriving future for all people. In the year 2022, I was appointed as the Kaihautū of Ara Taiohi. Being the peak body for youth development across Aotearoa, I saw this role as a significant opportunity to connect the sector through Te Tiriti and make a difference for all youth workers in their capacity to materialise the wise words of the late Eru Thompson. Fast forward to today, Ara Taiohi continues to be the vehicle of change that champions unity across the sector and encourages the leaders of our nation to deeply consider the role of youth work in shaping a safe and thriving Aotearoa.

< Back He pī ka rere Art Generation Kāinga Charitable Trust Target Age: 16-21 Address: 249 Symonds Street, Eden Terrace, Auckland 1010, New Zealand When: 22 May 2026 9:00 pm rosa.hibbert-schooner@generationkainga.co.nz PRIVATE EVENT He pī ka rere - a kaupapa that brings a group of rangatahi together to create a collective art piece to showcase at a gallery night for their friends and whānau to enjoy. Friday 22nd May 9-3pm - Daytime: Day Workshop Hosted at Ūkaipō Gallery and creation (private kaupapa) 6pm - Showcase and exhibition open for two hours for public viewing and poetry readings (public) This kaupapa brings rangatahi together during Youth Week for a bold, creative activation grounded in voice, storytelling, and collective expression. Delivered in collaboration with a local youth organisation, the event invites rangatahi to reconnect with their experiences of kāinga and transform these into a collaborative art activism piece. This event, He pī ka rere centres rangatahi as creators and decision-makers, using art as a medium to explore housing realities, belonging, and aspirations for the future. Through painting, writing, and visual storytelling, participants will contribute to a shared artwork that reflects both individual journeys and collective narratives. This process creates a space for expression that is accessible, empowering, and grounded in kaupapa Māori values. The event aims to amplify the rangatahi voice, demonstrate the power of creative activism, and show how lived experience can inform and influence wider community conversations about kāinga. It positions rangatahi not only as storytellers, but as agents of change shaping their own futures. The completed artwork will culminate in a public showcase evening at Ūkaipō Gallery, where whānau, community members, and stakeholders are invited to engage with the work. This exhibition creates a platform for rangatahi voices to be seen, heard, and celebrated, extending the impact of the kaupapa beyond the event itself. Previous Next