Let's reflect on the incredible opportunities and moments of 2023! 

In our 91st year we celebrated some major milestones, launched new programmes and had the privilege of working with thousands of young people across the country, making a real impact on their lives. 

In 2023 we also honoured Ben Nanasca's dedication to the youth of Aotearoa, as we marked his 40 year work anniversary with Youthtown. Ben's work was featured in an interview on Seven Sharp, enabling the rest of NZ to see how generous and humble he is.  Watch here.  We are so proud of all our staff and their dedication to our purpose and work, Ben is just one of our amazing staff members who represents this. 

See our programmes in action!

Impacting Young Lives

Our mission is to provide sustainable, youth-focused programmes and services with measurable outcomes that promote positive change to communities and young people. Our partnership with the University of Auckland, supports the work we do assisting us with the development of research led programmes, that are outcome driven. This collaboration enables us to  adhere to best practices and develop innovative delivery methods. 

We have continued to measure the impact of our programmes, with ImpactLab's Good Measure report. We are proud that all of programmes measured deliver significant social value to NZ.

Tuning in to Note-worthy Musical Programmes

During 2023. we have had the honour of   showcasing several of our musical programmes   at Parliament. In May, our ambassador King   Kapisi debuted his collaboration with NZ jazz   legend Rodger Fox. This collaboration was used as the basis of this year's Young Jazz Band-it competition, which saw over 230 high school students competing in the national jazz competition.

Later in the year, Jackie Bristow and two of her SongCatcher participants wowed audiences with their songwriting and performance talents. 

In the South Island, Play.Music supports primary schools to deliver music in their classrooms, enabling students to engage with music. We have also continued our support of Play it Strange, with the Youthtown Songwriting Competition for years 9 -11.

The Great Outdoors

Our outdoors team have been delivering EOTC to schools and groups throughout the year. Rock climbing, kayaking, orienteering, sailing and water safety, are just a few of the activities delivered, in a fun, engaging way, giving young people a great opportunity to learn skills in a challenging but supportive environment.

These summer holidays we also have an Outdoor Adventure Holiday Programme which will be at Motu Moana and Ōrākei Basin. We are so excited to have this on offer for young people to experience new things and gain confidence outdoors. If you would like to find out more about this programme, click here. 

 

Girl Power

Our programmes with a focus on young women and girls have continued to expand. 

Her Move Activities Club has developed, enabling girls who aren't usually active to try out new sports such as archery, rock climbing and pickleball. This programme is running throughout Aotearoa and it is awesome to see young girls inspired and building confidence. 

Ngā Puawai brings a Te Ao Māori lens to a programme that supports rangatahi who find themselves feeling stuck and not knowing how to make themselves feel better. It provides non-academic engagement which addresses the pastoral support needs of the kōtiro.  

Her Ride inspires young women to try cycling whilst being supported by the women they value most in their lives - mums, aunties, whānau - a truly inspirational cross generational programme.

In a year where women's sport came to the fore, we are delighted to run a girls only version of Football Connect, with the support of the Youth Football Development Trust, and under the management of our own Amber Hearn, who is NZ's leading goal scorer of all time.

Te Huarahi Hou – New Pathways Programme in the Waikato was recently announced as a finalist in the Sport Waikato Sport & Active Recreation Awards 2023. A collaborative programme created to provide our emergency housing community with support through a multi-agency approach to give the tamariki a space to be able to engage in positive activities.

Summer Jam

Basketball is one of the most popular participation sports for young people, so we've been excited to bring Summer Jam to local communities. This one day festival of family fun, basketball, challenges, food and music is a great way for young people to connect with their wider community. Watch out for Summer Jam events throughout the summer!

We have Christchurch, Tauranga, Wellington and Auckland events coming up in February and March so make sure you find out more https://www.youthtown.org.nz/summerjam

As we embark on a new year - our 92nd - we are so excited to continue delivering programmes that inspire young people and encourage them on their life journey.