Latest news with #youthLeadership
RNZ News
4 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Ōtara youth challenged to design new town centre playground
A new playground is coming to Ōtara, a project led by local rangatahi. Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council Ōtara's only town centre playground is getting a fresh start with local youth leading the charge. Auckland Council removed the playground and seating area in January in a bid to deter antisocial behaviour and public drinking outside the Ōtara TAB, leaving some of the community disheartened . It followed a local board decision in November 2024 to relocate the town centre playground. In a rare show of youth-led democracy, rangatahi are not only guiding the design but asking the community to help decide its location before consultation closes on 20 June. A drop-in session was being held at Ōtara Music Arts Centre (OMAC on Friday night. Ōtara Papatoeote local board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia said they wanted to empower young people to decide on things that they will use. "Nobody knows what's best for youth than the youth themselves," he said. "This is a playground they decided over, and hopefully they'll take care of it and help find solutions if any issues come up." Community youth groups like TOPs (The Ōtara-Papatoetoe Squad), PACT, Ōtara Youth Hub, TYLA Youth Development Trust, and Adullam Boys are helping guide the public consultation. Apulu said the consultation was also a chance to think more broadly about safety and support in the area. "Ōtara Town Centre is for everyone, and we want it to be safe for everyone too. For those affected by antisocial behaviour, how can we activate the space in a positive and safe way? And how can we involve social services to help address the drinking issues our people are facing?" Manukau ward councillor Lotu Fuli said different groups had asked to remove the playground due to their children being exposed to antisocial behaviour. The original playground was moved from the Bairds Road Reserve as an answer to the community's concerns. There are four proposed locations for the new playground: Photo: Supplied / Auckland Council While the rangatahi are leading the project and design, Fuli said there would be constraints due to budgets. The final proposal is expected to go to the local board for approval in October, with building scheduled to start between April and June 2026. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Harry heralds truth and fearlessness of young people in an ‘apathetic world'
The Duke of Sussex has praised the empathy, truth, honesty and fearlessness of the younger generation amid 'an apathetic world' as he made his first public appearance since his bombshell interview. Harry, on his son Prince Archie's sixth birthday, travelled to Las Vegas for an onstage discussion to launch a new initiative for The Diana Award. He heralded young leaders for standing up for themselves, just days after speaking out about his relationship with his father, the King. Harry, at the launch of Pledge To Invest on Tuesday, also described how young people have an openness about mental health 'that previous generations struggled to express'. He told fellow panellists Sikander 'Sonny' Khan, from Michigan, US, and Christina Williams, from Jamaica, who are Diana Legacy Award winners: 'We're in an era now where we are looking for more companies to be serving the greater good – the majority, not the minority. 'Every single young person has potential. From a younger generation standpoint, in an apathetic world, there's more empathy in this generation than I've ever seen before… 'It's the empathy, the authenticity, the truth, the honesty and the fearlessness… 'When they stand up for themselves, and stand up in their communities… 'That is what we need. We need fearless leadership. So I tip my hat to both of you and what you represent.' Last week, after losing a Court of Appeal challenge over his security arrangements in the UK, the duke gave a sit-down interview in which he said the King will not speak to him and he does not know how much longer his father, who is being treated for cancer, has left. He expressed hopes of a reconciliation with his family and told the BBC his court defeat was a 'good old-fashioned establishment stitch-up' and that he could not see how he could bring his wife and children safely back to the UK. The Pledge To Invest drive by the Diana Award, the charity set up in memory of Harry and the Prince of Wales's late mother, aims to encourage businesses to sign up to invest in youth leadership. Harry said: 'Far too many young people are locked out of leadership pipelines because we've failed to build truly inclusive and accessible pathways.' He added: 'This generation isn't waiting for permission to lead – they are already doing it, 'They bring emotional intelligence, social awareness, and an honesty about mental health that previous generations struggled to express. 'What sets them apart isn't just their boldness, but their refusal to settle for the status quo… If we're serious about a better future, we need to stop underestimating them and start listening.' The discussion hosted by AI platform ServiceNow was held as part of the Knowledge 25 event in Las Vegas.
