Funding for youth organisations

Youth Affairs Minister Nikki Kaye today announced funding totalling $122,000 for a range of youth organisations with a focus on improving opportunities for young people.

The Ministry of Youth Development funding will support a diverse range of organisations and projects. Recipients are the Far North District Council, the Great Potentials Foundation, the Isolated Communities youth grant fund, the LGBTI youth sector, and the volunteer youth programme for New Zealand Fashion Week.

“I want to see young people across New Zealand have opportunities to develop their confidence and self-management skills, engage in positive activities, connect with their communities, and grow their leadership abilities,” Ms Kaye says.

“The value of such opportunities is that they connect young people with mentors and organisations that will offer guidance, support and encouragement.

“This funding has been allocated across a diverse range of initiatives, from those that help disadvantaged youth to those that provide leadership opportunities for young people in rural communities. Collectively, hundreds of young people from around New Zealand will benefit from it.”

The Ministry of Youth Development provides funding for projects that are initiated and led by young people, those in partnership with territorial authorities, and programmes and services delivered by community-based organisations.

For further information: http://www.myd.govt.nz/funding/

Editor's notes:

Far North District Council
$7000 to deliver leadership initiatives in Horeke, north of Kaikohe. In partnership with the Northern Rural Fire Authority and the Horeke community, the council is establishing a leadership programme to develop young people’s sense of ownership and belonging to the community. http://www.myd.govt.nz/funding/

Great Potentials Foundation
$15,000 to support the Mentoring and Tutoring Education Scheme (MATES) junior mentoring programme. University students and teacher trainees provide support in mentoring and tutoring intermediate school students during the transition from intermediate to secondary school. http://www.greatpotentials.org.nz/

Isolated Communities youth grant fund
$20,000 to be directly administered by the Ministry. This will support one-off youth initiatives in remote areas including Waiheke Island, Great Barrier Island, Stewart Island and the Chatham Islands. http://www.myd.govt.nz/funding/

LGBTI Youth Sector
$60,000 remaining from a $100,000 fund to support the sector to sustain and build on existing activities.  This will be administered by Ara Taiohi. http://www.arataiohi.org.nz/

NZ Fashion Week youth programme
$20,000 to support the volunteer programme for New Zealand Fashion Week. The programme provides participants with learning opportunities, skills development and experience in a variety of roles associated with Fashion Week and the wider fashion industry. http://www.nzfashionweek.co.nz/