Celebrating Young People

YMCA Conservation Corps,
Wellington City Council Chambers

Mihi.

Good evening. It's great to be here tonight. Coming to presentations such as this is one of the best things I get to do as Minister of Youth Affairs.

I've described this speech as "celebrating young people" - that's because I think New Zealand needs to - and while we're celebrating your graduation tonight we are also celebrating you as people too.

I'm really proud of the work that Conservation Corps does.

Conservation Corps is one of the most successful programmes that the government funds. Over 80% of previous Corps participants have moved on to education, training or employment. A fantastic achievement. I hope that 100% of you manage to move on to whatever you want to do now that your course is complete.

In a world where the job market is becoming increasingly competitive and volatile it is essential that we are able to continually re-invest in our education and continue our learning right throughout life.

Ultimately, each of us is responsible for our own welfare and the welfare of our family. Seeking work opportunities plays an important part in that, as does planning for the future.

I hope that you will now all use the skills and attitudes learnt over the past few months to that goal.

Being independent from your parents and the state is not only liberating, but fulfilling too.

I left home when I was fairly young, and went through some crazy stages, not really sure what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go.

I ended up deciding to go to University, and worked very hard to pay my way through University. Then, at University, I found something that I was really excited about. I found something that really got me going and that I was passionate about. For me that was politics, and I've been lucky enough to follow that passion through to my career. A lot sooner than I ever guessed.

However, that has happened because I did have a passion and a vision, and above all I wanted to make a difference and take some action on the things that I feel really strongly about.

I hope that you too will find that passion. Perhaps you had it before Conservation Corps, maybe you have just decided what direction you want to go in. Who knows, but whatever you do, make sure you do what is right for you. Follow your instinct, and if you have an ambition, fight to carry that through.

If your ambition and dreams are strong enough, then you'll get there.

You have all done yourself proud by completing this course, and I commend you for it. I have no doubt that the things you have learnt and the friends that you have met will become invaluable in the years to come.

Our environment is an incredibly important resource, and it is great that people like yourselves care enough to put some effort into ensuring that New Zealand stays clean and green. The earth is delicately balanced, and everything we do has an impact of some sort or another on our eco system.

As a nation we are only just starting to realise that whatever we do on the land, whatever we deposit, will eventually find its way into our streams, rivers and oceans.

It is important that we have recognised that what ever we use on the land, whether it be spray, spills, additives or dumps, then it will finally end up polluting our marine system too.

The earth is too fragile a resource to damage like this, and we must all work to ensure that we take a much more responsible approach in the future. I would hope that responsibility will be on everyone's shoulders, and not just those of Government.

Environmental Education through projects such as Conservation Corps, is an excellent way of getting this message across.

I hope that you will now be "Green Ambassadors" and encourage others to take an active interest in their environment.

You will all agree that the outdoors is a great place to learn and make friends. I have no doubt that you will, in the years to come, have many fond memories of your time with the Conservation Corps - and rightly so. I wish I had had the chance to get involved in some of the activities that you have managed to.

I bet that Tania, Tash and Kim are quite glad that the Minister of Police isn't here today? I have been told that they were involved in hijacking a four wheel bike and having a bit of a hoon round Kapiti Island. And this all because they'd moved 2 tonnes of boulders and finished half an hour early! It's OK, I won't tell him, anyway I guess you weren't on a road.

It's events like these that make it for a group. Having fun is essential, and I believe is one of the best ways to learn. I think the success of Conservation Corps proves that too.

I'm sure that Mark would agree with me, but I've been informed he'll probably be away playing golf again.

One of my jobs as Minister of Youth Affairs is to represent young people in Government. I think I do that fairly well, and I'm probably the best qualified of my colleagues to carry out the job. After all it was only last year that I officially stopped being young. No, that wasn't because I became a Minister, but I turned 26. According to the World Health Organisation, at 26 you are no longer a young person, but a fully fledged adult. I haven't noticed the difference yet!

In my role as Minister of Youth Affairs I am encouraging young people to take a much more active interest in what is going on around them. Not just the environment, but what's happening in their communities, schools, politics or whatever. It's really important that you be involved.

If you're involved, you can have your say, but more importantly, you might actually make some changes that will be to your and other young people's benefit.

Other people won't do this for you, that's why you've got to get organised yourself.

You have already proved yourself capable over the past few months. Let's carry that forward, and encourage others to take a constructive role in our communities.

Young people in general don't have a positive image in society. I'm doing my best to change that, but I can't do that on my own. That's why I need you all to carry on, and keep promoting what you are doing and the cool things that are happening for young people and the cool things that they are doing.

We all know this is happening, but for some reason we're keeping it a secret. Let's start to celebrate it a bit more.

Anyway, my final message to you all is make sure you stay involved, take an active interest in the environment and in what you want to do for yourself.

Congratulations, and have a great night celebrating your successes!

ENDS