New Zealand Youth Awards
The 2017 New Zealand Youth Awards are designed to recognise and celebrate the passion, success and commitment of young people, and those that support them, who are leading change, innovating and creating solutions throughout New Zealand.
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2017 New Zealand Youth Awards Recipients
Minister for Youth Nikki Kaye has announced the recipients of the 2017 New Zealand Youth Awards. The winners were recognised and celebrated at a ceremony which took place on 11 April at Parliament. Trophies and certificates were presented by the Minister to 50 young people and groups in recognition of their commitment to young New Zealanders in their communities. She also acknowledged the many nominees for their dedication to other young people.
Read the Minister for Youth's announcement here.
Read more about the award recipients here.
| Change Maker Award (LGBTI) recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Daniel Chiou | Auckland |
| Ben Bridle | Hamilton |
| Quinn Fyers | Auckland |
| Darcy Spraggs | East Coast |
| Change Maker Award (Cultural) recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Leah Bell | Te Kuiti |
| Jo Mohan | Dunedin |
| Kelly Young | Dunedin |
| Jianan Wu | Auckland |
| Shanara Wallace | Wellington |
| Justice Hetaraka | Auckland |
| Change Maker Award (Community Safety) recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Te Rau Aroha Totoro | Whangarei |
| Nina Griffiths | Kaitaia |
| Chevron Hassett | Lower Hutt |
| Abigail Chaytor | Tauranga |
| Alexandra Groos | Tauranga |
| Atia Irfan | Auckland |
| Leadership Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Casey Davies-Bell | Dunedin |
| Manraj Rahi | Wellington |
| Kristy McGregor | Levin |
| Merenia Hudson | Wellington |
| Latham Martin | Hokitika |
| Giving Back Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Eva McGauley | Wellington |
| Fawzan Dinnunhan | Dunedin |
| Marie Scott | Hastings |
| Nikki Wheeler | Christchurch |
| John Chen | Auckland |
| Leo Munro-Heward | Wanaka |
| Working for Youth Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Bokyong Mun | Dunedin |
| Emily Fan | Auckland |
| Bevan Xiao | Auckland |
| Damon Lillis | Dunedin |
| Princeton Jackson | Auckland |
| Youth with Disability Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Jaden Movold | Auckland |
| Holly Robinson | Dunedin |
| Andrew Scott | Auckland |
| Shane McInroe | Christchurch |
| James Hollis | Upper Hutt |
| Youth Group Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Handle the Jandal | Auckland |
| Kawerau Youth Council | Kawerau |
| CanTeen for Listen Up | Auckland |
| Tuakau Youth Centre Youth Leaders | Tuakau |
| Raise Up - YMCA Auckland | Auckland |
| Youth Champion Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Ella-Ruth Clifford | Porirua |
| Wesley Mauafu | Christchurch |
| Taupiri Youth Group | Taupiri |
| Toby Carr | Auckland |
| Luka Wolfgram | Auckland |
| Youth Enterprise Award recipients | |
| Name | Location |
| Ashutosh Sharma | Auckland |
| Andrew Tang | Wellington |
| Sharndre Kushor | Auckland |
| Rees Vinsen | Nelson |
| Rachel Ji | Auckland |
New Zealand Youth Awards Categories
The New Zealand Youth Awards recognise and acknowledge the diverse contributions young New Zealanders make to our society, with ten Awards across eight categories. These categories celebrate qualities such as leadership, giving back, being a change maker and young people who have supported youth activities in areas such as the arts, culture, sport or the environment. There are also awards for youth groups, individual young people or organisations that have supported or championed young people in any type of activity.
Award recipients will be presented with certificates and trophies in each of the following eight categories:
Change Maker Award (LGBTI) : For young people who have created positive change in, or for, the LGBTI community.
Change Maker Award (Cultural): For young people who have created positive change to foster cultural understanding in their community.
Change Maker Award (Community Safety): For young people who have created positive change, resulting in a safer environment for young people in their community.
Leadership Award: For young people who have demonstrated their leadership in a project or organisation.
Giving Back Award: For young people whose actions address a current need and have had a significant impact on their community.
Working for Youth Award: For young people whose actions specifically support other young people in areas such as including but not limited to, the arts, culture, the environment or sport.
Youth with Disability Award: For young people with a disability who have made a significant contribution to the disability sector and/or their community.
Youth Group Award: For a group of young people who have made a significant contribution to their community in areas including but not limited to, the arts, culture, the environment or sport.
Youth Champion Award: For an individual, or organisation, who has made a significant contribution to young people in areas including but not limited to, the arts, culture, education, the environment, health, research or sport.
Youth Enterprise Award: For an individual or a youth-led enterprise which has demonstrated business acumen, innovation and/or social responsibility.
Who can be nominated for a New Zealand Youth Award?
Anyone can nominate a young person they believes recognition for their achievements this includes community leaders, youth workers, parents, teachers and young themselves.
To be considered for an New Zealand Youth Award (excluding the Youth Champion Award) nominees must meet the following criteria:
- Be currently living, and have lived in New Zealand for the past 12 months or more
- Have participated in the activities they have been nominated for within the past 12 months
- For Change Maker (LGBTI and/or Cultural and/or Community Safety), Leadership, Giving Back, Working for Youth, Youth with Disability, Youth Group and Youth Enterprise awards: have participated in activites they were nominated for outside of their regular study or work commitments
- For Change Maker (LGBTI and/or Cultural and/or Community Safety), Leadership, Giving Back, Working for Youth, Youth with Disability, Youth Group and Youth Enterprise awards: be aged between 12 and 24 as at 22 March 2017
How can I nominate a young person for an New Zealand Youth Award?
2017 New Zealand Youth Awards
Nominations open on Tuesday 28 February and closed at midday on Wednesday 22 March 2017. The award winners were formally recognised at a celebratory event hosted by the Minister for Youth at Parliament on 11 April 2017.
More information and nomination forms can be found on the New Zealand Youth Awards website.
Follow us on Facebook for more information on the Awards and check out some familiar faces explaining why they think young New Zealanders should be celebrated.
