Expo to engage youth
Connecting young people with their community is a big challenge, but a group of Palmerston North future leaders has thought through some ideas.
‘‘Free stuff’’, says Lara Morgan, ‘‘no, but seriously, young people need an incentive to come through the door.’’
And through the door at Palmerston North’s Youth Space tomorrow will be a mini try-it-out expo set up, says Shailah Anderson, to get ‘‘disconnected youth engaged’’.
Community groups will be there and Anderson said they’ve been told they ‘‘can’t just hand out pamphlets, we want them to get people involved.’’
‘‘We have told them to bring something unique. We want this to be relevant to youth.’’
The Palmerston North future leaders are a part of youth-focused social-enterprise organisation Inspiring Stories and through Massey University they took part in a national hui earlier this year.
Anderson said the hui and a follow-up workshop with the Palmerston North City Council gave them a chance to come up with an event they could use to engage their own community.
‘‘During the workshop we noticed that there was a lot of cool stuff going on, but a lot of the target audience wasn’t coming.
‘‘And I guess we really want the youth to really engage and make use of the services here.’’
The expo will feature a rewards point system Morgan said was a way to get people interacting rather than just standing and looking.
‘‘When they arrive they will get a rewards card and when they try out an activity they get a sticker. Fill up the card and they go in the draw for prizes.’’
Anderson said a highlight of the night will be The Grime Girls Skate Crew, whose member swill show their skills on a half-pipe skateboard ramp.
The future leaders mini try-it-out expo is at Youth Space tomorrow from 5.30 to 10pm.