Let us begin with some remarkable attributes that can be found in youth. Firstly, would be passion for fun creativity and a longing to be connected. Of the youth we have engaged with in Te Puke and surrounding areas, creativity trumps. Youth display willingness to try new things, albeit scary.
Why the importance on youth engagement?
- Youth are our future in all respects, be it technology, infrastructure, home care for us elderly, financial support.
- Youth are visionary and will stop at nothing to see an idea come to fruition, no matter how much adults tell them their ideas are useless.
- Youth are passionate and have a zeal generator built in that surpasses many adults.
- Youth have a lifetime ahead of them.
- Youth are willing to tread where others are cautious.
- Youth are generally more friendly, more inclusive than seasoned embittered adults.
- Youth love food, of course we like food too hahaha
- Youth love to celebrate, now! adults are boring and like seminars and never ending talk with no action.
We would encourage Te Puke employers and community members to give youth opportunity, support, patience, place youth in brainstorming and creative capacities and celebrate your local home grown youth, which is really your own future. Investing in our future means investing in our youth.
Vector Group Charitable Trust encourages Te Puke and surrounding districts to celebrate their youth. Support youth agencies, opportunities, education, events, and health. Get alongside our youth. Be an encouragement, say yes. Let us all as a community believe in our youth, lets us continue to believe and have a hope in our future together. #celebrateyouth
In 2017 VGCT ran social table tennis after school, Pizza and Politics with youth, Pop Up Ball Shop to support high school students during ball event, sponsored Coke popup party, launched Te Puke Film, the Te Puke Directory and TEPUKEMAG. These projects, among many others, highlight creativity, vision and collaboration with others. 2018 will see us setup an iconic table tennis centre, cafe and bar for corporate events, hire-able venue and conference room. We are launching dance workshops, arts, IT and coding, barista courses and by the end of 2018 aim to have some accredited learning opportunities made available for youth through our partnership with a PTE.
Our vision is to add value to Te Puke Youth and Residents by creating an inclusive sense of place. We aim to do this by “Envisioning Sustainable Communities Collaboratively”.
