Manawatū District Youth Council

Manawatū District Youth Council (MDYC) is a youth-led group dedicated to amplifying the voices of rangatahi (young people) in the Manawatū District.

MDYC works to ensure youth perspectives are heard at the decision-making table while creating meaningful opportunities for young people to engage with their community, develop leadership skills, and advocate for change.

Our Purpose

The MDYC provides a platform for rangatahi to:

• Have input into Council decisions that impact youth and the wider community.
• Advocate for youth needs, issues, and aspirations through submissions, discussions, and direct engagement with Council and other decision-makers.
• Develop leadership, governance, and community-building skills through hands-on involvement in local initiatives.
• Build connections and empower young people to take an active role in shaping their community.

Our Values

The MDYC work is guided by the following core values:

• Whanaungatanga - Building strong relationships and connections within our community.
• Manaakitanga - Supporting and uplifting others with care and respect.
• Rangatiratanga - Encouraging leadership and self-determination among young people.
• Māramatanga - Striving for understanding and learning to make informed decisions.
• Kotahitanga - Working together to create positive change.

Events & Initiatives

The MDYC creates an annual plan with measurable goals to ensure it’s time, energy, and resources make an authentic impact. Some key activities include:

• Identifying key youth issues and proposing solutions to the Council and other decision-makers. Making submissions (both written and oral) to Council and government contributing youth perspectives on key youth-related matters.
• Running youth-led events that promote community engagement and celebrate young people’s achievements. This includes Youth Fest - a market-style event showcasing young entrepreneurs and artists; and Manawatū Young Achievers’ Awards - recognising and celebrating outstanding young people in the Manawatū District, and more.
• Collaborating with community partners to provide opportunities for youth participation and leadership.

The MDYC is also a key stakeholder in the implementation of Council’s Youth Action Plan (PDF file, 8.0 MB), ensuring that youth voices help shape the future of our district.

Join Us

We are always looking for passionate young people (aged 12-24) who want to make a difference. If you're interested in joining the Manawatū District Youth Council or getting involved in our projects, we’d love to hear from you by emailing public@mdc.govt.nz.

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