Honouring Manawatū’s Young Achievers

The Young Achievers Awards exemplifies the number of youth in our District that make incredible contributions to their communities – and these are only those that have been nominated!

No matter the age, everyone has an opportunity to share their talents and give back.

The Young Achievers Awards exemplifies the number of youth in our District that make incredible contributions to their communities – and these are only those that have been nominated!  There are quiet achievers of all ages that give so much to making the Manawatū a special place to be.

The 2024 Young Achievers Awards saw 121 nominations within a range of categories seperated by age but focused on innovation, leadership, commitment to the environment, inclusion and volunteering.

“There is a consistent theme through the citations of award recipients of honesty, reliability, respectful, giving without hesitation, and acceptance of others”, Mayor Helen Worboys explains.  “Too often young people are discredited because of their age, and yet they can remind us all of the importance of participating without expectation.  The Young Achievers Awards are MDC’s way to recognise and encourage a lifetime of community service.”

The awards were held at the Feilding Civic Centre on Monday 23 September, with guest speaker Stacey Te Pōhue Rose addressing a full house.  Stacey Te Pōhue Rose is an advocate for youth voice and leadership.  As a Community Outreach Coordinator he encourages businesses and organisations to support young people in developing ideas and pushing boundaries to imagine what can be achieved by working together.

MDC’s Youth Council has a key role in the organisation of the evening, along with the sponsors that make the night possible including; Collective Intelligence, Evolve Fitness, Feilding Oroua Rotary Club, AgriHQ, Sport Manawatū, Third Bearing Ltd., and PGG Wrightson Feilding.