Education Minister announces Youth Advisory Group members

The Ministerial Youth Advisory Group will enable young people to have more influence on the education system and issues that affect them, and offer young people, aged between 14 and 18 years old, the opportunity to share their experiences of our education system.

The 2018 Youth Advisory Group members are:

• Shaneel Lal, Otahuhu College, South Auckland
• Bevan Xiao, Long Bay College, Auckland
• Abby McRoberts, Aotea College, Porirua
• Liam McLeavey, Waiopehu College, Levin
• Okirano Tilaia, Cashmere High School, Christchurch
• Geniqua Samupo, Avondale College, West Auckland
• Brodie Cross, Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu | Correspondence School, Christchurch
• Nathan Farr, King’s High School, Dunedin
• Hadassah Wharawhara, Te Kāpehu Whetū, Kerikeri
• Costa Blackman, Tolaga Bay Area School, Tolaga Bay
• Kate Morris, Darfield High School, Darfield
• Watene Campbell, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Mokopuna, Wellington

“I am looking forward to working with this inspiring group of young people, hearing about their experiences of our education system, and how they think we can improve it,” says Minister Hipkins.

Youth Advisory Group member Brodie Cross, 17, is a Christchurch secondary school student with cerebral palsy.

“I look forward to being a voice for youth in 2018 and hope that I can help make a difference,” he says.

“I believe that all students deserve a chance, no matter what their possibilities in life may be.”

To learn more about the Youth Advisory Group go to: www.education.govt.nz/Youth-Advisory-Group(external link)

Registrations of interest are still open for the Online Youth Forum, which will discuss and test the perspectives of the Advisory Group, so please encourage the young people in your community, aged between 14 and 18, to get involved. They can sign up here: https://goo.gl/NUDQJv(external link)