Auckland Council Youth Advisory Panel end of term report 2020-2022

Mandate

The advisory panels are one of the means by which Auckland Council is able to engage with multiple groups who represent a wide cross section of Auckland’s diverse communities. The panels provide advice to the governing body and council staff on regional policies, plans and strategies and any matters which are of concern to those communities.

This term, the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) is made up of nine members representing various wards, boards and communities. The panel helps to provide a view of the youth population of Auckland. The priorities are shaped by the goals of I Am Auckland - the Children and Young People's Strategic Action Plan. In 2013, the I Am Auckland plan was developed in partnership between the first Youth Advisory Panel and the council to demonstrate a commitment to help children and young people reach their full potential.

Our Priorities

In the last quarter of 2020, the Youth Advisory Panel agreed to focus on the following key priority areas which were then approved by the PACE Committee as a key part of their work programme:

• Youth Mental Health
• Youth Employability
• Cost of Living (Youth Homelessness)
• Climate Justice

There was an overarching COVID-19 recovery lens across all our priorities and Māori, Pasifika and other ethnicities' wellbeing was considered in all our mahi. We also worked closely with the Youth Empowerment team and supported them in their evaluation of I am Auckland.

These priority areas along with a range of other engagement sessions, including written submissions and feedback was provided to numerous Auckland Council parties who had Youth as a key stakeholder. ...

Youth Advisory Panel, September 2022