Youth Parliament Press Gallery Opportunity

The participant selection process for Aotearoa New Zealand’s next Youth Parliament is now open, and will run until Friday 19 October, 2018.

Youth Parliament is a non-partisan process which has been held every Parliamentary term since 1994. The six month Youth Parliament 2019 programme will provide a unique opportunity for young New Zealanders to gain a first-hand understanding of government decision-making processes, and to have their voices heard.
 
The Youth Parliament programme will run from 01 March to 31 August 2019, and will include the ninth two-day Youth Parliament event, which will be held at Parliament on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 July 2019.
 
The two-day Youth Parliament event is as close as possible to the real thing. Youth MPs will debate legislation, sit on select committees, and ask oral questions of Ministers. Youth MPs are expected to be active in their communities and to seek to understand the ideas, hopes and concerns of young people in their area.
 
Up to twenty aspiring journalists will have the opportunity to support young people to be heard through becoming a member of the Youth Parliament 2019 Youth Press Gallery. The Youth Press Gallery will get to meet some of the best political journalists in the country and will gain an understanding of the important role the Parliamentary Press Gallery plays. They will be supported by Ministry of Youth Development team members in writing, editing and publishing their work.
 
The Youth Press Gallery will report on the Youth Parliament 2019 programme, including profiling Youth MPs and the activities they engage in during their six-month tenure, and will be on the ground to cover the two-day Youth Parliament event in Wellington. 
 
Young people interested in being selected as a Youth MP or Youth Press Gallery Member should visitwww.youthparliament.govt.nz to find out more.

If you have any questions, you can contact the Youth Parliament project team at beheard@youthparliament.govt.nz.​