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Youth Jam 2019

Emily Davison, student —

At the end of May five students attended the Taiohi-Taiao Youth Jam event held in Rotorua.

Run by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the three day camp had a focus on climate change. Students Carolynne Guy-Taylor, Myah Mason, Sofia House, Emily Davison and Sinead Cottrell participated in workshops, listened to guest speakers and accumulated knowledge surrounding all the different aspects of climate change. These aspects included social, economic, scientific, cultural and political viewpoints, which had to be taken into consideration during each activity. Workshops ranged from learning the dangers of fast fashion and calculating carbon footprints, to acknowledging cultural perspectives, adapting to the effects of climate change, and most importantly, how to take action. The camp ended with students advising a panel of Council members on actions that should be considered as part of the Bay of Plenty Regional Councils' ‘Climate Change Action Plan’ that is currently being drafted. The group plans to take their learning and implement it in their own lives, as well as sharing it with the school and wider community.

Recommendations included:

‘Declaration of a climate emergency’

Holding a ‘no cars’ holiday

Giving youth a voice on local councils

Reducing waste in school canteens

Making city centres ‘car free’ zones