Introducing another KidsCan Youth Council member – the wonderful Emma Billings of Tauhara College, Waikato. Over to you, Emma...

“It's been such an amazing experience being with a group of people who have the same values and mindset as me, because we can all collaborate to bring ideas to the table. It’s awesome to meet people that come from so many different areas around New Zealand, and hearing what their struggles are in their community and what they're doing to help fix those problems.

We live in a really small community down in Turangi. My mum has always taught us that it’s so important to give back and help anyone if we have the means to. At school I'm involved in the Manaakitanga group. We identify local charities and issues, and we go and awhi those causes. We’ve helped our local food bank and Orange Sky [a free laundry/hot shower service for the homeless]. It’s an amazing group of people.

Last year we became a KidsCan school, and I help at our school breakfast club every day. At the start of the year, I was naïve about the level of need there was, and the impact we would have. It has flourished into something so amazing. 

We’ve created a safe space where kids don't feel shame that they’re asking for help. I organised for our student executives to come – they’re looked at as the ‘cool’ students’ – so having them in that space makes it okay. And then we create a fun place. We run activities, we have music playing. The local radio station came in and did a dance competition. I love going to help and talking with everyone.”