Some of the members of RainbowYOUTH's new board. RainbowYOUTH will now have a pair of co-chairs to help lead it into another busy 12 months. The constitutional change was voted in at the Auckland-based queer and trans youth support organisation’s AGM at its K’ Rd drop-in centre yesterday afternoon. The Chair for 2013/14 Samantha Hewlett discussed some of the group’s major moves over the past year, including new staff members, fresh campaigns, a re-brand and the establishment of groups in Whangarei and Tauranga - plus work on others being set up in Rotorua, Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay. Hewlett mentioned an exciting upcoming campaign, ‘Proof’, which will tie in with Rainbow Youth’s 25th anniversary celebrations. “This year has been really positive in terms of wider recognition for the great work RainbowYOUTH is doing in our community,” Hewlett said. “Recognition has come from a huge number of places, from parents and friends of queer and trans youth contacting us to tell us how much our education programme has helped, to our politicians coming along to our groups and pledging commitments to us, to our members being stopped in hallways at school and work to be told how valuable the work we are doing is.” Hewlett added “There is a great need for what we do, and we must be encouraged by that and never lose sight of our aims.” General Manager Duncan Matthews spoke of “having the most awesome job in New Zealand” and promised he has a door “that is always open”. He paid tribute to staff members, praising Communications Manager Toni Duder for the ‘I’m Local’ campaign to reach out to rural youth, and Fundraising Manager Paul Stevens for his vital work in keeping RainbowYOUTH afloat. Matthews revealed a new contract with Maori mental health funder Te Ara Whiriwhiri which means Rainbow Youth’s education package will be shared with 6,000 South Auckland students over the next 12 months. “This is a recognition of the growing awareness around sexuality and gender identity in New Zealand, and this is a huge win for RainbowYOUTH, being recognised as at the forefront of sexuality and gender education in Aotearoa.” Matthews also confirmed the organisation will stay at its busy K’ Rd hub until at least 2016, where a makeover has already begun with some new lighting. The group is also looking at satellite offices in College Hill and South Auckland. Among the other achievements from the past 12 months Matthews mentioned were training for 20 new facilitators from Auckland, Whangarei, Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawke’s Bay, a new intern programme and a busy presence at Auckland Pride. “I’d like to wrap up my speech by reiterating some of what I’ve already said,” Matthews concluded. “I have the best job in New Zealand and get to surround myself everyday with awesome people like yourselves, all of whom are working for a better Aotearoa alongside me. “My door is always open to everyone, please come and say hello.” A new board was voted in, made up of: Samantha Hewlett, Joe Gatland, Daniel Chorley, Rachel Brebner, Jono Selu, Taine Polkinghorne, Melanie Govender, Stace Robertson, Natasha Gaffin and Beth Maynard. Craig Bonnington from ANZ was also on hand to present a giant cheque for $7,720, a donation from the ANZ Staff Foundation for the ‘I’m Local’ project:
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 22nd June 2014 - 10:29am