Congratulations to Sam Allan and Thomas Brocherie on their selection to the Youth Parliament.
The Youth Parliament exists to get young people involved in politics representing their local community.
The program is held every three years, with selection being extremely competitive. Those selected as Youth MPs take part in the programme for the four month period.
Members of parliament select one person to represent their community, culminating in the three day Youth Parliament event from 1-4 July. Youth MPs will attend events with their MP, gather the views of their electorate, and even give a speech in parliament. Youth MPs also work in reference groups to produce reports to the Government on issues affecting young people.
Sam says: “I am incredibly privileged to be representing the young people of the Ilam electorate in Youth Parliament 2025. This is an amazing opportunity to be able to advocate for my local community, with the electorate encompassing Burnside High School, the University of Canterbury, and nearly all of our school zone. Throughout this process I’ll be making sure to engage with a wide range of young people, so I will be running some sessions at Burnside in a few months to gather opinions. I am so grateful to be able to take our voices up to Wellington, and am so thankful for this opportunity.”
Thomas says: “Youth Parliament is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to connect with, speak amongst, and listen to my generation’s leaders. We all have a library’s wealth of stories to tell; actively listening instead of passively hearing them will be an experience worth more than anything. Representing Ōtautahi’s youth empathetically, in a time where empathy is absent on the world’s most prominent stages, will be unforgettable.”
Congratulations to both Sam and Thomas. We know you will make the most of the opportunity.
