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"Not like it was in my day!" - engaging with and retaining youth of your region

Key points

Why would you want to engage youth in Economic Development?

• Consulting with them and asking them for their input helps to ensure they have buy-in to the region.
• If people have a good experience when they are young they are more likely to stay once they leave school or return when they have finished tertiary study.
• We need to educate parents/adults/schools on how to help retain young people, as currently parents/adults/schools are driving young people away to get degrees etc. Young people need to be shown the value of apprenticeships and in-work training.
• The culture/attitude of parents/people that says "leave home, go, sort it out" needs to change. Adults need to resist the urge to meddle but to let youth own their involvement in economic development activities.
• There are many success stories that would indicate that engaging with youth does work and does give them a sense of place within their community and region.
• Enterprise NZ has been going for 20 years, with some of the more well known successes - Jeremy Moon (CEO and founder of Icebreaker) and Stefan Lepionka (who has started two businesses: Stefan's Fresh Juice Company & Charlies Trading Company (with Marc Ellis).
• When those on the Exelerator programme were asked whether they would rather stay in the area they currently live in, most indicated they would have to go away at some stage but almost all would like to come back.
• Youth councils only work if it is an authentic experience - they have to own it, have a budget, have their own responsibilities.