“Ka whāngaia, ka tipu, ka puāwai” – That which is nurtured will grow and blossom.
Howick Youth Summit is an event where the Howick Youth Council focuses on empowering the next generation of young leaders who have leadership potential by enriching them with the skills they will need to “grow and blossom” as effective leaders within their kura and community. 2026 marked Summit’s 10th anniversary; this year, Summit was hosted at Te Tuhi Art Gallery on 21 August 2026.
Over one hundred students from nine East Auckland schools progressed through a series of workshops throughout the day, which focused on their leadership qualities. In the morning, Mr Subash Chandar – Infinity Plus One – was invited to talk about his personal experiences of leadership. His talk unveiled new perspectives of what student-led leadership could look like in our community and broadened their horizons. Subsequently, a Q & A panel followed, where everyone’s questions were collated for local leaders in our community.
After lunch, students moved to one of the four workshops: Social Justice, Environment, Youth Development, and Mental Health. Each workshop was hosted by their respective guest speaker, who further synthesised the concept of leadership through their specialised lens.
Students were then encouraged to collaborate with students from other schools to develop their individualised Shark Tank pitch! They targeted a specific issue important to them relating to their workshop and created hypothetical solutions. Members from the Howick Local Board were invited to judge each Shark Tank pitch based on practicality, understanding, and representation.
For context, the Howick Youth Council is a volunteer collective of thirty-one rangatahi from across the Howick ward. With support from the Howick Local Board, they focus on creating opportunities for, representing, and empowering young people in our community.
Overall, Summit was a day filled with passion and creativity overflowing from our future young leaders. They were encouraged to take their action plans and apply them to their local community – leadership soars beyond the summit!
Thank you to all the student attendees, the Howick Youth Council, and the teachers who facilitated this event for our students.
