Matariki: Palmerston North

Time

  • 3:00 pm

Date

  • 18/06/2025

Organiser

  • VOYCE

Location

  • YouthSpace Palmerston North

On Wednesday 18 June, VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai partnered with YouthSpace Palmerston North and SuperGrans to host a special Matariki celebration for care-experienced rangatahi in the region.

Held at YouthSpace from 3:00 – 4:30pm, this afternoon of connection and creativity brought together about 15 care experienced young people who participated in a range of reflective and empowering activities. Matariki is a time to come together with whānau and community to remember the past, celebrate the present, and plan for the future – and this event was a beautiful expression of those themes.

The space was filled with warmth and laughter as rangatahi shared kai provided by SuperGrans, helping to foster a sense of manaakitanga and belonging. The food gave everyone a chance to slow down, share stories, and connect with one another in a relaxed environment.

One of the highlights of the event was the collective graffiti affirmation canvas, where young people were encouraged to express their hopes, dreams, and positive intentions for the year ahead. Bright colours, bold words, and meaningful messages turned the canvas into a visual reminder of their strength and aspirations. It was inspiring to see rangatahi supporting one another and finding power in their own voices.

Participants also had the opportunity to create personal vision boards – taking time to reflect on what’s important to them and set goals for the future. This activity provided a chance to think intentionally about where they are, where they want to go, and what lights their path forward. It was amazing to see how creative and thoughtful each vision board was, with each one reflecting the unique passions and dreams of its creator.

This Matariki celebration was led by Delia from VOYCE – Whakarongo Mai and Remy from YouthSpace, with support from the team at SuperGrans. It was a real community effort, grounded in aroha, kotahitanga, and rangatahi-led energy.

To everyone who joined us – thank you for bringing your light to this event. We look forward to seeing how your affirmations and vision boards guide you into the Māori New Year and beyond.

Promise Three: Learning

Education as a gateway to dreams, rangatahi are supported to achieve aspirations.

Promise One: Care

Every tamaiti receives nurturing, protection, and provision, as any good parent would offer.

Promise Five: Voice

Tamariki and rangatahi are involved in decisions that affect them, and their voices are honoured.

Promise Four: Wellbeing

Timely, accessible, and culturally conscious health and mental health services are available to all taiohi.

Promise Two: Stability

Young people in care experience consistency, safety, and a sense of belonging.

Whānau care is where a child is being raised by someone in their whānau or extended family. Often it means a child living with their grandparents – but could also be another family member like an aunt, uncle or older sibling. Whāngai is the traditional Māori practice of whānau care.