Hamilton rangatahi wanted for 2026 Youth Council to help shape city thinking

Tim Macindoe said the Youth Council had been “some time in the making”.

Hamilton City Council wants young people to help shape the city’s future, with applications opening for its 2026 Youth Council.

Mayor Tim Macindoe said the Youth Council had been “some time in the making”, after a group of young people presented to councillors last year and recommended forming a new youth voice for the city.

Up to 12 rangatahi aged 16 to 24 who live, work or study in Hamilton Kirikiriroa will be selected to join the Youth Council.

They would meet monthly from late March to November, to help shape council thinking on issues affecting young people.

“As mostly older councillors, it is important we hear directly from rangatahi about the issues that matter to them.”

There have already been about 140 expressions of interest, with some applicants well advanced in the process. Applications are open until February 27.

At the end of the nine-month period, the council would assess what did and did not work, he said.

Macindoe was “very conscious” of the need to ensure that it was a balanced committee that reflected gender, ethnicity and other diversity.

“Every effort will be made to ensure that we do that.”

Macindoe is aware council chambers can be intimidating.

“We don’t always see it through the perspective of people for whom it’s very unfamiliar territory. So we will be trying to ensure that we offer them a space that is welcoming and comfortable.”

Hamilton Mayor Tim Macindoe.

Applicants did not need to have an expert opinion on politics, but they should be able to see their actions through the lens of what was best for the community, Macindoe said.

The Youth Council forms part of the Rangatahi Action Plan 2025–28, developed with input from thousands of local young people. Members will help track progress while offering youth perspectives on council projects and decisions.

Hamilton City Council’s general manager of communications, partnerships and Māori, Janet Carson, said rangatahi would have the chance to provide early input into council projects and policies, giving them more time to consider issues important to them.

Key areas included transport, how they moved through the city, and how public spaces could better support activity and play, Carson said.

The Youth Council would be run annually to reflect how quickly young people’s lives could change, Carson said,

“A lot happens between the ages of 16 and 20, so unlike councillors who commit to three-year terms, rangatahi are more transient in their interests, availability and even where they live.”

Better access to and understanding of local government would likely offer long-term benefits, she said.

“We’re giving them that civic experience as well as education.”

Carson said the Youth Council would follow a traditional forum structure.

“There will be meetings. Minutes will be taken. They will be given material in advance and key issues to consider.”

Hamilton City Council youth community adviser Emma Newman will lead the project.

Tom Eley is a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. Before he joined the Hamilton-based team, he worked for the Weekend Sun and Sunlive. He previously worked as a journalist in Canada for Black Press Media and won a fellowship with the Vancouver Sun.