Rotorua Museum Youth Group

Aim of Youth Group

In 2023 Rotorua Museum developed the Rotorua Museum Youth Group – Te Pūkenga Taiohi o Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa.
Starting in 2023 with only 10 members, the Youth Group has grown to 19 members, with 9 new members coming onboard in 2025.

The aim was to connect youth within our community that have an interest in the arts, museums and/or history, and support development in those areas.

The Rotorua Museum Youth Group will support the Museum in an advisory role with aspects of youth exhibition and event development, and give the youth involved the opportunity to learn more about this unique sector.

Roles within the group

Each year Youth Group members vote for the roles of Youth Representative and Deputy Youth Representative. Representatives will be invited to Museum events, programmes and relevant community meetings, and may be asked to speak and/or give their opinion on kaupapa, from a youth perspective.

Congratulations to Maya Blackman (Western Heights High School) who has been elected as the Rotorua Museum Youth Representative, and also to Joseph Mccurdy (Rotorua Boys High School) who has been elected as the Rotorua Museum Deputy Youth Representative for 2025!

Maya is a year 13 student and has been part of the Rotorua Museum Youth Group since its inception in 2023, and last year was voted as Deputy Youth Representative. Her initial motivation for joining was for rangatahi Māori to have a say in what happens in our community, and through her involvement she has realised the significance the Museum holds to a lot of people. Maya is excited to see what progress we can make this year.

Joseph is of Māori and Niuean heritage and has also been involved with the Rotorua Museum Youth Group from the beginning (2023). This year he is looking forward to putting the planning of previous years into action and expanding his leadership skills.

Join the group

If anyone is interested in finding out more about the Rotorua Museum Youth Group – Te Pūkenga Taiohi o Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa please view the following info sheets, or email Canaan.

Rotorua Museum Youth Groups Roles and Responsibilities
Rotorua Museum Youth Group Registrations and Consent

EVENTS & ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR
Canaan Tuhura
07 351 8393
Email