Youth Parliament 2025
Youth Parliament is a unique youth development opportunity for up to 143 young people from across Aotearoa New Zealand to experience the political process, learn about how government works and represent their communities as Youth members of Parliament (MPs) or participate as Youth Press Gallery members.
Organised by MYD, with support from the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives – Te Tari o te Manahautū o te Whare Māngai, Youth Parliament 2025 will provide young people aged 16-24 years with an opportunity to develop leadership skills, influence government decision-making, and have their voices heard.
General Criteria
Young people will need to be able to manage the time commitment related to participating in Youth Parliament 2025. The programme will run from Monday 28 April to Friday 29 August 2025, with the two-day event taking place on Tuesday 01 and Wednesday 02 July in the Parliamentary precinct in Wellington. Orientation will take place on Monday 30 June 2025. The four-month programme allows young people from around Aotearoa New Zealand to actively work and be heard on topics and issues they are passionate about.
Young people currently living in Aotearoa New Zealand and aged 16 to 18 years (as at Friday 28 February 2025) are eligible to apply to become a Youth MP, while Youth Press Gallery members must be aged between 16 and 24 years (as at Friday 28 February 2025). All participants will receive training, pastoral support, and guidance along the way, and will be expected to comply with Youth Parliament 2025 protocols and behavioural expectations (including signing a Code of Conduct).
Specific Criteria for Youth MPs
Each MP will run their own application process to select a Youth MP and will set specific criteria related to that. Check out the How to Apply section below for information on how to work out who your local MPs are and what their application process is.
Specific Criteria for Youth Press Gallery Members
Young people selected must:
- be either a current student studying journalism, media studies, or communications, completing an internship or working at a media outlet, or a secondary school student with a strong and active interest in media
- have an interest in New Zealand Parliament processes
- have a strong interest in journalism as a career option
- be committed to contributing their best, including preparing and seeking to publish articles on Youth Parliament 2025 and Youth MPs throughout the full tenure.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact MYD’s Youth Parliament 2025 project team at beheard@youthparliament.govt.nz.
How to Apply
All applications open on Monday 03 February 2025 and close at 12.00 noon on Friday 28 February 2025.
Youth MP Application process
Each MP will run their own application process to select a Youth MP. If you would like to represent your community as a Youth MP, you will need to first work out who your local MPs are and what their application process is. Click here to find out more information about electorate and list MPs and how to contact them, or you could check out their social media to see if they have announced their application process.
Youth Press Gallery Application Form
A panel will select up to 20 young people to participate as Youth Press Gallery members. To apply to be a member of the Youth Press Gallery you will need to complete the application form. The link to the online application can be found here. The application form will ask you to provide a current Curriculum Vitae (CV), two examples of your work, an opinion piece on one of two topics provided, and two references.
Access to information is available in the following formats:
NZSL
- See videos below related to Youth Parliament Information and the Youth Press Gallery Application Form below
Audio
- Links to audio files related to Youth Parliament Application Information and the Youth Press Gallery Application Form are available below
Large Print
- Youth Parliament Application Information
- Word
- Youth Press Gallery Application Form
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Information about how to apply will be available soon in the following formats:
- Te Reo Māori
- Easy Read