Tēnā koutou,

Hope you’ve had a great start to your week! Just popping into your inboxes again to share some exciting news:

We are absolutely delighted to welcome two incredible trustees into the Youth Arts New Zealand whānau: Zak Devey & Kauri Tearaura! 💛

Zak Devey (he/him) 📝🗣️

Zak is a passionate creative writer, student, and rangatahi advocate born and raised in West Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. In addition to being a co-founder of YANZ and member of the Board of Trustees, Zak is currently studying towards a PhD in Education at the University of Oxford with support from the Rhodes Scholarship. Back home, it is Zak’s mission to realise equitable and safe access to self-expression for Aotearoa’s rangatahi.

Kauri Tearaura (they/them) 🎭🫶

Hailing from the mighty Waikato, Kauri Tearaura is a performance artist, an experienced governor, and a young leader with a wealth of experience in the creative sector. Kauri’s journey in performance art began in the vibrant community theatre scene of Kirikiriroa Hamilton at the tender age of 11. They have since contributed significantly to organizations such as RainbowYOUTH, the Young Workers Resource Centre, and Seed Waikato. Kauri is also a seasoned Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) professional, having spearheaded DEI strategy for the Department of Corrections in Te Waipounamu, the South Island.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Zak and Kauri on board, and look forward to the wealth of experience, passion, and good vibes they’ll bring to serving the YANZ community 😎🫶🏻

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Zak and Kauri!

🚨REMINDER: We’re Hiring! 🚨

We’re hiring our new CEO! If you know any amazing, values-driven leaders that might be interested in leading and supporting an impactful youth-led organisation, please share this opportunity with them.

This role will be a little unique compared to other CEO roles - with no traditional management experience required, and many months of fulltime support from the YANZ team available to ensure the successful applicant is able to feel empowered as they step into the role. 🫶🏻

Applicants will be shortlisted and interviewed on a rolling basis, so please apply ASAP to avoid missing out! ⏰

Ngā manaakitanga,

The Youth Arts New Zealand team ❤️