29006 (2025). Arena Williams to the Minister for Youth

29006 (2025). Arena Williams to the Minister for Youth: Will the Minister guarantee that any changes to youth engagement funding are made in consultation with affected youth-led organisations?

Hon James Meager: As mentioned in response to written parliamentary question 29003 (2025), the majority of Ministry of Youth Development (MYD) outcome agreements end on Monday 30 June 2025, and MYD is currently in active procurement for its Youth Development Contributory Fund, Youth Development Place-Based Fund and Youth Enterprise Funds. As such, MYD is running procurement processes for 2025/26 funding. MYD is required to follow Government Procurement Rules to procure its services, and all procurement decisions are endorsed via the Ministry of Social Development’s procurement board. I am advised by MYD that youth voice, participation and leadership were used as weighted criteria when evaluating proposals for all recently commissioned MYD funding. Applicants were asked to provide examples of how they consult with young people in the design, development, delivery and evaluation of services. Additional weight was given to proposals where the proposed services were designed and led by and for young people, where there is evidence of youth participation in organisation governance, and where young people had ample opportunities to give meaningful input and direction to the design and delivery of the service.