YouthTube

Greetings, I'm Peter Courtney the President of the Auckland Metropolitan Central Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

I am delighted for this marvelous oppurtunity to partnership with Catholic Caring Foundation in the supporting of our young people. The focus of our work at St Vinnies is on people and the restoration of their full dignity before God. We are proud to be part of the YOUTHTUBE concert as we believe it is a perfect match for our Vision in the empowerment and restoration of young people.

All the Best for the Youthtube Concert.

May God Bless you all.

Peter Courtney

AMCC President - Saint Vincent de Paul

Hi, I'm Leanne Tiscornia and this is my son Conor who is 10. I am the manager of the Catholic Caring Foundation and we are so excited to be part of this event.

Our work is all about caring for people who are disadvantaged. I find myself so inspired by the courage and resilience that people have when they face really tough times - its a privilege to be able to offer assistance. I am also inspired by the work of the St Vinnies Youth - What they do is Amazing !!.. Caring for others no matter what their need may be.

Have a great time at the YOUTHTUBE Concert and let’s work together to make the world a better place.

Leanne

General Manager - Catholic Caring Foundation

Talofa peeps! My name is Delphina Soti and I’ve had the sheer pleasure of working with the extraordinary St Vinnies youth of Auckland carrying out a myriad of service projects over the years.

I totally love my job as it revolves around energetic and gifted young people who generously give of their time to make a difference in our local community. It totally buzzes me out how these young people continue to give of their time and talent to tackle the different forms of poverty  in our society.

Our Young people today often get a hard time from the media and local community for the few isolated incidents of crime that occur throughout NZ. There is not enough recognition of the positive contribution and achievement of our young people. Our young people who are dedicated to making a difference, continue in vain to seek out oppurtunities to be heard and affirmed in their work. I believe it’s time that we started listening and started appreciating their contribution.

The Vision for YOUTHTUBE is borne out of this need for affirmation.

We for many years have prayed for an opportunity like YOUTHTUBE to come about for our young people. We thank God that it has finally arrived! Big ups to the Catholic Caring Crew for the conversation that led to the awesome partnership in hosting this event.

To all our Extraordinary Youth..This is YOUR time to finally upload your talent and download your story! So you betta bring it on the night!

Alofa atu

Del

St Vinnies National Youth Manager New Zealand

Heya my name is Farani Farani and my key role has been in assisting St Vinnies with multimedia and technology development.

Our  youth today are techno savvy, their daily lives revolve around cellphones, computers, cyberspace etc. This often gives people the impression that the youth are not connected with their local Communities.

Through volunteering with St Vinnies for the last 2 years, I have discovered that this is not the case at all!  The Youth are very much involved with their communities, they do care, they do take the time to make a difference in our local community. They are very interested in discussing social awareness and spiritual development. I feel that it is very important to dispel the negative myths about our youth today and to tell society that our young people DO care.

"It is a matter of putting your knowledge into practice so you can have a postive result. No matter how limited your resources may be, with self belief and the power of knowledge,  the sky is the limit. The opportunity is here to be seized."

YOUTHTUBE is the perfect opportunity for the young to tell the society who they really are.  It is become a great way for them "Upload theirTalent. Download their Story."

Luk fwd 2 seein u thea!

Cheers,

Farani

Technology & Multimedia Consultant - St Vinnies MediaGuy

Hey, my name is Shane Coleman and I work for the Catholic Caring Foundation.

Part of my job is to get out into the community and see how the organisations we support use the funding we provide. I am blown away by the impact that young people have in our community and that they work hard to lessen the effects of poverty in our community. It is awesome. I am really proud that we can be part of the YOUTHTUBE event - its going to rock, can't wait to see you there.

Cheers,

Shane

Community Outreach Coordinator - Catholic Caring Foundation

My name is Theresa Chungsum; I see my most important role in life is being a mother to my beautiful daughter Maddy. Outside of this I have been privileged to work with the Logos project in the last 9 years, 3years in Diocesan Youth Ministry and recently been involved with St Vinnies projects. Currently I am working as a lay Catholic tertiary chaplain at Newman Hall.This is located by the University of Auckland.The Lord has blessed me with many opportunities of being involved with people’s lives, seeing change towards a better life become real. There have been times I thought I came into situations to teach but have ended up the one being taught.
The Youth Tube event embodies CHANGE; change in attitude, change by positive work carried out by young people in their local communities and change in knowing one can achieve great things. Following Jesus’ example I only pray that we may live our lives so that we leave the world a better place. Make your mark, don’t let your situation dictate who you are, you dictate the situation. Keep the faith and I look forward to seeing what seeds are sown during this event for us to nurture and grow.
God Bless
Theresa
YouthTube Events Management & Administration Team Leader

Talofa …

I am Vavao Leaupepe  and I am currently working at McAuley High School. I am involved with St Vinnies South 1 Team.

‘O au matua fanau’, I believe in educating our Youth in order to break down the stereotypes and dispel negative images associated with youth in our society.

YouthTube is a platform for our youth’s voice to be heard, “So let’s together and celebrate the positive and eliminate the negative.”

Vavao

St Vinnies C-Crew  - YouthTube Multimedia & Event Team

My name is Chris but I am known to many as Thunder.

I am in my last year of my communications degree and have been a part of St Vinnies since 2000 whilst attending the best school ever known to mankind - De La Salle College. I also attend the St John Vianney Parish and am so proud to be part of the YouthTube Promotion and Multimedia Team.

I hope to be seeing you on the night and I am so looking forward to seeing you upload your talent yeyahhhh!

Don’t be a stranger on the night, you can spot on the lighting desk...be sure to wave!

Chris

YouthTube Promotions & Multimedia Team

Malo e lelei, my name is Briggitte Niumeitolu - Motuliki, I'm the servant leader to the amazing Rebels of Christ the King Family youth group -ROCK FAMILY YOUTH.
I believe in and fully endorse any event or project that gives our youth permission to celebrate how wonderfully and beautifully they are made. How wonderful it is that the organisations that are promoting this concert are the ones that live the walk and walk the talk - St Vinnies & Catholic Caring Foundation. The youth are the future of our church, community, country and world. I believe it is this generation that can reach out to their peers! My hope and prayer is that this will be a chance for youth to see what we as youth leaders, youth workers, parents, mentors and teachers see. We want them to know that it is their giftedness and beauty that gives us reason to turn up each day to support them.  We see their talent, their love and their beauty. We see the magic that is within and also their potential to change the world. We believe they all have a destiny in God and through them each generation past, present and future will have the hope and permission to shine and make manifest the glory of GOD!!
Briggitte Niumeitolu - Motuliki

Administration

My name is Sio Alefosio Alphonso Laumatia. I am youth worker based in South Auckland the place call the promise land, the jewel of the Nile the land of the milk of honey the oasis in the desert.. O-Town is the place I call home.
I have worked with young people now for about 12 years and it has been a wonderful journey.
During these years I spent one year in Papua New Guinea working with poor kids and it was there that I found joy in serving, putting others needs before mine. I have learnt that even though they were poor in material things they were rich in faith and that gave them hope in living.
People ask me why I do what I do and I guess the simple answer to that is I know who I am. I know my purpose in life and that is to love and serve.
I may not be able to change the world, but I am faithful in doing the little things that can make a difference. I know then I have done what I have been called to do.
So what’s your story? Who are you and what’s your purpose?
I see YouthTube as an amazing opportunity for our young people to be recognized for who they really are in God. I am excited and looking forward to seeing the young people upload their talent and download their Stories.
Sio Alefosio Alphonso Laumatia

St Vinnies Team - YouthTube Event and Promotions Team Leader