Inspirational youth recognised by PM

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1982" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" alt&equals;"SND 24 wk1 Inspirational Young" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2016&sol;01&sol;SND&lowbar;24&lowbar;wk1&lowbar;Inspirational&lowbar;Young&period;jpg" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"182" &sol;>Around 100 young people who have overcome significant challenges have been enjoying a week-long adventure as guests of the Prime Minister this week&period; <&excl;--more--> The young people&comma; all aged 14-17 and from the Auckland area&comma; were chosen to join the Prime Minister&&num;8217&semi;s Youth Programme &lpar;PMYP&rpar; in recognition of their personal achievements and community contributions&period;&nbsp&semi; <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><p>Youth Minister Nikki Kaye says each participant has faced and overcome significant challenges in their lives including &&num;8220&semi;the death of more than one immediate family member&comma; mental health issues&comma; truancy&comma; and offending&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>They have been nominated to attend the programme by people who have worked with them closely and know them well&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This could have been their school teacher&comma; principal&comma; youth or social worker&comma; or Police Youth Aid officer&period;&&num;8221&semi;<br &sol;>The Turn Your Life Around &lpar;TYLA&rpar; Youth Development Trust&comma; BlueLight and The Village Trust are the key organisations supporting the young people through this programme&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This week is about rewarding young people and also investing in their personal development&period; They will be participating in activities such as white water rafting in Waitomo&comma; a &&num;8216&semi;market to table&&num;8217&semi; chef&&num;8217&semi;s experience&comma; and visits to large New Zealand companies&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The PMYP will involve a celebration dinner where the young people will receive their certificates&period;&&num;8221&semi;<br &sol;>Guest speaker this year is acclaimed dancer and choreographer Parris Goebel who won Young New Zealander of the Year in 2014 for her leadership of and commitment to young dancers&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Goebel now enjoys international success and has recently collaborated with Jennifer Lopez and Justin Bieber&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;This week is an important time to recognise and celebrate this group of 100 young New Zealanders who despite incredible challenges are doing very well&period; This programme is all about investing in them to do even better&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>More information about the Prime Minister&&num;8217&semi;s Youth Programme is available at <a href&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;myd&period;govt&period;nz&sol;young-people&sol;prime-ministers-youth-programme&period;htm" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">www&period;myd&period;govt&period;nz&sol;young-people&sol;prime-ministers-youth-programme&period;htm<&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p><&sol;p>&NewLine;