What an incredible night! Shore Junction’s upstairs area was buzzing with energy, emotion and creativity as we hosted Junction Slam, our headline event for Youth Week 2026. Striking a powerful chord with this year’s theme, 'Our voices matter! We deserve to be heard | Taringa whakarongo! Ki te reo o ngā taiohi', the youth-led spoken word and poetry event brought together a fantastic crowd of local rangatahi to share exactly what is on their minds.

From personal stories to quick-witted, sharp commentary on the world, the sheer depth of talent on display was nothing short of inspiring. To ensure every single person felt safe and included, our Youth Engagement group offered an anonymous sharing option, allowing some young people to have their words read aloud by a peer. Supported by incredible kai, vibrant decorations, and a professional audio-visual setup, the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and deeply respectful of everyone's mana.

Our slam was just one piece of a massive, beautiful puzzle across Aotearoa during May. Coordinated nationally by Ara Taiohi, Youth Week 2026 has seen an extraordinary wave of positivity sweeping across New Zealand. From Parliament, where the week was officially launched, to local libraries, youth hubs, and schools from Northland to Southland, communities have been stepping up to hype our young people. Whether through nationwide gaming tournaments, rainbow youth choir rehearsals, zine-making workshops, or fresh new youth-led waiata filling the airwaves, the message across New Zealand has been unified: our rangatahi are bold, creative, full of energy, and their perspectives shape our world for the better every day. 

A massive thank you to everyone who stepped up to the microphone, shared their creativity, or came along to support our incredible young people at Shore Junction. Your voices were heard loud, proud, and clear!