Young people are the leaders of today

Over the last 110 years, generations of Kiwi community leaders have grown and learned from each other, while helping people through their involvement with Red Cross. This Youth Week, we asked one of our newly elected young Area Councillors about what drew her to put herself forward to volunteer in this role.

Sara Ahmad says when she saw a call for young people to stand for our elections to join our area councils, “I thought it was such a good opportunity. There’s already lots of people who have great ideas involved, and I want to be part of that – to share my ideas and experiences, and work on things together. I applied straight away.” 

Our Area Councillors are a key part of our governance structure, and help with activities like planning, as well as celebrating, motivating and inspiring the Red Cross people in their Areas.

A passion for community and a personal connection

Earlier this year, Sara was admitted as a solicitor after studying law and business at the University of Waikato. During her high school years, she had developed a strong interest in volunteering and community action. This was also shaped by her own life experience. 

“Coming here as a refugee, the first few years are pretty stressful,” says Sara. Her family is from Afghanistan, and she spent her childhood in Pakistan before coming to Hamilton when she was 14 years old. “It’s a new environment, new languages you learn, new people. I remember that the first people who welcomed us here were volunteers from Red Cross. And we are actually still connected with them – now they’ve become like our family friends.” 

In high school, Sara was part of a programme that helps teenagers experience and prepare for work environments. One option students had was to try volunteering a few hours a week with a Red Cross retail shop. "The support that I'd received from Red Cross inspired me to give back. And I wanted to try retail, see what it was like. I enjoyed seeing new people come in, making connections, and making a good environment for people,” says Sara. 

The leaders of today 

In her new role as an Area Councillor, Sara hopes to bring her academic background, passion for community action, and personal experience to help advocate for former refugees, as well as other young people. 

Sara says the activities that Red Cross offers in the Midland Area are important, and she's looking forward to helping plan and grow these. She says “we can feel a bit left out sometimes” when other events and programmes only happen in the biggest cities, so she really appreciates the fact that Red Cross services and volunteer opportunities are available in smaller towns and urban centres around the motu. 

She’s positive about the role that rangatahi can take in leadership, both within Red Cross and more broadly. She says, “One thing I’ve learned is that youth aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow – we're the leaders of today. Any opportunity that comes your way, just take it. You’ll be unsure about things, but you’ll learn along the way. Any opportunity you take, there will always be someone to help and guide you.” 

Our young area councillors 

In July, Sara will formally join the Midland Area Council for a three-year term.  

We have seven Area Councils across the motu, and in the 2025-26 year there will be 16 Area Councillors who are thirty years of age or younger. Many also have experience volunteering with us in other roles, including as part of Disaster Welfare and Support Teams, volunteering as refugee support volunteers, or helping out in our retail shops. 

Our National Youth Representative, Dan Wilden, is excited about all of the talented young people who volunteer to be part of our Area Councils. “Rangatahi | young people have fresh innovative perspectives, and they passionately advocate for issues important to them and their peers. Having a strong youth presence on our Area Councils enables Red Cross to engage with rangatahi | young people and remain relevant to everyone, enhancing our ability to adapt in our ever-changing world.” 

Dan says being part of our governance structure can also be a great opportunity for young people to learn as well. “Our Area Councils offer rangatahi | youth the opportunity to share their voice, be included in meaningful decisions around how Red Cross can engage in their communities, and empowers them to grow confidently into impactful leaders of today and tomorrow.”

More information

Learn more about ways that young people can volunteer and get involved with us.
Volunteer opportunities for youth

Learn more about what we do in New Zealand.
Our work in New Zealand

Find out more about our Fundamental Principles and how they guide our work.
Our Fundamental Principles