Koea Colour Run: Youth Leading the Way in Whanganui

To celebrate Youth Week 2025 and this year’s theme “Take Our Place – Whai Wāhitanga,” a group of young leaders from Whanganui brought colour, creativity, and community spirit to life with the Koea Colour Run.

This event was entirely youth-led—designed and delivered by 13 rangatahi aged 12–16, all graduates of the Koea Youth Development programme. When challenged to come up with a Youth Week activity, they dreamed big. Their goal? To create something fun, inclusive, and meaningful for other young people—while also highlighting the local youth services available in their community.

The result was an energetic colour run filled with laughter, holi powder, and purpose. Local youth services were invited to host checkpoints and challenges along the course, giving participants the chance to connect with the support and opportunities available to them.

Lower North Island Programme Delivery Lead Bobbi Hutchinson collaborated with Road Safety Coordinator Val Overweel from Horizons Regional Council to develop a checkpoint. Inspired by the latest Waka Kotahi/NZTA and ACC campaign on distracted driving and “ghosting your phone,” the challenge required participants to get a ball into a bucket while maintaining eye contact with fake phones featuring facts about services from Kaitiaki o Ara/SADD and Horizons.

It was a crazy busy day—thankfully Road Safety Coordinator Debbie Webster from the Tararua District came along to support.

The event not only showcased the leadership and vision of our young people but also built stronger connections between rangatahi and the services here to support them.

It was a powerful reminder: when we give young people the space to lead, they step up—and they definitely delivered.

A massive congratulations to all the Koea Rangatahi Leaders for running such a successful event!