2019 World Vision Youth Ambassadors

The 2019 World Vision Youth Ambassadors have been announced and this year there is one student who has been selected from Western Springs College, Year 13 student Tobey Keddy. Tobey (alongside Helena C, Khushee J and Miss K Johnson) helped lead the 40 Hour Famine this year by getting people to sign up to do the Famine, organising fundraising opportunities such as the minion auction and helped promote the Famine at WSC. This year’s 40 Hour Famine organisers, which Tobey was a key part of, were able to double the amount of money raised compared to last year. This means that 40 refugee children from South Sudan will have access to a better life which includes food, safe drinking water, sanitation and safe places to play and learn.

Each year, 10-20 high school graduates from across New Zealand are selected for the World Vision Sanitarium Youth Ambassador Programme. The programme empowers and enables school leavers to use their voice to mobilise a nation of youth to act against injustice. The inspirational and ambitious young Kiwis are given the opportunity to develop their professional skills through personal coaching and mentoring in humanitarian leadership through the year-long programme. One of the highlights of being chosen as a Youth Ambassador is the opportunity to visit refugee children and see how the money we have raised as a school is making a difference in their lives.

Tobey was shortlisted for the programme in July this year after submitting an essay and video explaining why he wanted to represent the organisation and help the 40 Hour Famine nationwide. Then after a Skype interview with 3 members of the school development managers at World Vision, Tobey was notified that he was one of the 10-20 high school student selected to represent the World Vision of the Youth Ambassador team! This is an amazing opportunity and we are looking forward to seeing Tobey making the world a better place and inspiring the hearts and minds of other young Kiwis to do the same.

~~~ 40 Hour Famine leaders