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National | Novel Coronavirus / COVID-19

Kai, beats and spot prizes at 'Youngatira' vax event

Kai, beats and spot prizes will all be on offer as Whānau Ora provider Te Whānau o Waipereira hopes to woo the remaining rangatahi in its rohe, to get their Covid-19 jab.

On Saturday rangatahi will take-over the trust’s Catherine street vaccination clinic in Henderson for ‘Youngatira’, Te Whānau o Waipereira’s first ‘by rangatahi, for rangatahi’ vaccination day.

According to Jacqui Harema from Te Whānau o Waipereira’s leadership team, the trust, like the government is concerned about a large portion of young Māori and Pasifika in West Auckland yet to receive their first and second vaccination.

‘The [event] target audience is rangatahi aged 12 – 24 and their whānau living in West Auckland with a particular emphasis on Māori and Pacific rangatahi’ Harema says.

The trust says central to Rahoroi’s event is that all activities will be facilitated and run by rangatahi, from the time whānau arrive at the Vaccination Centre, to when they leave the observation area.

Three rangatahi working for the trust completed their Covid-19 certification and became lay vaccinators recently, the youngest of the group had just turned 16. The trust says an additional group of five will soon complete their training too.

‘With the exception of the cold chain, the youth supporting the Waipareira Vaccination campaign had learned every aspect of running a large-scale vaccination centre – right down to a small street based pop-up station run out of a campervan.’ Harema said.

Music, coffee and ‘loads of spot prizes and vouchers’ are on offer at Saturday’s Youngatira event with Te Whānau o Waipereira saying it hopes young people being involved in the vaccination process, in addition to perks which make the experience less of a chore, will make other rangatahi more likely to get the jab.

‘What better way to encourage other rangatahi to become vaccinated then coming to a day specifically designed for them?’ Says Harema.

Te Whānau o Waipereira’s ‘Youngatira’ event will kick off at the trust’s Catherine Street Vaccination Clinic at 10am Saturday and will run through to 4:30pm.