St John Youth NZ

25/08/2026

23/08/2026

🐧 Penguin Big Day Out! 🐧

Our Penguins love getting together with other Penguins from across their district for a fun day of activities, friendship and adventure! 💙

Recently, our Mid Canterbury District Penguins had an awesome day out at Ninja Valley, where they got to run, jump, climb, challenge themselves and, most importantly, have lots of fun! 🤸‍♀️🥷

It’s a great opportunity for our youngest members to spend time with their Penguin friends, meet other Penguins from their district and make some fantastic memories along the way. 🐧💙

What an awesome day! 🙌

21/08/2026

First aid is a big part of St John Youth, and we wanted to share some of the first aid facts our cadets learn! 🌟

Today's topic is DRSABCD (pronounced 'Doctors A B C D'). 👩‍⚕ This is an acronym you can use when there's a first aid emergency that needs your help. Click through the photos to learn the DRSABCD steps.

Tell us about a time you've used your first aid skills to help someone in the comments below!📝

19/08/2026

Our Youth Programme is full of amazing young people who are making a difference in their communities, and Abbey is a fantastic example of this 💫

As this year's Central Region Cadet of the Year (RCOTY), Abbey leads with kindness, compassion, and a genuine commitment to supporting others. Whether she's encouraging her peers, mentoring younger members, or helping create positive change, she consistently demonstrates what youth leadership is all about.

One of Abbey's standout achievements was recognising the need for period products within her division and taking the initiative to secure support from U by Kotex. Her actions not only benefited her own division but inspired others to introduce similar support for their members.

From attending YLDT, camps, and national events to becoming a trusted and dependable leader, Abbey's journey shows the incredible impact our young people can have when given opportunities to grow and lead.

We're incredibly proud of Abbey and all the young people in our programme who continue to inspire, support, and make a difference every day 💛

17/08/2026

🌟 Looking for your next adventure? Join St John Youth! 🌟

St John Youth is so much more than first aid. It's a place to learn life-changing skills, make lifelong friends, build confidence, develop leadership, and have plenty of fun along the way.

We welcome young people from school years 0–13 as youth members, and if you're 18+, there are fantastic volunteer opportunities waiting for you too.

No matter your age, there's a place for you in the St John Youth whānau.

👉 Ready to get started? Send us a message today or email [email protected]

15/08/2026

🎉 Celebrating our Grand Prior’s Award recipients! 🎉

A couple of weeks ago, we had the privilege of celebrating 47 South Island cadets who have achieved their Grand Prior’s Award over the past year, at a special ceremony in Dunedin. 🏅

The Grand Prior’s Award is the highest award a St John Youth member can achieve, recognising commitment, personal growth, service, and dedication across their time in the programme.

It was fantastic to come together and celebrate these incredible young people and all the hard work they have put in to reach this milestone. 💙

Congratulations to all 47 of our Grand Prior’s Award recipients — you should be incredibly proud of this achievement! 👏✨

12/08/2026

🌟 Badge Spotlight: Child Development 🌟
Have you ever wondered how children learn, grow, and develop? Our Child Development Badge gives cadets the opportunity to explore exactly that while building practical skills they can use every day.
Whether cadets are interested in leading younger cadets at division, looking after younger siblings, interested in babysitting, or looking to work with children in the future, this badge is a fun and rewarding way to gain valuable knowledge and confidence.
Who else loved completing this badge? We'd love to hear your favourite activity in the comments! 💚

06/08/2026

🌟Introducing Cadet Leader Nate Woods of Ashburton Division, your St John Youth National Cadet of the Year 2027! 🙌

"I'm incredibly humbled and honoured to have been selected as the 2027 National Cadet of the Year. If you had told 6-year-old me that one day I'd have the privilege of representing St John Youth across Aotearoa, I never would have believed you.

I'm really looking forward to meeting and representing rangatahi from across the motu, hearing their stories, and hopefully being the person who encourages them to take that next opportunity in their journey with St John Youth.

What I love most about the Youth Programme is its people. He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata. It's a place where everybody belongs, and where every generation invests in the next by supporting one another to reach their potential.

Being named National Cadet of the Year is so very meaningful because I never imagined I'd one day have the privilege of holding this role. It represents the many leaders who believed in me long before I believed in myself, and I hope to honour that by encouraging the cadets of tomorrow, just as others once did for me."

01/08/2026

🌟National Cadet of the Year Selections 2027! 🌟

This weekend we have the privilege to work with these six phenomenal cadets from across Aotearoa to select our next National Cadet of the Year 🙌

We are so excited to work with these six cadets and hear their ideas for our Youth Programme. Wishing them the best of luck for today! 🤩