ABOUT THE EVENT
What is NZMP?
New Zealand Model Parliament (NZMP) is an exciting three-day event for high school students to experience the inner workings of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Parliamentary system. Immersing students into a realistic simulation of New Zealand’s Parliament, participants are assigned to political parties and engage in activities such as debating legislation, forming coalitions, and participating in select committees. The event also includes workshops with political experts and guest speakers, providing insights into civic engagement and the legislative process.
Roles available:
Select Committee Facilitator
The Select Committee process is essential for good lawmaking. In this role, you will be responsible for one of seven Select Committees. Members of Parliament in your committee will work to improve parts of the Bill before taking it back to Model Parliament.
Successful applicants will be organised team players with a passion for civic engagement. Chairs will have strong public speaking and facilitation skills. Secretaries will be good at prioritising, communication, and teamwork.
Select committees this year include:
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Security
Cabinet, Justice and Governance
Social Development
Urban Transport and Development
Environment
Education
Economics
Party Whip
Party whips manage caucus meetings, run fun workshops and provide mentorship to the Members of Parliament. In this role, you’ll work in a pair or small team to ensure the representatives of your party feel confident, safe and comfortable during the conference. Successful applicants will be confident speakers and have strong facilitation skills, alongside a warm welcoming personality.
Regional Delegation Officer
As a Regional Delegation Officer, you will support delegates who are travelling from outside of Ōtautahi Christchurch. You’ll help ensure their accommodation, meals, and transport needs are met, while also acting as a friendly face throughout the event. This role is perfect for volunteers who are organised, approachable, and passionate about creating an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Welfare Officer
Welfare officers play a crucial part in protecting the mental and physical health of our Representatives. You will be supporting both participants and volunteers throughout the conference. This will mean administering mental health and/or physical first aid if required. Welfare officers are compassionate, empathetic, and hold a first aid certificate or are intending to obtain one. Welfare officers who have experience in specific areas may be given a specialised role such as mental health or first aid.
Logistics Officer
As a Logistics Officer you will be working behind the scenes, ensuring the conference runs smoothly. Alongside the organising committee Logistics/Finance Officer, your day will range from setting up catering, helping delegates, and working to solve any logistical issues should they arise. The best Logistics Officers are well organised people with great time management, who love to be part of a team.
Liaison
As a Māori and Pacific Peoples’, Queer, or Neurodivergent Liaison, you will provide support and mentorship to students from diverse backgrounds. This role is all about creating a space that is safe for people with a wide range of intersecting identities. Successful applicants will be empathetic, communicative individuals with a wide range of lived experiences.
Press Facilitator
As a Press Officer, you will guide a team of young journalists as they document New Zealand Model Parliament! From press conferences to facilitating workshops to editing the Backbencher newspaper, this is an exciting and varied role. Successful applicants will be interested in the media, good writers and editors, and driven to support the next generation of journalists!
Media Team
As a member of the media team you will be tasked with documenting the event! This means taking photos and making videos so Representatives and Volunteers can remember the great times of NZMP 2025. We’d love to see some of your work, so be sure to submit a portfolio as part of your application.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]
ABOUT UN YOUTH
UN Youth is a non-profit organisation that provides civics education outside the traditional classroom context. Through fun workshops and conferences, we engage youth in the most pressing affairs of their country and the international community. Our goal is to inspire young New Zealanders to be active, global citizens. Global citizenship exists in an incredibly diverse range of forms, and UN Youth provides opportunities for delegates to develop their own form of active citizenship. Throughout Aotearoa, our work equips young people to become informed, engaged, and critical New Zealanders who understand their global context and the connections between the local and the global. Annually, over 3000 young New Zealanders from Northland to Southland attend a UN Youth event, run by a body of over 150 volunteers across the country who dedicate many hours of their time to engaging young people and growing the organisation.