New Zealander of the Year Awards

It was such an honour to be shortlisted in this years Young New Zealander of the Year awards for my work with the Green Room Charitable Trust.

I was speechless to say the least to be selected out of hundreds of young New Zealanders doing incredible things across the country.

As I stood in the Great Room at the Cordis Hotel surrounded by the likes of Jacinda Ardern, Mike King, Dame Margaret Sparrow, Jennifer Ward-Leland, Bill Buckley, Georgia Hale and many more incredible New Zealanders I couldn’t help but feel out of place. They were all so inspiring and their work absolutely out of this world. They are moving mountains, breaking barriers and changing New Zealand in the most incredible ways.

I’m so inspired to do more and feel like I’ve been reawakened after last weeks ceremony.

The Green Room has been running for 2 years now and helps youth aged 13 - 17 struggling with anxiety, depression and bullying, find peace and an outlet through music. It is an absolute honour working with these kids each week and we have such a blast. Seeing them grow musically and allowing them to find a place that they say “makes them feel safe and belong” gives me goose bumps.

This year we aim to take our programme into schools to reach more kids with the hope that they feel they would like to join us on a weekly basis at our Albany based location at Eliette’s Music Academy.

We are hearing about younger children from as little as 8 who are showing signs of anxiety now and we hope we can open more sessions to be able to cater for multiple age groups, giving them the gift of music.

For more information on the Green Room you can go to: www.greenroom.org.nz

Thank you for everyones support over the last few years and for who ever nominated me for this prestigious award. I’m so taken back by it all.

To Nick Douch, Jesse Reeves, Joop Boumeester and Brayden Jeffrey: your ongoing commitment and volunteering to the Green Room makes what we do possible each week. Without you this programme wouldn’t exist.

Thank you!

Eliette