The Youth Hub Trust in Christchurch received $82,921 from our Community Decarbonisation Fund to install a solar system to save on costs and make the hub even more sustainable.
The Youth Hub is the first-of-its-kind in Aotearoa, designed specifically to provide combined care for young people. It opened its doors in October 2024 after more than a decade of planning, fundraising and construction.
It's just one of 24 community organisations supported by the fund in 2024.
See Dame Sue Bagshaw, Chair, Christchurch Youth Hub talking to camera. See the modern exterior of the Christchurch Youth Hub, with its welcoming entrance and contemporary design. Upbeat music plays as natural light streams through large windows.
Dame Sue Bagshaw, Chair, Christchurch Youth Hub: “The youth hub, if you like, is a place to bring people, young people together and have connections with each other, but also with caring adults.”
See drone footage of Christchurch City and above The Youth Hub. See a colourful outdoor courtyard with basketball court.
See Lucas Roper, Christchurch Youth Council: “I've always thought of having a space that youth can come to that has all the services they need, and it's really nice that that's finally happening here in Christchurch.”
See Lucas Roper walking through the Youth Hub lower level holding a skateboard. A warm, inviting atmosphere fills the space. Comfortable seating areas, colourful bean bags, a pool table, a ping pong table and casual meeting spaces are filled with natural light.
Lucas Roper: “It's one of the first of the places in New Zealand, so that's just really cool. Youth can come here and when they're not at school and they're not at home, just come here, use the facilities, and just there to be a place for youth in Christchurch.”
See inside of The Youth Hub’s on-site residential facility that features colourful furnishings and design. There are comfy bright couches, lots of board games in a bookcase, window bench seats and a study nook with a desk and chairs.
Through large windows, staff from Youth Hub agencies collaborate in a modern office. Sue Bagshaw walks in and talks and laughs with the staff. See gleaming solar panels covering the roof, capturing sustainable energy.
Sue Bagshaw: “So anything we can do to decrease the amount we have to spend on electricity is fantastic. The generosity of Meridian in terms of those solar panels is really, really helpful. That means that money the organisations have to go on accommodation costs, can go into staff. And that's what we need is more staff, more caring adults.”
Lucas Roper: “As well as being able to run our meetings out of here. I've been coming here a couple times and playing pool with my friends throughout the day. Coming in there's been just this warm atmosphere and it's just been really welcoming. I joined because I wanted to give our young people a voice and represent the communities that I'm a part of.”
See Lucas Roper setting up the pool table to play pool, then taking his first shot. See Lucas walking in slow motion outside on the colourful basketball court of The Youth Hub.
Sue Bagshaw: “Yeah, well certainly some of the young people I've met up with since they moved into the housing, have actually said, wow this is fantastic. And they're really pleased to be there.”
See inside the rooms of The Youth Hub’s new housing units. Sunlight fills the modern, sustainable residential accommodation. The rooms are colourful and feature a bed, a desk and chair, beautiful bathroom and small outdoor area with a deck.
Sue Bagshaw: “We've met the requirements that young people put in, um, to be sustainable and, you know, the solar panels is icing on the roof.”
See the outdoor area of the Youth Hub. Some of the buildings are a bright yellow colour and the garden is beautifully landscaped. See drone footage featuring gleaming solar panels covering the roof, capturing sustainable energy.
Sue Bagshaw: “Impact wise, I'm hoping that the outcome will be young people who are buzzing with energy. Fulfilling their potential and contributing to our society. That's what I'm hoping to see as our outcome, but really, really hope that they'll feel that this has been a turning point in their lives. That's our kind of second name at the moment is Te Hurihanga ō Rangatahi, turning point for the young people.”
See the Meridian logo appear on screen and upbeat music fades out.
The $21 million, 1,830-square-metre hub is a one-stop shop for all kinds of support – from mental health and medical care to education, employment training and recreation. It also offers accommodation for up to 22 young people (ages 16-24) for stays ranging from three to 18 months.
By bringing all these services together, the hub makes it easier for both providers and young people to get the help they need. It’s a safe place where young people can go to get the support they need, all in one spot and at no cost. The goal is to empower young people by removing barriers and making everything accessible. The second stage of the hub includes a recreation and events centre.
The Community Decarbonisation Fund is all thanks to our partnership with our Certified Renewable Energy (Certified) customers.
Certified enables our business customers to match the amount of electricity they use, with an equivalent amount of electricity put into the national grid from one of our hydro stations or wind farms – which have been independently verified as producing 100% renewable electricity.
All of the net proceeds from the Certified product are used to support electrification projects across Aotearoa. Together, with our Certified customers, we’ve provided nearly $3 million in funding for grassroots community projects that reduce carbon emissions and provide a tangible positive impact for many community groups.
Learn more about community organisations and the projects that have received funding from the Community Decarbonisation Fund.
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund helped Paetūmōkai Charitable Trust in Wellington purchase an electric vehicle for the local foodbank to deliver food to people in need across the community.
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund was used by Kaipātiki Project in Auckland to install solar-powered bat trackers, crucial for its research on the critically endangered Pekapeka (Aotearoa long-tailed bat).
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund helped Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust in Auckland to purchase an electric ute. This powerful eco-friendly vehicle will support the trust’s restoration projects while reducing emissions.
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund awarded the largest grant to date to Twizel Medical Centre for 120 580W solar panels and a robust battery system.
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund helped Hōhepa Wellington, a charity providing 24/7 individualised support for people with intellectual disabilities, to purchase an EV van for its residents.
Meridian’s Community Decarbonisation Fund helped Glenavy Community Pool Trust by funding solar panels and a heat pump to warm the pool, in the hope of encouraging local school students to swim.