Youthline and Coca-Cola NZ Create a Brighter Pathway for Young Kiwis

We all know that Christmas is the time for giving, and the very best gifts are often the ones that help people and their communities all year round. 

That’s the philosophy behind Coca-Cola New Zealand’s new partnership with Youthline.

While they’ve been supporters of Youthline for eight years through the annual Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park events, this year Coca-Cola New Zealand decided to take that support to the next level, creating a partnership to help ensure young New Zealanders grow up to become the best they can be. 

The extra support will allow Youthline to further deliver programmes that help young Kiwis develop the confidence and knowledge to help themselves – and their friends – become the very best version of themselves.

Youthline and Coca-Cola New Zealand will be celebrating this partnership, and building on previous fundraising success, at this year’s Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park.

While Youthline is best known for its support line, marketing and information services manager Briana Hill says the organisation is very excited about extending its personal development services.

“Our helpline is a service everybody knows about and, of course, we want everyone to know about it, because if people need us we are there and that’s super-important. But the helpline is about 8 to 10 percent of what we do. We also run personal development programmes in schools, and in our centres across New Zealand,” says Hill.

The programmes cover topics that will help young people navigate life. They include health and wellbeing, leadership and planning for the future.

“They’re about learning the internal tools you need to help yourself,” says Hill. “It’s about growing that bucket of resilience you can use in times of pressure.

“By swinging in behind our suite of leadership and personal development programmes, Coca-Cola New Zealand is helping us take them to the next level in terms of getting more people taking part. We’re currently working with Coca-Cola New Zealand to develop a set of programmes to help young kiwis become the best they can be. It’s going to be fantastic and we’re aiming to reveal all early 2017!”

Hundreds of thousands of people will turn out in Christchurch on Saturday 26th November and Auckland on Saturday 10th December for Coke’s annual gift to the nation of an evening of Christmas fun and music.

Youthline and Coca-Cola New Zealand will be celebrating this partnership, and building on previous fundraising success, at this year’s Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park.

Hundreds of thousands of people will turn out in Christchurch on Saturday 26th November and Auckland on Saturday 10th December for Coke’s annual gift to the nation of an evening of Christmas fun and music.

The list of performers includes Stan Walker, who has signed up as an ambassador for the Coca-Cola and Youthline partnership, attracted by the vision both organisations have for helping young Kiwis.

“We’ve been at the parks quite a few times with Coca-Cola, but we’re such a big part of the story this year and it’s going to be very cool to have so many New Zealanders celebrating alongside us,” says Hill.

Youthline volunteers will be out in force selling glow sticks, accepting donations and chatting about the difference people can make when they care.

Hill says the event is the perfect opportunity to both let young people know what’s available today, and touch base with those who have been helped by Youthline in the past.

“It’s amazing to hear someone say, ‘Youthline is really significant to me because I reached out to them when I was going through a tough time and because of that I feel really motivated to give’,” she says.

Join Coca-Cola New Zealand in raising much needed funds for Youthline to foster their support of young Kiwis.

Get your Christmas donating done early this year. Click now to donate and do your bit this holiday season.