It’s Their Future, Not Ours: Why Youth Voices Matter | A Conversation with Rachel Gu
What does it mean to give young people a genuine voice—not simply invite them into the room, but truly listen to what they have to say?
In my conversation with Rachel Gu, I met a young person whose life has already crossed cultures, languages and communities. Born in Beijing, Rachel spent part of her childhood in Vanuatu, where she attended a French primary school, before moving to New Zealand at the age of nine. These experiences did more than introduce her to different places. They taught her how to connect with people whose backgrounds and perspectives may be very different from her own.
That ability to connect is at the heart of who Rachel is. She describes herself as a people person—someone who gains energy from being with others, hearing their stories and understanding what matters to them. Her interest in youth leadership is therefore not based on speaking for young people. It comes from wanting to create spaces where they can speak for themselves.
Growing Up Between Cultures
Rachel’s experience reflects the distinct position of the 1.5 generation: young people born in one country but raised partly in another. They may carry their parents' language and cultural expectations while also being shaped by the society around them.
For Rachel, this can mean navigating differences between Chinese and Western values, including different expectations about education, independence and the choices young people should make. She is improving her Chinese because she wants to communicate more deeply across generations and contribute more meaningfully within ethnic communities.
Her story shows why the voices of 1.5-generation migrants matter. Their experiences are not identical to those of either first-generation migrants or people born and raised entirely in New Zealand. They often understand more than one cultural world and can recognise both the tensions and the possibilities between them.
This perspective is one of Rachel’s strengths. She does not see cultural difference as something that must be erased. She sees it as a source of understanding and connection.
Young People Are Already Paying Attention
When I asked Rachel about the issues young people care about, she spoke about climate change, isolation and mental wellbeing. These concerns may look different, but they share something important: they shape the world young people are inheriting.
Rachel observes that many young people understand the seriousness of climate change even before they're involved in environmental action. She also speaks about the less visible nature of isolation. When someone withdraws, others may not see what they are experiencing because that person is no longer present.
Mental wellbeing, she explains, does not affect only one individual. Its effects can reach families, friends, teachers and schools. Cultural and generational differences can also make these conversations harder, particularly in families where mental health was rarely discussed openly.
Rachel does not claim to have all the answers. What stands out is her willingness to listen, acknowledge that everyone has a different experience, and keep asking what people can do together. Her humility is part of her leadership.
Participation Begins With Understanding
One of the strongest themes in our conversation was civic participation. Local boards influence many parts of everyday life, including parks, libraries, and community facilities. Yet, many young people—and many adults—do not know what local boards do or how they make decisions.
We often ask why young people do not participate, but Rachel turns the question around: have we helped them understand how participation works?
Through BASE Youth Council, she helped make an Auckland Council consultation more approachable by simplifying the issues and inviting children to vote with lollies. It was a small and playful activity, but it carried an important lesson. Participation becomes less intimidating when systems are explained in language people understand and connected to relevant experiences.
Rachel believes civic education should begin before young people reach voting age. The same applies to practical life skills such as understanding tax, finding employment, writing a CV and preparing for an interview. We should not wait until young people turn 18 and then suddenly expect them to understand every responsibility placed before them.
If we want young people to participate, we must prepare them, welcome them and make the pathways visible.
Beyond Tokenism: A Two-Way Relationship
Rachel also offers a practical challenge to organisations that say they want youth perspectives. Inviting one young person into a meeting is not necessarily meaningful engagement. Their presence matters only when their contribution is genuinely heard and valued.
She suggests internships, youth representatives and stronger relationships with schools and youth organisations. These opportunities can bring fresh perspectives and lived experience into an organisation while giving young people practical experience, mentoring and pathways for growth.
The key is reciprocity. Organisations should not simply extract a young person’s ideas or display their presence as evidence of inclusion. A genuine relationship must offer value in both directions.
This may be the essence of Rachel’s message: young people do not need to be included as a favour. They bring knowledge, creativity, and perspectives organisations need. At the same time, organisations have a responsibility to support their development rather than asking them to enter adult-designed spaces and adapt without support.
From Separate Efforts to a Connected Ecosystem
Rachel’s vision extends beyond individual organisations. Across Auckland, many ethnic organisations, youth councils, and community groups do valuable work, but they often work separately. She imagines a more connected ecosystem in which groups can share what succeeded, what did not and what they learned.
An annual gathering or youth summit could bring people together across Auckland, strengthen relationships and encourage more young ethnic people into community and civic leadership. Rather than starting from scratch each time, organisations could learn from one another and grow together.
This vision reflects Rachel herself. Her instinct is to connect: cultures, communities, ideas and people. She understands that leadership is not only about standing at the front. Sometimes it is about creating the conditions in which others can find one another and contribute.
Living the Questions
Rachel’s journey is still unfolding. She is a university student, a youth intern and a young civic participant who is continuing to discover where her interests may lead. Yet her story already carries a clear message.
Young people do not need to wait until they have perfect knowledge or a formal title before becoming involved. They can start by finding an organisation that shares their interests, sending a message, applying for a youth council, or simply asking how they can contribute. One opportunity can begin with one act of reaching out.
At the same time, adults and organisations must stop planning young people’s future without them. It is their future, and they deserve more than symbolic representation. They deserve opportunities to influence decisions, develop their abilities and take part as genuine partners.
Rachel reminds us that youth leadership is not only about preparing young people for some distant future. It is about recognising the insight, energy and contribution they already bring today.
