Who is Zeal?

We believe every young New Zealander deserves to belong, to be accepted on their terms, and to have a real shot to thrive. Zeal is an Aotearoa youth organisation providing safe, inclusive local and online spaces – where you can explore and flex your strengths through affordable programmes and workshops, and make lifelong friendships at creative showcases and events.

Support Zeal

Transform young lives by donating or giving your time.

Work at Zeal

For a career in changing young lives, check out opportunities at your local Zeal.

Meet the team

Want to connect with our people? Get to know our board, or reach out to our managers.      

Mission

To make transformative spaces and experiences accessible to all young people, supporting rangatahi to connect to their mana, innate self-worth and sense of belonging.

Vision

All young people in Aotearoa living full lives of meaning and purpose.

Impact

All rangatahi (young people) feel seen, valued, safe, empowered and have an equitable shot to thrive.

Overlay

How we make a difference together

Empowering rangatahi

Transformative spaces and inclusive communities where young people can be themselves, feel safe, valued and seen. We walk alongside rangatahi experiencing challenges – to help them live with mana, self-worth and a sense of belonging.

Building skills

Pathways to further education and employment that ignite young people’s passions and connect them to their innate abilities. Where they can learn skills and find new challenges and opportunities to define their own success.

Engaging online

To meet rangatahi wherever we’re needed, we expand Zeal’s
culture and experiences to digital spaces – creating moments of connection with online hangs, Zeal lives, support chats and helping young people innovate online distress interventions for their own community.

Impact across 5 regions

96% of young people say feel supported and cared for at Zeal

32,515

Young people at hangs, Zeal Nights, street youth work, gatherings, mentoring and online activities

24,554

Young people at creative workshops, activities and alternative education

31,972

Young people at Zeal events

849,562

Social media engagements

184

Young people took part in a tech engagements club and received a device

242

Rangatahi gaining paid work experience

How we work

Zeal is a registered member of Ara Taiohi and applies best practice by adopting the Code of Ethics for youth workers in Aotearoa and the Mana Taiohi principle based framework. Our work is underpinned by holistic, strengths-based youth development models, The Circle of Mana and Te Whare Tapa Whā.

Upholding mana

We hold a young person’s mana above everything else, meeting them where they are, on their terms.

Recognising value

We recognise everyone has unique gifts, and the need for personal connection, walking alongside rangatahi, so they can develop holistically.

Empowering self-determination

We seek ways to empower each young person to share their unique gifts with their community and encourage them to model generosity.

Publications

Previous annual reports can be found at Issuu.

2023 Zeal Audited Accounts

2023 Annual Report

2023 Zeal Survey report

Our values and vibe

Aroha

Whanaungatanga

Manaakitanga

Rangatiratanga

Ngākau Māhaki

Thanks to our key partners

Zeal relies on the generous support of key partners who we’re proud to call whānau. Lives have literally been saved, so we cannot say enough how grateful we are for your partnership.

Auckland Council, Foundation North, JR McKenzie Trust, Kapiti Coast District Council, Lion Foundation, Lottery Community Funding, Ministry for Culture & Heritage, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Youth Development, New Plymouth District Council, North Taranaki Alternative Education Group, Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, Pacific Inc Limited – Le Va, Sky City Auckland Community Trust, Sky City Hamilton Community Trust, The Trusts Community Foundation, Toi Foundation, Warner Bro’s, WEL Energy Trust, Wellington City Council.

Partner with us

If you believe that every young Kiwi deserves to belong, be accepted on their terms, and have a real shot to thrive, you can help create change for thousands of young people.

Enquire if you’d like to invest in the future of young people by donating or gifting resources or your time. Together we can change the playing field for young people across the motu.

Email updates

Legal Stuff

Zeal is a not-for-profit youth organisation, governed by a board of trustees. You can find us on the NZ Charities Register under Zeal Education Trust (CC29343). Our audited accounts from 2009 onward are publicly available online here.