Youth Parliament 2025: Collaborative approach sought to reduce social media harm
A young leader is publicly sharing his concerns regarding online safety and education.
New Plymouth 2025 Youth MP Jasper Rhodes. Photo supplied
Jasper Rhodes, 16, is New Plymouth MP David MacLeod’s Youth MP for 2025.
Passionate, motivated, and inspiring are three words that describe Jasper.
He works to uplift his community, peers, and himself by working tirelessly to make the voices of young people heard.
Jasper has been diligently working on a survey to investigate the opinions of young people regarding online safety. He hopes to get around 1000 respondents nationwide.
This survey dives deep, looking into demographics, feelings, actions, and solutions, elevating the voices of young people.
It also looks into the under-16s social media ban, a topical issue and one many young people are passionate about.
It’s also the most important conversation to include young people in, as they’re the ones being impacted.
Jasper plans to use these responses to fuel conversations and impacts in his Parliamentary working group – which focuses on online safety – submission at Youth Parliament.
Like many young people, Jasper acknowledges the harms of social media, however, he also shares that the Government’s approach is not the right one.
“The best way to tackle it [online safety] is through collaboration,” he says.
“Collaboration with the social media companies – they need to be limiting harmful content.
“Collaboration between parents and teachers in terms of educating our young people, and young people themselves to be engaged with the decision-making process.
“Then of course, the Government to fund and support the education.”
National Party New Plymouth MP David MacLeod, with his Youth MP Jasper Rhodes. Photo supplied
Jasper has a strong emphasis on education, how we need to harness it and make it accessible to young people.
He understands the importance of education, how it’s empowering for young people and their futures.
When asked: “If you could be prime minister for a day, what would you do?”, he confidently explains his plan.
“I would make public transport free for students. One hundred thousand students catch the bus to and from school every day, and that comes at such a cost to families.
“I also found that having accessible public transport increases attendance, because when you’re able to get to school you’re more likely to go.
“So that aligns with the Government’s education outcome goals.”
According to the Costs of Going to University in Aotearoa New Zealand research project, students use public transport to travel to university more than other modes of travel (41.1 per cent) and spend an average of $100 on public transport.
This is a significant portion of many households’ incomes and can force families to make the impossible decision of picking bread over their child’s future and education.
Outside of his parliamentary scope, Jasper plays and coaches football, he loves academics and the arts, and he loves giving back to his community.
He’s honoured to be able to use Youth Parliament as an opportunity to do so.
His horizons for his future spread wide, from politics to graphic design, and Jasper is an all-rounder.
It’s difficult to understand what could keep someone motivated and inspired with such a tireless lifestyle.
He shares his secret: “I am constantly inspired by my parents who, despite working full-time jobs, dedicate their time to give back to their community and that’s something I love about them and something I’ve learnt from them.”
By Taara Malhi, 2025 Youth Parliament Youth Press Gallery member & Dear Em Embassador
Story originally published by Eastern Times
