NZPF Logo Philatelic Youth
Council of NZ
PYC logo

About PYCPYC Guide
Fun PhilatelyPYC Protectors
Stamp CampsYouth Exhibition Activites
Achievers WeekendsPYC Inter-Club
Achievement AwardsNew Zealand Youth Stamp Clubs
Leaders' Resource KitGuidelines for Leaders

About PYC
The Philatelic Youth Council of New Zealand Incorporated (PYC) was formed in 1985 by the New Zealand Philatelic Federation to promote youth philately in New Zealand. The PYC now stands alone as an independent entity but maintains a special relationship with the Federation. The PYC is a non-profit organisation that relies on the donations it receives from stamp collectors and other interested organisations.

PYC is involved in many activities and is run by a small group of dedicated people who are interested in the promotion of youth philately. The main activities of the PYC include:
  • Fun Philately newsletter
  • Stamp Camps
  • Achievers Weekends
  • PYC Achievement Awards
  • Leaders Resource Kit
  • Philatelic Guide
  • Assisting Stamp Club Leaders with Resources for their meetings
  • Co-ordinating Exhibition Youth Activities
  • PYC Inter-Club Competition
  • PYC Fundraising
Additional Information about our organisation and activities can be obtained by writing to:

Philatelic Youth Council of New Zealand (Inc.)
PO Box 2979
AUCKLAND
NEW ZEALAND


 
Current PYC Executive
Chairperson:Geoff Tyson (Christchurch)
Vice Chairperson:Barbara Streeter (Auckland)
Secretary:Sue Claridge (Christchurch)
Treasurer:Anne Bevan (Auckland)
Executive Members: Trevor Bevan (Auckland)
  Tim Beach (Auckland)
  John Waller (Hamilton)
  Libby Davis (Christchurch)
   
The information contained on the PYC pages is here to help promote the hobby among all collectors in New Zealand with information about the hobby and details of youth related philatelic events. We are always looking for NEW New Zealand based members to join (there are no membership fees) who are interested in helping us promote the hobby for youth collectors. If you would like additional information please contact us.
 
Philatelic Youth Council Rules
 
 
 
Fun Philately Masthead
 
Fun Philately is a four-page newsletter produced by the PYC to help promote stamp collecting in New Zealand for youth collectors. The newsletter contains details of current events, stories about the hobby, collecting information, competitions, youth club information and much more.

The newsletter is free for all New Zealand youth collectors. If you are a young collector in New Zealand and wish to be added to the mailing list for Fun Philately write with your name, address and date of birth to Fun Philately, P O Box 2979, AUCKLAND.

 
Stamp Camps
Do you have the time for a week of fun with your Stamps? A week of fun with other young stamp collectors?

If so, then you must attend one of our Stamp Camps.

The camps are organised by the Philatelic Youth Council to educate and train enthusiastic young stamp collectors in the more detailed aspects of stamp collecting and exhibiting.

Stamp Camps have been held in New Zealand for youth collectors since 1965 and each year one camp is held. The knowledge campers have gained from the camps has enabled many to further enjoy their hobby. They have also been able to take their new knowledge back to their home town and pass it on to their friends and fellow stamp collectors. Many of the campers develop friendships at the camps that continue after the camps have concluded.

The PYC's top youth trainers guide the participants through the amazing fields of watermarks, perforations, and printing as well as showing the techniques of how to put together a competitive stamp exhibit.

Youth Stamp Camps in New Zealand 40 Years 1966-2006

The PYC is proud to announce the publication of the history of the first forty years of Youth Stamp Camps in New Zealand.  The book, comprised of more than 130 pages contains photographs and other historical records of the camps and the people who attended, assisted or supported the camps during their history.  The book can be obtained for $35 (+$5 p&p) by posting a completed order form to PYC. 



Achievers Weekends
Achiever weekends are extensive weekend workshops aimed at the serious youth exhibitors around New Zealand. They are held periodically around the country depending on demand.

The participants are billeted overnight with local collectors and spend all day Saturday and Sunday with exhibitors and national and international philatelic judges who assist them to shape their exhibits into award winning entries.

The cost of the weekend is kept to a minimum to encourage these serious collectors to attend and gain the knowledge they need to develop their collections.

The development of an award winning philatelic exhibition entry takes time and from simple first time efforts slowly develops into something larger and more advanced as the collector gains more knowledge and finds more relevant material. For most collectors the hardest part of deciding to develop an exhibition entry is doing it for the first time. To see how to go about developing a simple 4 or 8 page entry view the following page:

Completing a Stamp Exhibition Entry
 
Achievement Awards
The Philatelic Youth Council has an award scheme to encourage young collectors to become involved with their hobby. It also gives young collectors an opportunity to assess themselves, to see how they are progressing with their general philatelic knowledge and, as the awards get higher, their exhibiting ability.

The Achievement Awards are presented to young stamp collectors who have achieved a level of success in stamp collecting. A Bronze Award is easy to obtain. It is assessed by a stamp club leader, interested parent or schoolteacher. Silver Bronze and Silver Awards have to be assessed by an approved stamp club leader and a Gold Award by an approved National Youth Judge.

Winners of each award will receive a PYC Achievement Award badge of the appropriate colour and a certificate to frame or mount in the front of a stamp album.

The criteria on how you can obtain the four awards are as follows.

BRONZE AWARD:
You must have formed a stamp collection over a period of at least six months. You must give a short 2-minute talk on at least 4 pages from your collection and answer simple questions on the pages shown and on general philately. You must know how to remove stamps from paper and be able to mount stamps correctly.

SILVER BRONZE AWARD:
You must have been collecting stamps for at least 12 months and have obtained the PYC Bronze Achievement Award. You will need an 8-page display that has received a mark of 60% or more in a society or inter-club competition and will have seven days to answer a written question paper of ten questions. A pass rate of 60% is required. You will give a five-minute talk on the display and be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to detect watermarks and measure perforations.

SILVER AWARD:
You must have been collecting stamps for at least 2 years and have obtained the PYC Silver Bronze Achievement Award. You will need a display of at least 16 pages that has won an Emerald Award in an approved exhibition and will have to give a 5 - 10 minute talk on this display and answer questions. You will have seven days to answer, without help, 20 written questions on specialised philately. A pass rate of 75% is required. You will have to show that you know how to use a stamp catalogue.

GOLD AWARD:
You must have been collecting stamps for at least 4 years and have obtained the PYC Silver Achievement Award. You will need a display of at least 32 pages that has won a New Zealand National Exhibition Silver medal and will have to give a 15-20 minute talk on this display and answer questions. You will have seven days to answer, without help, 25 written questions on philatelic terms. A pass rate of 75% is required.

You will have to write an essay of at least 300 words on one of the following: traditional philately, thematic collecting, postal history or postal stationery and must define the three subjects not chosen.

APPLICATION FORMS:
Write to: PYC Achievement Awards, P O Box 2979, AUCKLAND.

Give your name, age, address, the Award you want to obtain and the name and address of the person you would like to be your assessor.

Remember a stamp club leader who has been approved by the Philatelic Youth Council must assess the Silver-Bronze and Silver Awards. A New Zealand National Judge, approved by the Philatelic Youth Council must assess the Gold Award.

An application form for the Bronze Award is available online.
 
Leaders' Resource Kit
Published early in 1993, this kit contains over 200 pages to help run a successful youth stamp club. It is full of organising ideas as well as activities, workshops, suggested resources and exhibiting guidelines. It has received a Large Silver Medal. The Kit costs $30.00 from the PYC. An update for the kit is planned.

The PYC also has other leaders' resources, including videos, books and current newsletters from youth clubs in New Zealand and around the world. Details of these and the nominal charges can be obtained by writing to the Secretary, P O Box 2979, AUCKLAND.
 
PYC Guide
This 280 page loose leaf publication covers a wide range of philatelic topics including printing processes, gum, perforations, care of stamps, a powerful stamp identifier and sections on the various aspects of collecting. There are a limited number of copies still available at $25.00 each. Please write to the PYC for details.
 
PYC Protectors
The PYC again has exhibition protectors for sale. These are made from oriented polypropylene and are about 290mm by 255mm. They are quite stiff and display well. Protectors are available in either packs of 25 at $15.00 or packs of 100 at $50.00 (both prices include GST and postage within New Zealand). Note: The above price is only while current stocks last. Write to: PYC, P O Box 2979, AUCKLAND including a cheque with your order.
 
Youth Exhibition Activities
At most New Zealand Exhibitions PYC has a presence. Depending on the size and location PYC usually plans some activities.

 
PYC Inter-Club Competition
The PYC holds an annual Inter-Club and Individual competition on the first Saturday in November in Hamilton. It is held in conjunction with the Waikato Philatelic Society's Ambury Shield Competition.

Entries must be of four or eight pages and be submitted through a Stamp Club. Both Community and School Stamp Clubs are eligible to enter. For further details on how to prepare a competition entry go to Completing a Stamp Exhibition Entry.

There are prizes for the best individual entries in each class and a trophy will be awarded to the club which has the best four entries. Other special prizes may be awarded at the judges' discretion.

Entries can be traditional, thematic or postal history.

COMPETITION RULES
  1. Entries must be either 4 or 8 pages.
  2. Entrants are to be aged 18 years or younger on 1 January of the year of the competition. An entrant may submit more than one entry, but only the entry with the highest mark will count toward the Interclub Competition.
  3. Youth stamp clubs as having 4 or more members meeting at least monthly and supervised by an adult.
  4. All entries must be owned, annotated, and mounted by the entrant.
  5. All entrants shall write their name, page number, age and the name of their Club on the back of each page.
  6. Pages shall not exceed 300mm in height or width including exhibition protectors (these are essential).
  7. All entries will be judged for the Individual Competition.
  8. The best four entries from each club will be the club's entry in the Inter-Club Competition.
  9. The winning club shall be that which has the highest total mark for their four entries.
  10. Judging will be carried out using the judging sheets approved by the PYC by at least two judges appointed by the PYC. Judges' critiques will be returned to each entrant with their exhibits.
  11. There is no entry fee, but return postage must be paid by the club or individual. It is strongly recommended that a secure method of delivery and return is used even though these are more expensive. Entries will be returned by the method requested and paid for.
  12. Entries will be returned soon after they are exhibited at the Ambury Shield Exhibition on 1 November 2008 in Hamilton.
  13. Entries should be sent to: J Waller, PYC Interclub Competition, PO Box 663, Hamilton. Entry forms and entries must arrive no later than 11 October 2008.
New Zealand Youth Stamp Clubs
Youth Clubs are located around New Zealand. Click on the following to view club details:
New Zealand Youth Stamp Clubs
 
Guidelines for Leaders
There are many laws governing young people. To help leaders the PYC have developed some simple guidelines. Click on the following to view these guidelines:
Guidelines for Leaders
 
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