He uri tēnei no Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei me Ngāti Maniapoto hoki.Ko Eden Purutia Irvine tōku ingoa.Before joining YouthLaw in June 2026, Eden worked across community law, iwi legal services, legal research, and tertiary education. Her experience includes supporting whānau through Māori land matters at the Ngāi Tahu Māori Law Centre, working with the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in-house legal team, and supporting tauira Māori as a Pou Āwhina within the University of Otago Faculty of Law.Raised in South Auckland, Eden is passionate about improving access to justice for rangatahi and believes the law should be practical, empowering, and grounded in the realities of the communities it serves. She believes the best outcomes start with genuine connection. Eden is leading the youth engagement side of Waha, YouthLaw’s civics education programme. Outside of mahi, you’ll usually find Eden spending time with whānau, out on the golf course, or planning her next adventure.“Whakapūpūtia mai ō mānuka kia kore ai e whati. Cluster the branches of the mānuka so they will not break. Together, we are stronger.” Tā Hirini Moko Mead