Canteen has a proud history of rangatahi leadership and aims to provide rangatahi with opportunities to develop skills and connections that will benefit their long-term future while also contributing to the direction of the organisation. Any rangatahi using Canteen services aged 16 or over can apply to become a rangatahi leader. The core responsibilities of the leadership teams include advising, advocating, providing peer support, and community presence.

The governance structure of Canteen Aotearoa is such that members have a say at every level of the organisation, including by having members sit on the Board of Directors. Canteen supports its leaders to take on Member Director roles on the Canteen Board, which is responsible for oversight of the operations of the organisation.