Three of the five Pasifika students, with their Dean Jess Foster (far right), who have been chosen to attend a leadership programme in Fiji during the July 2022 school holidays. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Three of the five Pasifika students, with their Dean Jess Foster (far right), who have been chosen to attend a leadership programme in Fiji during the July 2022 school holidays. Photo / Nikki Carroll
Five young Pasifika women from Horowhenua College are getting the chance to represent their school and community this July, at a leadership programme based in Fiji.
Year 12's Kaydence Mose-Tuiali'i, Cheryl Tomane and Miliama Tausi plus Year 13's Petesa Tomane and Salalau Leitupo have been chosen to attend the PacificStudent Leaders programme, run by Future Leaders Academy.
The academy was established in 2013 to deliver leadership development training and experiences for high school students in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
According to Future Leaders' chief executive Jethro Gilbert, the Pacific Student Leaders Programme, which has been running for three years, is an unforgettable opportunity for students to experience leadership training in a cultural setting among the Pacific Islands.
Participants in the Future Leaders Academy's Pacific Student Leaders programme held in the Cook Islands in 2019. Photo / Supplied
"Our vision is to strengthen the South-West Pacific - by helping to develop effective young leaders. Students do not require a Pacific Island background to attend the programme, however, we find many of our applicants are drawn to it due to a desire to reconnect with their Pacific culture," Gilbert said.
The week-long programme is designed to help students develop advanced leadership skills, grow their confidence in decision making, planning and goal setting, learn how to lead a diverse team and build on their resilience.
"The students also get an opportunity to look at different aspects of Fiji as a Pacific Island entity", said Jess Foster, Horowhenua College's Dean of Pasifika Students.
"This includes spending time at the [New Zealand and Australia] High Commissions and with local tourism operators and business leaders, as well as doing service work within the community."
Petesa Tomane, Kaydence Mose-Tuiali'i and Salalau Leitupo are excited to be representing their college and community at the Pacific Student Leaders programme in Fiji this July. Photo / Nikki Carroll
This is the first time any students from Horowhenua College have attended the Pacific Student Leaders programme, and Principal Grant Congdon is very proud of them all.
"The organisers only choose 30 students from throughout New Zealand and Australia to join [the programme] and to have all five of our students [who applied] picked to go is fantastic," said Congdon.
The young women are excited about the opportunities this programme will give them to expand their leadership and communication skills.
"I'm looking forward to learning how to be a better role model [to other Pasifika youth] as well as becoming a better version of myself," said Petesa.
Future Leaders Academy is currently accepting final applications for their October courses - Cook Islands October 1-8 and New Caledonia October 9-16 – interested students can apply via the website: https://flacademy.com/apply-pacific-student-leaders/
With the programme fee being nearly $4000 per student, and only one scholarship fund available for the 30 participants to apply for, the five students are having to fundraise to get the money needed before the end of May.
Along with family initiated fundraising ideas, Horowhenua College is going to run raffles and hold car washes to help raise money.
A GiveaLittle page has also been set up, so the community is able to support the students to take part in this amazing opportunity: GiveaLittle - Future Leaders
If any Horowhenua businesses are interested in donating items for the raffles, or any locals have some great fundraising ideas, please get in touch with Jess Foster at jfoster@horowhenua.school.nz
