Whangarei Capability Coach for Future Leaders Peter Boyd calls for Northland 17 to 25 year olds to sign up for programme

Peter Boyd, business coach. PHOTO/TANIA WHYTE

Up to 70 young Northlanders have the opportunity to engage with a new coaching and mentorship programme to create future leaders who can make a difference in their own communities, Christine Allen writes.

Across the region, the future leaders of Northland are going to school and university, doing exams, working jobs and just getting on with being youngsters in provincial and rural New Zealand.

But Northland's young people, aged 17 to 25, are now being invited to grab their ticket to success, through a new, national, part-time programme to help build leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

Peter Boyd is the Whangarei Capability Coach for Future Leaders and said the programme is in its third year but in its first major year of growth, with the capacity for up to 70 youngsters across Northland.

The programme is running in the Far North, with Joe Henara in Kaikohe, and in Whangarei with Mr Boyd.

Similar programmes are also in Whakatane, Palmerston North, Opotiki, Kawerau, Kapiti and Greymouth.

It allows youths to supercharge their capability through coaching and mentoring, project development, workshops and attendance at the Festival of the Future in Wellington in July.

"We want to hear from young people who want to make a difference in their communities, to learn new skills and increase their confidence," said Mr Boyd.

"Northland will benefit from this … from a large pool of confident young leaders."

There are up to 30 places available in Whangarei and a further 30 in the Far North under the Tier one - Future Leaders programme, while a further eight Northlanders have already been signed up for the Tier two - Future Leaders Catalyst programme.

The programmes run from April and November and applications are now sought from Northland's finest future leaders.

"We have our first national hui this weekend [April 6-8] and a regional hui in Whangarei on April 29, where we will be meeting with stakeholders to get engagement.

"We hope to get buy-in from everyone from MPs and councillors, to parents, educators and youth workers."

Mr Boyd is the former chairman of the Dargaville Business Forum and a business owner who coached the four Whangarei 2017 participants.

He said the programme could have a powerful impact on the lives of the youngsters.

"Last year, there were 18 national participants, but we can accept 250 young people this year."

Ella Rankin from Whangarei said the programme helped her to become more resilient and allowed her to pursue solutions to real problems in her community.

For more information email peter@inspiringstories.org.nz and check out futureleaders.kiwi.