The experience of a lifetime begins for Far North leadership candidates

MOKO Foundation general manager Deidre Otene (left), Ashley Waitai-Dye and Quintin Moeke preparing to board their flight to Auckland. Supplied

Two young Far Northerners with real leadership potential boarded a plane in Kerikeri on Friday, bound for the United States, with MOKO Foundation general manager Deidre Otene.

Ashley Waitai-Dye (23, a youth worker from Kaitaia), and 18-year-old Quintin Moeke (Awanui, currently employed by KFC but whose ambitions lean towards music) were chosen by the foundation to spend three weeks in the United States with Ms Otene, who is travelling courtesy of a Vodafone Foundation scholarship.

Their first destination was Alaska, where Ms Otene, a Vodafone World of Difference recipient in 2013, presented a research paper to an international indigenous audience at a native studies conference, focusing on supporting and growing inter-generational Maori leadership.

She is currently researching relevant youth leadership and governance models to build a generation of rangatahi who will serve as leaders now and into the future, her vision being that young people will gain the skills and experience to lead and govern at local, national and international levels.

She also envisages the youth sector being made up of sustainable organisations, providing strengths-based solutions to inter-generational issues.

The search, initially for one young Far Northerner to accompany her, began in February, Ms Otene saying she was seeking candidates with demonstrated leadership qualities, a connection to the Far North and aspirations to build sustainability and strong leadership, to join her in looking at inter-generational leadership in indigenous settings.

When they return Ashley and Quintin will be given opportunities by MOKO to use those skills and develop their aspirations to benefit the Far North.

Their itinerary includes New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Hawaii.