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The Women in Sport Aotearoa’s Young Women’s Leadership Programme (Whanake o te Kōpara) is now in its third year, and applications are invited from young women aged 18-25 from across New Zealand.

Women in Sport Aotearoa is partnering with The Shift Foundation again this year to deliver the programme which has seen past participants step into leadership within their organisations and make a tangible difference in their local communities.

Young Women’s Leadership Programme launched in 2021 and was informed by an identified gap (at the time) in leadership opportunities for young women, particularly in the sport, active recreation and wellbeing sectors. The programme was designed to address this gap, offering a safe and empowering environment for the participants to begin and build their leadership journey while strengthening their confidence, values and self-belief.

This year Women in Sport Aotearoa intend to select up to 20 participants, especially those living outside the main centres, with often fewer programmes. The programme begins online in late May, followed by three kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) weekend courses in June (Wellington), July (Christchurch) and September (Wellington), and interspersed with online meetings.

WISPA's Acting Chief Executive, Nicky van den Bos notes "we encourage mentors and leaders to actively support the young women coming through their organisations or within their communities to apply. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment to them, whether through a financial contribution towards their participation or assisting their application process.

“The programme is uniquely co-designed by participants, and we have seen many form lifelong friendships and step into leadership opportunities over the past two years. In 2023, we are excited to see more of these connections and opportunities to grow with a new cohort."

Hazel Yu (2022 Participant) shares "the programme has taught me so much more than what I would've learnt at school or university. It has taught me so much about myself and how others work. I don't think I've ever felt comfortable speaking in front of a group of around 25 people before.

“My leadership experience, for me, has always been observing how others lead and figuring out the type of leadership I would want to exercise if I ever got the opportunity to in the future. I've noticed in the past that popularity (eg. in terms of getting others to vote you into the role because you're pretty or outgoing), natural ability to lead and others using their leadership position to look down on people and think they're better than anyone else who aren't in their position, were qualities I found that summarised my observations of leadership in the past.

“Admittedly because that was my worldview on leadership, I was scared on going on this leadership programme because generally leadership programmes were, I thought, only for existing leaders only.

“I'm glad all the perceptions and worldviews I had were challenged and if I'd give you a key takeaway, it would be that ‘Everyone can be a leader; there are both loud and quiet leaders’."

Applications close on Wednesday, 26th April 2023.

For more information and to apply, click here. 

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