Leadership isn’t a Facebook status or a title to put before your name: it’s how you live your life. Rangatahi leader Nikki Kennedy (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga A Mahaki) has been mentored by Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon as part of the nationwide Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Rangatahi Leadership Programme and is now mentoring her own group of young Māori women.

“Leadership isn’t a status or title that you apply for: leadership is something you live out every day. Leadership is simply having a heart for people, serving, helping others and doing things that will bring positive change to the people and community around you.”

Te Puni Kōkiri has funded development of the programme that now sees 38 mayors and rangatahi taking part. Programme coordinator Marcus Akuhata Brown (Te Whānau O Tūwhakairiora, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu) says summits often highlight the vulnerability of young people and kōrero tends to focus on interventionist models, such as truancy programmes and anti-graffiti work.

“I really felt there was a missing conversation about celebrating young Māori who are making huge, positive contributions to their communities, whānau, marae, iwi: that conversation needed to be had,” says Marcus.

The programme invites communities to identify young Māori people aged between 18 and 20 who are already demonstrating the capacity to serve others. Rangatahi Leadership brings them together for leadership wānanga and links them with their local mayor for mentoring and community development experiences. Rangatahi participants also undertake a 100 hour community service project. The mayors wanted to take a long term, intergenerational approach by developing the leadership capacity of young Māori in their communities: the hope is they could in time become the key drivers of social and economic change in their towns.

When Dunedin Mayor David Cole officiated at the opening of the city’s brand new stadium last year he had two VIP guests: Prime Minister John Key and young Ngāi Tahu Rangatahi Leader, Waiariki Parata-Taiapa. Further north, New Plymouth Mayor Harry Duynhoven has praised young Taranaki leader, Te Waka McLeod who is also Ngāti Mutunga’s development adviser. Otorohanga Mayor Dale Williams says taking part in the programme had left him both richly rewarded and deeply moved by the young people he worked with.

“I have nothing but respect and admiration for their generosity and willingness to represent their rohe. Rangatahi Leadership is a unique and very exciting project: our communities are strong and young people are leading the way.”