Watch: Our Le Ala workshop on Tagata Pasifika

Published 19 June 2023

We are thrilled to share the success of our recently concluded Le Ala – Navigating My Path Leadership workshop, a transformative initiative aimed at empowering young Māori and Pasifika individuals to become leaders in their communities.

We partnered with Le Va Pasifika and Ako Aotearoa to deliver a 5-week workshop that celebrated the unique identities of Māori and Pasifika disabled individuals, empowering them to embrace their strengths and cultural influences to become inspiring leaders within their communities.

The participants engaged in insightful discussions, hands-on activities and fostered meaningful connections with one another. During the workshops, our participants showed remarkable growth and demonstrated their commitment to making a difference in their communities.

"The workshop was about empowering disabled Pasifika and Māori youth to discover their unique leadership styles through lived experiences and authentic storytelling," said Jacinta Tevaga, a board member of Taikura Trust who attended some of the workshop sessions to support the participants.

"In Pasifika culture, for example, there exists a leadership hierarchy, and we want young disabled individuals to explore and define their own leadership paths while embracing their cultural influences in New Zealand.

"Leadership is about serving others, known as 'tautua.' Our goal is to support their leadership skills at various stages of life. It's truly gratifying to connect with participants during this pivotal stage of their leadership development."

The workshop was featured on Tagata Pasifika - watch the coverage and learn more about this empowering initiative.

ENDS