Le Va’s Youth Advisory Group came together at the end of July to talanoa about youth engagement on social media, putting together a plan to highlight International Youth Day on 12 August.
One of the key insights from our youth survey at Polyfest 2024 earlier this year was that our Pasifika young people often turn to social media to seek wellbeing support.
Instagram and TikTok were the top two platforms, receiving more votes than services like church, youth groups or face-to-face counselling.
As a result, the Youth Advisory Group (YAG) with support from Le Va’s Niu Wave team formulated a plan to relaunch Le Va’s TikTok account with some fun content to appeal to their peers.
In the countdown to International Youth Day, they worked together to bring their ideas to life, filming ‘get ready with me’ videos to share a snapshot of their daily lives.
International Youth Day 2024 arrived and the team launched a video they had filmed and edited themselves, in celebration of youth and talking about the legacy they want to leave behind.
Niu Wave project manager, Sonia Pope, said, “It was great for Le Va to see how our young people valued this collaboration and how they wanted to exercise their youth voice.
“It is important for us to celebrate young people and to continue collaborating with our YAG on Le Va initiatives. With their help, we can ensure we continue to connect with our young people in the digital spaces they occupy.”
At Le Va we are grateful to benefit from the advice of our dedicated Youth Advisory Group, and are excited to see the impact of their creative ideas in making our online presence even more vibrant and engaging.
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Check out our TikTok channel to get to know our YAG members!
Le Va’s Niu Wave programme was created and designed for Pasifika students to go through a journey that will teach them how to take care of their overall wellbeing as they study.
Our Niu Wave team leads the youth wellbeing programme for all recipients of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ Toloa Secondary School Scholarships.
In May, the team kicked off the programme with their first online meeting of the year for the 2024 Toloa cohort.
The information session was a chance for students to connect with Le Va, meet the Niu Wave team and learn about our partnership with the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
As part of the Niu Wave programme, students will learn about topics like cultural identity, mental health, respectful relationships, spirituality and leadership.
Each student will be matched with a Niu Wave mentor who will guide them through the programme, answer questions and address any concerns.
Wellbeing workshops held throughout the year are designed to enhance students’ overall wellbeing and facilitate their learning.
This is all delivered within a village-style setting, where students will meet other Pasifika youth from their region and join a digital village chat group online.
Congratulations to all the successful 2024 Toloa students – exciting times are ahead for you all and we are so happy to be part of your Niu Wave wellbeing journey!
One of the most impactful workshops for me was the leadership workshop, which brought to my mind the countless ways our Pasifika people are already leaders. The way we serve each other and our communities coming from the strong values of reciprocity that we hold in our hearts – Jessica Tupai
In celebration of the 300 high school and tertiary students who completed the year-long 2023 Niu Wave programme, Le Va recently held graduation ceremonies in Auckland, Christchurch, Palmerston North and Wellington.
Jessica Tupai spoke eloquently at the Wellington graduation event, saying, “One of the most impactful workshops for me was the leadership workshop, which brought to my mind the countless ways our Pasifika people are already leaders. The way we serve each other and our communities coming from the strong values of reciprocity that we hold in our hearts.”
Over the course of the year, Pasifika students from across Aotearoa embraced their wellbeing journey alongside their peers, tackling topics like respectful relationships, mental health and the importance of their Pasifika cultural identity.
Year 13 Niu Wave graduate, Tonga Tauataina Helu, said of his two-year involvement with the programme, “Niu Wave for me personally has had a really big impact on my outlook on life and my wellbeing… [It] helped me to build my confidence and to be proud of who I am as a Tongan descendant. It didn’t matter what country you were from or how much percentage of Pasifika you were, the Niu Wave programme welcomed us with open arms and brought us together.”
All Niu Wave participants are recipients of the Toloa Scholarship, which is funded by the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) and supports students focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, or STEAM.
Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, Secretary for Pacific Peoples at MPP, said that pursuing STEAM opens a world of possibilities for young Pacific people. She added, “Pacific people have been underrepresented in the STEAM fields for a long time and the Ministry – along with the likes of Le Va – are working hard to change this scenario.”
Le Va wishes every success to the 2023 Niu Wave graduates and their aiga for their future journeys in these exciting fields.
We know school responsibilities are one of the top stressors that contribute to worsening mental health.
– Denise Kingi-Uluave
The Toloa Secondary School Scholarships programme supports Pasifika youth to further their studies and careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths).
Chief Executive of Le Va, Denise Kingi-Uluave, says this first of its kind partnership between MPP and Le Va is a great recognition of the important role positive mental health and wellbeing plays in the academic and career trajectory of a young person.
“We know school responsibilities are one of the top stressors that contribute to worsening mental health,” Denise says.
“With a dedicated approach to nurture the wellbeing of our young people, our Pasifika youth are more likely to reach their full potential.”
Continuing to build on the importance of resilience, Le Va’s Niu Wave is a holistic programme to support young people’s wellbeing.
Le Va, a not-for-profit Pasifika-led mental health and wellbeing organisation, will work alongside students, schools and families to build connected, resilient and well-supported villages of young Pasifika people across Aotearoa.
Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Aupito William Sio says getting more Pacific people engaged in education is critical for the sake of achieving a thriving and prosperous Pacific Aotearoa.
“This will build our rising Generation 6Bs – of Brown, Brainy, Beautiful, Bi-cultural, Bilingual and Bold Pacific students,” Minister Sio says.
“I celebrate Le Va’s efforts in building resilience and wellbeing.”
Le Va’s Niu Wave for the Toloa recipients will be launched in March 2022.
Read more about Le Va youth programmes here: https://www.leva.co.nz/youth/
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About Le Va
Le Va supports New Zealand communities to have improved health and social outcomes and is highly regarded throughout the health sector with a proven track record of success within mental health and addiction, disability, workforce development, public health, violence prevention and suicide prevention.
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