Justine Noouapu Irai Ringiao is a Registered Nurse working in Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for Taunaki, Counties Manukau Health NZ. She is of Cook Islands descent.
Justine’s leadership legacy
I am a voice for the voiceless
I see my people fighting for their reo and becoming confident in who they truly are
I hear the laughter and light my people bring to difficult situations
I try to break the chains of generational trauma for my tamariki and their tamariki
My values are respect, love, empathy and honesty
My hope is for the next generation to rise with confidence, rooted in their culture
I will commit to fighting for what is right
I am a voice for the voiceless
My hope is for the next generation to rise with confidence, rooted in their culture and having a fire burn within them to speak up for the change they want to see.”
Going down the pathway of leadership has always been something that I have been interested in, however, self doubt always followed this ambition. I applied for Le Tautua in hopes that this programme would help me build confidence in my own identity. I was encouraged by my team lead who had shared that she sees leadership qualities in me.
To me, Pasifika leadership means being brave and bold enough to speak in places where Pasifika feel they do not have a voice. It is being open minded and always willing to learn new things, especially when it is for the benefit of our people. Pasifika leadership is having a serving heart and knowing, no matter the role, serving others should always be at the forefront of our hearts.
The most valuable thing I learned during Le Tautua was always staying true to my own values and beliefs. I have been in many situations that have made me question my core values, but they are what drive me to fight for change for my people, for myself and for my family.
Le Tautua sparked a new fire within me to speak in areas where I would not normally speak. For example, speaking up more in multidisciplinary meetings and advocating for service users and their aiga when it feels their voices may be missed.
Le Tatutua has helped me to have more confidence to share my ideas within a team setting and has challenged me to step into a leadership role such as Clinical Team Coordinator.
I am a strong believer in putting time aside for self care. As Pasifika, we can easily get so caught up in pouring into other peoples cups, that we neglect our own. I put intentional time aside at least once a month to have a few hours on my own to do something I enjoy. It may sound selfish to some, but we cannot support others in their own wellbeing if we do not look after our own first.
I have taken away so much knowledge and wisdom from Le Tautua. A couple things I have incorporated into my work space and personal life are planning ahead with my family, having our own personal goals and agreeing to take that step and just make a start, rather than our goals just being dreams in the distance.
To anyone thinking of applying for Le Tautua, I would say “Just do it.” Whether we see leadership in our future or not, simply being Pasifika and holding the values and beliefs that we do, that in itself sparks change. If we don’t take that step to enhance our learning, our knowledge and our wisdom, then who else will? Just take the leap of faith and apply!
