Ākonga TRansformed

Environmental restoration is a whanau affair for Brooklyn. has won the Porirua Youth Award for Environmental and Community Action through her enterprise and leadership with one of the Papa Taiao Earthcare Aotea College groups.

She also won a Making it Happen grant from the Porirua District Council, a scholarship to attend Festival for the Future. She also attended the Society for Conservation Biology conference held at Victoria University.

Brooklyn is attending Victoria University and studying Science, Sustainability and Enterprise related courses.

Rawiri was part of the very successful Tasty Tio enterprise. Kaitiakitanga and tikanga Māori lay at the center of Rawiri’s approach.

Rawiri has a passion for the Moana and supporting his community. His work with Moana New Zealand

Allen was awarded the 2018 Trustpower Youth Community Spirit Award for his coordination of the Mitimiti pyura clearing event. Papa Taiao Earthcare introduced Allen to the issue of pyura smothering the kutai beds at Mitimiti. Allen organised a competition for the Mitimiti community to help him clear the invasive marine pest pyura (titi kuri) from the reefs. Now the kutai have returned to the reef and the local Marae will again have kutai on the menu.

”I just wanted to say thank you all so much for bringing the Young Enterprise Scheme to us at Kaitaia college. I’m now based in Hamilton and and I am starting a new business and taking over an existing business here.

”Today I was complimented by the bank managers who said my business plan and finances was one of the best they had ever seen from someone starting out in business. They said my plan was the best they had seen in a long long time from a young person. I’m only saying this as if it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t be here!

Saharalee won a place on the YES Enterprise in Action in Taranaki this year. From this event and the Papa Taiao mentoring she has turned into a motivated confident young leader. She also was supported to attend Te Wero Pakihi an enterprise programme delivered by MWDI. As the Chief Sustainability Officer she is the driving force behind the success of Hokianga Sustainable Fertiliser company. Papa Taiao has offered her work for 2019.

Davis has been a stand out for Papa Taiao Earthcare. He credits our support as the catalyst that has enabled him to establish his enterprise with his father. Davis’ and his father gained a cyanide licence to support Davis harvest fur. Between them they have dispatched around 30 000 possums.

Nina was the first Chief Sustainability Officer of any Papa Taiao Enterprise in 2016. Nina's passion is investigating ways in which business can be developed in recognition of environmental, cultural and social values. "You can save the oceans and make a living."

Her Papa Taiao team and student enterprise was called Rangaunu Pure Blue. The original aim of Rangaunu Pure Blue was to establish and fund a Youth led Trust through the income from oyster farming.

After losing a close friend to suicide Nina and her team decided that they wanted to increase opportunity for young people in Kaitaia.

Nina went on to win the people’s choice for New Zealand Herald’s young person of the year for her Youth Suicide preventions work with Mike King. She also won a place on the Enterprise in Action team that toured San Francisco.

Nina worked for Papa Taiao as a youth ambassador or tuakana and actively participated in the design our courses.