Aspiring Leaders Forum Nominations
Aspiring Leaders Forum 2025
Each year Aspiring Leaders’ Forum on faith and values (ALF) brings together a diverse, gifted and courageous group of young people and its leaders to discuss leadership from a narrative point of view. All young adults that attend Forum have been nominated by someone who believes in them and are aged between 18 – 26 years old. ALF is about encouraging young people to become better leaders in their sphere of influence – be it community, arts, business, politics or sport.
Over four days in Wellington participants will discuss why faith and values are foundational, by informing and developing one’s character and one’s leadership.
Programme
Highlights include:
- A day spent in Parliament House
- Keynote addresses from senior politicians
- Keynote addresses from inspiring leaders of varying societal spheres
- Small group discussions
- A community service project
- A sports afternoon and an epic barn dance
To view the full programme, please go to aspiringleaders.org.nz
What is the Aspiring Leaders Forum like?
Sarah Harding 2024
From the 29th of August to the 1st of September, I had the privilege of attending the Aspiring Leaders Forum in Wellington. The forum assembled a diverse group of emerging leaders from across the country, offering a range of activities, including inspirational talks, networking opportunities, personal storytelling, and community service. One of our key activities involved addressing three reflective questions in small groups: "What is my story?", "What do I value?", and "Why am I here?" The forum provided a platform for deep reflection and learning, resulting in several key takeaways.
A predominant theme throughout the forum was the focus on people in leadership. This theme resonated with the whakatūāki he aha te mea nui i te ao?—"What is the most important thing in the world?" He tangata, he tangata, he tangata—"It is the people, it is the people, it is the people,"—emphasizes the centrality of people in effective leadership. This aligns closely with the principles of servant leadership, which prioritize the well-being and growth of individuals within a community. Carmel Sepuloni further reinforced this idea by saying ‘an important part of leadership is collective aspiration, and collective aspiration is not just about doing things for ourselves but it's about doing it for our whanau (family) and our communities.’ This encourages a shift towards a more inclusive, community-focused approach to leadership.
Another key lesson was overcoming Tall Poppy Syndrome. Tall poppy syndrome is the tendency to undermine those who stand out or achieve success. Jay from E Tū Tāngata made a powerful point: ‘we are creating a generation where we put each other down and we feel we have to compete with one another.’ He suggested that instead, we should adopt a mindset where success is shared: "If I lose, you lose; if you win, I win." This approach aligns closely with the principles of servant leadership, which emphasize the importance of supporting and uplifting others rather than competing against them. As servant leaders, our role is to celebrate each other's achievements and foster a supportive, cohesive team environment, ensuring that everyone can thrive and succeed together. This mindset not only counters Tall Poppy Syndrome but also cultivates a culture of mutual respect and collaboration, reinforcing the idea that leadership is about serving and empowering those around us.
Another significant takeaway was the perspective on failure. Many speakers shared their personal experiences of overcoming challenges and how these experiences contributed to their development as leaders. David Letele, known as the Brown Butter Bean, emphasized that "greatness comes from struggle," reminding us that failure is an inherent part of life and growth. Similarly, Nicky from E Tū Tāngata highlighted that "failure doesn’t define you; it’s how we respond to failure that truly matters." Embracing failure as a learning opportunity is crucial for effective leadership.
The Aspiring Leaders Forum well in truly exceeded my expectations and it has taught me that there is no secret formula to leadership. It’s about understanding who you are, what you value, and the kind of leader you want to be. Leadership isn’t just a position or title; it’s a position of the heart.
Lastly, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who made my participation in this forum possible: the Waitaki District Council and the Otago Community Trust for their generous funding; Sport Otago for allowing me the time to participate; and all the forum organizers.
Nakita Macrae 2024
Hi I'm Nakita Macrae, I'm a proud Oamarvian, born and raised and now raising my own 2 here- I attended Waitaki girls high school and studied Beauty Therapy in Ara and Meat Inspection at Asure Quality now working as a property manager at Harcourts.
I was lucky enough to be sponsored by the Waitaki district council and Otago community trust to attend this year's aspiring leaders' forum in Wellington.
This forum was unlike anything I've experienced, I went in with an open mind unsure what to expect and left with a wealth of knowledge, inspiration and new likeminded connections.
I wasn't really sure if I was the right person and it was most definitely out of my comfort zone. But the start of the year when I was setting work goals - goal number 3 was to take all opportunities that would be of benefit even if it made me uncomfortable.
It's left me thinking: what's my gift? what's my desire? The world won't stop you; you will stop yourself. Wisdom comes from experience and success comes from struggle and to get through struggle you must have resilience. I am sticking to my number 1 priority, and I will make changes for the better. You only have 1 opportunity at life don't resent yourself for not talking the opportunities offered to you.
Carmel Sepuloni said to us and spoke to my heart "as a reminder of what leadership is I believe in collective aspiration. And not only doing things for us but doing things for our families and communities and the good of others. Service to others is always important and our intentions for why we are doing things is something that we need to continue to check" I came back from forum with what felt like a full brain of knowledge and power knowing I had to use everything I've learnt into place to achieve some personal goals and career goals.
Number 1: Treat everyone with Value. Tell them you have value, compliment them, acknowledge others success and tell people about your success.
Number 2: a good leader is a servant leader, if you wouldn't do it yourself don't make someone else do it. help each other by working towards the same goals it's a collaboration, And put others before yourself. Remember to create meaningful change.
Number 3: Ask more questions, why did you choose this path? What is important to you? Where did you find this passion? It's amazing what people will tell you and then what you can learn from people is incredible.
A big thank you to Councilor Courtney Linwood for reaching out to me and encouraging me to apply and thank you to the Waitaki district council and Otago community trust for sponsoring me as well as Leanne Kingan for organising everything for us.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Aspiring Leaders Forum sponsorship, you must:
- Be aged between 18 - 26
- Be able to demonstrate strong leadership potential in your sphere of influence
- Be able to discuss leadership from a personal perspective
- Be living in the Waitaki District
- Be a New Zealand Citizen or Permanent Resident
How to Apply
To apply, please fill in the application form below by 20 May 2025.