In a display of community collaboration and youth empowerment, Hurunui District Council and the Mayors' Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) recently hosted an Inspiring the Future event for local students from Cheviot Area School. This career exploration event illuminated career pathways available in the Hurunui region and demonstrated a replicable model for other communities eager to inspire their young people.
Sowing the seeds of inspiration
The genesis of this initiative was a desire within Hurunui Youth (a Hurunui District Council programme that supports young people) to expand the future horizons of local rangatahi (young people). Hosting an Inspiring the Future event was an aspiration for a few years, but it materialised after Anna Scott, Youth Connector at MTFJ and part of the Hurunui District Council’s Youth team, MCd an Inspiring the Future event in Christchurch and experienced the power of the programme first-hand. Anna and the Hurunui Youth team, supported by the Ministry of Education’s (MoE’s) regional secondary transitions advisor, then collaborated with the school to bring the event to fruition.
Sharon Marsh, Principal of Cheviot Area School, said the event emerged from a shared vision to expand students’ thinking about careers: “Inspiring the Future would open our students’ eyes to possibilities in other fields they may not have already thought of.” This perspective is vital in rural communities with limited exposure to diverse career options.
Local role models, varied journeys
On event day, approximately 80 students from Years 7 to 13 gathered to engage with eight volunteer role models from within the Hurunui community. The role models represented a diverse mix of professions, including a real estate agent, a flight attendant, a web designer, a council planner, a detective, an airport fire crew member, a boat welder and an engineer – illustrating the broad spectrum of employment possibilities available locally and nationally.
The role models incorporated hands-on elements, bringing specialist gear and tools to show the students. Sharon found this tactile approach especially effective: “Great for our rangatahi to get a feel (quite literally) of some of the protective gear and an idea of the skill needed with specialist equipment.”
Event design and student engagement
Following the standard Inspiring the Future structure, the event was interactive and engaging. Students first participated in the “20 questions” activity where they asked questions and tried to identify the professions of each role model. The two-person MC team orchestrated a lively flow between the guessing game and the job reveal, fostering enthusiastic participation.
Jo Sherwood, Youth Team Leader for Hurunui District Council and one of the event organisers, noted the dynamic impact of this segment: “The best part was probably the Q&A guessing the roles. The ‘reveal’ was super cool, and the discussion groups really valuable for those interested in those fields.” The format encouraged critical inquiry and sparked reflection among students about career aspirations.
Reflections and future horizons
Both organisers and educators celebrated the event as a resounding success. Sharon said there was a palpable buzz and excitement among the students, and added that the format was adaptable. She is keen to see future events grow in scope, potentially exploring themed or sector-specific sessions.
Jo echoed this sentiment, encouraging other councils and schools to embrace the programme: “Just do it! With all the resources downloadable, it is all there to go. The engagement from the students having completely new people in the room was very powerful. It is fun, short and thought provoking so well worth it.”
A model worth mirroring
This collaboration between Hurunui District Council, MTFJ, MoE and a local school exemplifies how communities can come together to expand young people’s awareness of career possibilities and empower them to envision futures.
For communities contemplating similar initiatives, the Hurunui example underscores several key ingredients for success:
- Partnerships and local leadership: Councils utilising central government programmes and support, to bring to a local school and inspire young people.
- Diverse role models rooted in community: Providing students with a connection to a range of local people and jobs.
- Interactive format: The guessing game, Q&A sessions and hands-on demonstrations foster active student participation throughout.
- Adaptability: The possibility of themed events for deeper industry insights.
For more information on how to bring Inspiring the Future to your community, email inspiringthefuture@tec.govt.nz.