An initiative in Southland is changing the lives of disadvantaged youth across the community — and it wants to do more.
Te Rourou One Aotearoa Foundation is calling on young people from Invercargill and Bluff to apply for the Antony Welton Fellowship, which provides $10,000 for a young person to help them achieve their goals and vision of the future.
Te Rourou developmental evaluator Sharon Reece said this was the fourth year of the fellowship.
Bailey Ives, Sydney Bristow-Kennedy and Izzy Simeon were the winners of the 2021, 2022 and 2023’s grant, respectively.
"I think the most important thing about it is that all of the young people that have come through were always going to do amazing things.
"They had their goals set out in front of them and the only thing that we did was give them a boost towards that goal."
Ms Reece said the grant was to support those people in any way they feel it was important.
From paying for childcare or transport for work to continuing their studies, the grant was pretty open to support the real needs of the youth.
"It's just this small thing that we're able to do for one young person, but the knock-on effects of that are huge.
"It's these little things that just enable them to have a bit more freedom in their lives, so that way they could succeed with their goals because we know that if there's not a village around you, it's really hard on you."
This year the fellowship was focused on young people who have a hard time in education.
Ms Reece said too many young people were dropping out of the school system as there were many barriers in their way.
"We know that when it comes to education, the disadvantages can have a role in effect on future pathways and employment.
"If a young person who's in the education system, but feels it doesn't quite work for them for some reason or another or they've had to leave school or they're at risk of dropping out of school early ... if this fellowship can help them find a new pathway or keep them in education because it stops the barriers that stop them from going to school then that's what we want to see happen."
Applications are open until September 20 through Te Rourou One Aotearoa Foundation website.
