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Regional

The elders lead by example, the young ones follow

Volunteer week has kicked off and it is all about putting your hand and helping out where you can.  That's definitely the case for the First Foundation where more than 250 mentors nationwide are paired with a student as a part of their scholarship program. 

It's a tuakana-teina strategy.  The elders lead by example, the young ones follow.

The two-year program focuses on making the transition phase of the student- from their last year of school into their first year of university- as easy as possible. 

Jennifer Sarich, who is a part-time flight attendant with Air New Zealand and who is also studying in Psychology and Sociology, is mentoring Maasi Heka, who is in her first year at AUT studying in psychology.

Sarich understands how lonely and challenging university study can be for Māori and Pasifika students.

"University can be quite individualistic which goes against basic values for Māori and Pacific [peoples], so having people that they can reach on and having the tuakana-teina is quite beneficial."

Heka saw the value in the support and reached out.

"This was only one opportunity that came along, I knew if I didn't take the opportunity it wouldn't come again.  Without First Foundation I probably wouldn't be in the position I am now, without the help of my mentors," she says.

The students get support from 250 mentors helping them with their aspirations.  The organisation mainly looks at giving opportunities to Māori and Pasifika with 44% of those supported being of Pasifika decent and 30% being Māori.

Sarich explains the uneven playing field of opportunities that Māori and Pasifika students navigate compared to others.

"A lot of people who come from lower decile schools, a lot of people who are Māori and Pacific are under-represented in university," she says.

Heka plans to become a high school counsellor after her studies, "I've noticed there's a lack of high school counsellors and I just feel like I should be that support system for high school students as mental health is an important aspect within the New Zealand community, especially in youth." 

Heka will be one of many students who graduates the scholarship program at the end of this year.  She is now preparing for her exams.