At WAYFYNDERS, our young people are stepping up to lead, learn, and create real impact. From mentoring in schools to organising youth events and community projects, our initiatives provide hands-on experiences that develop confidence, skills, and pathways for the future. Explore these case studies to see our work in action.
WAYFYNDERS Agency leads and co-designs youth initiatives while connecting rangatahi into learning and earning pathways through the Academy and Workforce.
Through Agency, young people gain real experience in leadership, collaboration, and community development.
Projects & Initiatives
Purpose: Supporting attendance, engagement, and wellbeing in local schools.
Year: 2023-2024
WAYFYNDERS began working with Year 7/8 students at local primary schools to improve attendance and engagement. Initially, a small team of four mentors paired with individual students at Glen Taylor School, helping them build meaningful relationships while supporting their wellbeing.
The programme quickly showed impact: mentees’ attendance improved significantly, and their confidence and engagement at school increased. Over time, the programme expanded, with more mentors supporting a greater number of students, including at Point England School.
Some highlights from the programme:
One student increased attendance from 70% to 89% and became more active in the rugby team.
Another went from 44% to 89% attendance and developed a positive attitude toward learning.
One mentee achieved 100% attendance with ongoing support from their mentor.
This programme demonstrates the power of peer mentoring, consistency, and support in helping young people thrive in school and beyond.
Purpose: Creating safe, fun spaces for young people to connect
Date: 2023
WAYFYNDERS hosts weekly Youth Nights at Tātou (now WAYFYNDERS East) in Glen Innes in partnership with Soulfood & Friends. The aim is to provide a welcoming, safe space where young people aged 14–24 can connect, socialize, and enjoy activities.
Every Friday night, attendees can enjoy:
Youth Nights are not just fun—they offer a consistent space for young people to feel supported, meet peers, and develop social skills, all in a community-focused environment.
Purpose: Mapping and connecting youth opportunities across Tāmaki
Date: 2023
This project focused on creating a digital platform to capture youth-related events, programmes, and experiences across the Tāmaki community. WAYFYNDERS youth, Sunipa and Lily-Esmay, led the project, visiting local youth providers and collecting data to centralize community information.
The result is a tool that helps young people and community organisations connect, ensuring events and opportunities are accessible and well-publicized. Beyond the technical outcome, the project provided hands-on experience for the youth in research, community engagement, and collaboration.
Purpose: Empowering young people to discover their purpose and potential
Date: 23 August 2023
WAYFYNDERS hosted the Shape Your Destiny Youth Conference at Te Oro, facilitated by Darren Pereira. The day was full of inspiration, workshops, music, and interactive exercises designed to help young people identify their strengths, talents, and career pathways.
Key highlights included:
Personality and career pathway exercises to help participants understand themselves and future opportunities.
Trust-building activities to develop confidence and overcome personal obstacles.
Engaging workshops that emphasized purpose, resilience, and leadership.
Participant reflections:
The conference provided both inspiration and practical guidance, leaving participants with tangible tools to navigate their personal and professional futures.
Purpose: Leadership and innovation experiences beyond the local community
Date: June 2023
WAYFYNDERS Executive Committee members attended the Festival of the Future at Tākina Events Centre in Wellington. This two-night leadership and innovation summit gave youth exposure to national and international ideas, workshops, and networking opportunities.
Highlights included:
The trip was transformative, broadening perspectives, inspiring innovation, and connecting youth to ideas and opportunities beyond their local community.
