Celebrating a decade of inspiring youth

Celebrating a decade of inspiring youth in Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty

PRESS RELEASE: Wednesday 17 April 2013.

Secondary school principals, teachers, students, parents and local business and community leaders gathered in Tauranga last night to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Priority One’s Industry and Schools Education Partnership Programme. Priority One is the economic development organisation covering Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty.

Known as Instep, the programme harnesses the energy and expertise from local businesses to inspire secondary school students to make informed career choices. Instep’s goal is to see school communities fully understand future skill needs relevant to the community’s economic growth and prosperity, and to have a business community that is confident that secondary schools are preparing students with the skills they need now and into the future. The success of the Instep programme is recognised at a national level and other regions have adopted aspects of it to meet the needs of their respective communities.

Lyn Parlane, who has managed the Instep programme since its inception, believes there are three main reasons contributing to Instep achieving its 10 year milestone. First is a strong focus on collaboration and the building of sustainable relationships with its key stakeholders. Secondly, harnessing the passion and energy of people who believe young people are one of the most important assets for growth and prosperity. Thirdly, by being funded locally, Instep has been able to create a programme which is unique to the sub-region, is flexible and able to be adapted to meet changing needs over time.

Instep is funded by the 10 secondary schools located in the Western Bay of Plenty sub-region: Aquinas College, Bethlehem college, Katikati College, Mount Maunganui College, Otumoetai College, Tauranga Boys’ College, Tauranga Girls’ College, Te Puke High school, Te Wharekura o Mauao and Papamoa College. It is also the recipient of grants from a number of community trusts, including Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust, Bay of Plenty Education Trust, BayTrust, and the Lion Foundation. In addition, Instep receives significant in-kind support from local businesses that provide time and expertise to make the programme relevant to both business and students.

Instep Manager Lyn Parlane says “I want to thank all the people involved in Instep’s success over the last 10 years for their unwavering commitment and recognition that our young people are our future.”

To mark Instep’s 10th anniversary, a commemorative book providing inspiration learnings from local business and community leaders for students on leaving school and joining the workforce was presented to secondary schools. The book can be downloaded from www.priorityone.co.nz.

ENDS

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