Making girls into leaders

Massey University's Dr Farah Palmer, left, with Taradale High School students Corra Quinn and Kaya Shlomi, who presented their idea to hold an adventure race for intermediate and primary school students at a youth leadership programme. Photo / Supplied

A new programme is helping turn young ladies into leaders.

Four Taradale High School students are part of a workshop series aimed at flipping gender inequality on its head.

Massey University management professor Sarah Leberman has researched the topic and felt it was important to nurture confidence in women from a young age.

Year 12 students have met at Massey's Manawatu campus twice this year to build networks and work on leadership skills.

Most of the young women did not see themselves as role models before taking part.

"Traditionally, the people who are identified as leaders in school environments are those who are confident and get noticed - the prefects, head girls and sports team captains," Professor Leberman says.

"I think we lose a lot of potential leaders because we don't nurture the more naturally quiet students or those who don't quite fit in that box."

Right now, groups are working to deliver a project that makes a difference to their community.

Taradale pupils Corra Quinn and Kaya Shlomi presented their idea to the forum in July - they will put plans into action later this month for an Adventure Race aimed at bringing kids from local primary and intermediate schools out of their comfort zones.

It's hoped by doing so they will prepare them to step into a secondary school environment.

Ms Quinn said, "Taradale High is really big on adventure racing. We thought we would plan something for younger students - we had to come up with concepts and we had to get sponsors."

They will select schools throughout the region to get people signed up, then organise a half-day adventure.

"We will have two courses - one will be easier for the younger ones and a harder one for older kids to give them a feel for what it's like".

Former Black Ferns captain and senior lecturer Dr Farah Palmer ran the Manawatu campus workshop and was excited to see how newfound knowledge would translate.

"The project will really let the young women see where their strengths lie and how a team can work together to achieve something. When they reflect on what they have learned there will be Eureka moments where they will think, 'I'm good at this'.

"It's about triggering belief and opening their minds to the full scope of leadership possibilities - everyone can learn to be a leader in their own way. If we can build the confidence of these young women, we can increase the pool of female leaders out there."

Professor Leberman said an all-female course encouraged openness and helped close the confidence gap between sexes.

"When women go out into the workplace they get paid less and there are challenges that men do not seem to face," she added.