Brighter future just a haircut away

Penny Rodgers-Vallance of Masterton, will be travelling to the Philippines next month to participate in Schwarzkopf's Shaping Futures programme. PHOTO/EMILY NORMAN

A Masterton hairdresser will be passing on more than 30 years of salon experience to disadvantaged youths in the Philippines as part of Schwarzkopf's Shaping Futures programme.

Penny Rodgers-Vallance of Che Hairdressing Day Spa will travel to the City of Lipa in May to teach people from SOS Children's Village hairdressing.

She is one of six professionals selected from Australia and New Zealand for the programme which works with the non-profit organisation.

"As you become more experienced and you grow, you just want to give something back, and pass on your knowledge to someone," she said.

"Shaping Futures is a global initiative that works with SOS Villages which basically take in orphaned, abandoned and neglected children."

Mrs Rodgers-Vallance will be going for the final two weeks of a six-week block hairdressing course taught to 30 men and women from the villages.

The youngest student in this year's programme is 16 years old and the oldest is 41.

"At the end of it, it gives them enough skills to get a job sourced through Schwarzkopf Professional or they can even set up their own business," Mrs Rodgers-Vallance said.

"It just gives them the ability to look after themselves and gives them the prospect of a lasting future."

She said there would be no hot water where she would be staying but that "you wouldn't even worry about anything like that, I would hope".

"The lifestyle that we live is really so privileged compared to a lot of people.

"I'm just interested to see how something like this will help 30 kids and I really like the whole idea that I'm training my craft to someone else."

The students will be taught basic hairdressing skills, hygiene, cutting techniques, commercial styling and finishing, dressing techniques and colour techniques.