Rotorua students excited to be ambassadors of programme empowering girls through sports

(From left) Rotorua Lakes High School students Sadie Stewart, 15, Lauren Thompson, 16, Sara O'Driscoll, 16, Lia Sinisa, 15, Stevie Lockwood, 14, and Lilli Warren, 13, are part of the Forward Foundation Ambassador programme. Photo / Andrew Warner

Developing leadership skills and empowering girls in a sporting environment are just a couple of the focus points in a programme that eight Rotorua students are excited to be getting stuck into.

These eight local students have been accepted to be part of the Forward Foundation’s Ambassador programme this year.

Six students are from Rotorua Lakes High School - Lilli Warren, 13, Stevie Lockwood, 14, Lia Sinisa, 15, Sara O’Driscoll, 16, Lauren Thompson, 16, and Sadie Stewart, 15 - along with Western Heights High School’s Sakura Forrester, 14, and John Paul College’s Alannah Neilson.

Forward Foundation is a New Zealand registered charity, founded in 2012.

Its mission is to assist young females by creating development and leadership opportunities in a sporting environment. Its programmes are designed to increase participation, leadership and education levels of girls involved in or by involving them in sport and recreation.

The ambassador programme has three components for the girls to work a specific number of hours towards.

This includes their active participation in a physical activity/sport, service to the (physical activity) community such as volunteering at sporting/recreational events or helping with school holiday activity programme, and personal growth.

Incorporating these components, the girls are tasked with determining a project to encourage and increase girls to be physically active. This could include setting up a new team or activity within their school or community.

There are three levels to the ambassador programme, with hours to work towards increasing for each level.

In addition, the ambassadors attend two conferences in Christchurch, connecting with other ambassadors, learning new skills and developing their leadership capability.

The Rotorua Lakes High School students said there had been plenty happening at the first conference in Christchurch, such as speakers, learning first aid, games, goal setting and learning mental resilience around sports.

They all felt happy and honoured to be part of the programme, and said it had been great to meet new people from around New Zealand.

Between them, the Rotorua Lakes High School students are involved in a range of sports, including hockey, rowing, waka ama, gymnastics, netball, volleyball and cricket.

Sara and Lauren say it is a great programme because it is about encouraging young people to get out there and be active, along with growing leadership skills.

“It’s important because a lot of girls, especially around the age of 15, drop sport because they don’t feel comfortable. It is important to make an environment that feels comfortable and safe.”

With the next conference coming up in July in Christchurch, the students are looking forward to seeing other ambassadors again - “It’s a great opportunity to share ideas, develop leadership skills and empower other girls.”

They are also looking for funding help for the trip, and would love to hear from anyone keen to support them.

As part of the programme within their school community, the Rotorua Lakes High School students are considering setting up ‘give-it-a-go’ roller skating back in the school gym. This was held last year and everyone loved it, they said.

Western Heights High School student and triathlete Sakura Forrester says she found out about the Forward Foundation through Facebook.

“It seemed like a really great opportunity and way to meet people who are passionate in the same things I’m passionate about.”

She says she was an ambassador last year as well, so has now moved up a level.

Western Heights High School's Sakura Forrester, 14, during a triathlon event. Photo / Supplied

Sakura says she is in the process of trying to get a club started up at the school for students who are not necessarily wanting to get into sports but are still trying to be active. For the community service section of the programme, she is volunteering at a lot of events such as running races.

She says physical activity is important for everyone, and she wants to put out there that women are just as good as men, and can do sport just as well.

While she did not attend the first conference in Christchurch for 2023, she has been along previously, and says she really enjoyed getting together with all the girls, talking about their passions and goals.

“It’s a really fun and friendly vibe. I also really like the guest speakers, they really have something to say and I think what they have to say is important.”