Pacific Trust Otago Embarking On Transformative Youth Development Initiative

Media Release

Pacific Trust Otago (PTO) is set to implement a groundbreaking Strategy and Action Plan for Tangata Moana Youth in Ōtepoti. With support from Otago Community Trust of $425k, this three-year initiative aims to empower and support Pacific youth aged 16-24 but flexible to how community defines youth, with the ambitious goal of reaching 500 young people through comprehensive engagement and development programs.

The project will unfold in strategic phases, beginning with a comprehensive research and strategy development year. In the first year, PTO will engage with Tangata Moana youth through talanoa, to understand their needs, aspirations, and challenges. This youth-led approach will inform the creation of a targeted strategy and action plan, ensuring the initiative is deeply rooted in the community's actual experiences and desires.

During years two and three, the focus will shift to implementing the action plan developed in year one. Potential initiatives may include a series of workshops and events focused on addressing critical areas of youth development. These focus areas currently include mental wellbeing, expanding career opportunities, and exploring cultural arts programming. Additionally, organisational training has been flagged as a priority to ensure PTO is fully prepared to support youth development effectively. These concepts represent initial ideas that will be refined and potentially reshaped through the collaborative planning process in the first year.

This transformational vision goes beyond immediate youth support. It directly responds to the challenges faced by Pacific migrants and their descendants in Aotearoa. By bringing together youth, parents, grandparents, church, and community leaders, the project aims to strengthen Pacific languages, arts, music, spirituality, and indigenous knowledge.

Key objectives of the project include increasing pride in Pacific cultural identities that acknowledges and respects tangata whenua as indigenous people of Aotearoa, promoting positive mental wellbeing, improving intergenerational communication, strengthening community belonging, and inspiring youth through successful Pasifika role models. The initiative is not just a short-term intervention, but a strategic investment in creating sustainable pathways for Tangata Moana youth.

Fa’animo Elisara-Too (Nimo), Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Trust Otago said “Our youth are the stewards of our legacy, carrying forward the values of spirituality, culture, and purpose. Together, we invest in their journey, nurturing a generation empowered to honour our past while shaping their future filled with hope, resilience, and possibility.”