‘Let’s stay active’: Pacific leader encourages youth to not get ‘idle’ over holidays

As high school students settle into their summer break from school and sports, a Pacific youth coordinator is encouraging young people to use the time to develop themselves further.

Barney Wikitera-Smith coordinates the Maka Leadership youth programme which aims to uplift young Māori and Pacific men in West Auckland.

He says school holidays are a good time for kids to build on skills missed during the year.

“It’s a prime time for all those soft skills to be encouraged, skills development, finding out what you’re passionate about, working on your interpersonal skills."

Wikitera-Smith says that bonding time with family and friends during the off-season can also help.

“Those bonding opportunities can be very powerful. I tell them that this is a break time, let’s look at those soft skills; interpersonal skills, cultural capital building with your families.”

He adds that building those skills can also influence a greater wellbeing that will benefit young people going into the new year.

“If we can build that up over this time, when they do enter back into sport in 2024, they’re equipped with skills necessary for team sports especially, then next year 2024 will look powerful.

“You’ll have a well-rounded, holistic athlete that’s gonna be powerful not only on the field, in the gym or any sport. Though it can be stressful, it’s an opportunity to build on those things that you wouldn’t have during the year.”

Maka Leadership kids at City Kickboxing. Photo/Aleyna Martinez

Young people part of the Maka Leadership programme had communicated to Barney that they wanted to spend the holidays doing something meaningful.

“The boys didn’t want to have idle time. They’re always like ‘Barns' when is the holiday programme, ‘when’s Maka starting’.

“They’re passionate and willing to do something, and that’s a reflection of our young people not wanting to be static. Young people like gathering with other young people, the power of fellowship can come from that.”

He adds that Covid became a reminder for young people to make the most of every opportunity.

“Just like Covid taught us, our young people missed those opportunities to connect. We gotta be mindful for those acute disconnections where they can’t gather together.

“So that’s their message to us, let's connect, let’s keep active, I don’t want to sit with myself, I want to be together with other like minded people.”