Inspiring the Next Generation - ASB Leadership Connect Programme

At RWR Health recruitment, we have always been and will continue to be advocates for mental health and wellness. Whether it's advocating for benefits like additional leave days or finding a new team member to alleviate your workload, we prioritize supporting mental health. So when Youthline reached out and asked us to take part in their ASB Leadership Connect Programme, it was a no-brainer.

The student-led leadership programme is currently in its pilot stage, running across five Tāmaki Makaurau schools, and will be rolled out across New Zealand come 2024. It aims to help rangatahi tackle the problem of youth mental health issues head-on. The programme is all about teaching youth how to support each other and reach out when needed, while also giving them access to valuable resources and opportunities.

This incredible initiative is revolutionary in its approach as it’s been designed hand-in-hand with young people and has undergone rigorous peer review. It's all about putting the youth at the centre - they have actively contributed since the very beginning, working closely with Youthline and ASB to shape the program. Their involvement from day one has created a strong sense of ownership and dedication.

Catering for Year 12 and 13 students, this program provided the students an opportunity to request guest speakers to cover anything they felt important, and the biggest request was having a recruitment provider come in to help answer any questions or concerns they had to navigate entering the workforce.

RWR Health has been a recruitment partner with Youthline since 2020 and because of this standing relationship, we were invited to showcase hints, tips, and tricks to stand out when applying for work. We spoke about our own personal career journey but gave practical advice on the future of entering the job market such as psychometric testing and online social media presence. We love the work that Youthline are doing and the impact they make, which is why we jumped on this opportunity to engage with our local community alongside one of our favourite partners.

Robbie McKenzie (RWR Health) and Danielle Dunn (Hospoworld and Retailworld) have spent the last few weeks sharing their comprehensive presentation to inspire and inform at each of the five schools.

Danielle, Director of Retailworld Auckland and Hospoworld Auckland & South Island expressed her honour and enthusiasm about being involved with Youthline. “The opportunity to be involved with Youthline was an honour, I love what I do as I love to positively influence our RWR teams, clients and candidates but it was something special to be in a position to influence and give back to the wider community and especially our rangatahi. I think the world is changing and societal norms are becoming a thing of the past, however, there are still many expectations that we hold over our young people when it comes to their career paths after school. It was great to have the opportunity to discuss my non-linear path to my current success and showcase what the retail and hospitality industry has to offer, either straight from school, after study or later in life for a potential career change.”, Danielle said, reflecting on the experience, “In a few year's time when our current year 11 and year 12 students have left school, there will be jobs, career paths and industries that do not currently exist - that is exciting and so being able to remind the young ones that following your heart and passion can lead you much further was refreshing for me and hopefully impactful for them.”

We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have been invited to share our knowledge and contribute to the well-being of youth throughout Aotearoa. Take a look at some of the snaps over on our LinkedIn!

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