In March, 33 rangatahi from across Te Tai Tokerau travelled to Auckland for a leadership experience with the Blues Charitable Trust, covering leadership, resilience, wellbeing, communication and future careers. The three day experience gave the group a chance to step outside their usual environment, meet new people and think more deeply about their own strengths. The programme forms part of Rugby For Life's wider programmes, which supports rangatahi to build confidence, leadership and life skills through rugby and community.
Before the group returned home, the BCT team committed to continuing the relationship and travelling north to reconnect with the rangatahi later in the year. On 2 September, that promise became a reality when Rob, Rosey and Harrison from the Blues Charitable Trust travelled to Northland Rugby for a follow up leadership session with 20 of the original participants. With some rangatahi travelling from as far as Te Kao to attend, the day gave everyone a chance to reflect on the progress made since March and pick up those conversations again.
The March workshops gave participants skills they could apply as they continued through school, work and life. The September session gave the group a chance to revisit those ideas six months on, once they had time to reflect on Auckland and start making decisions about their own futures.
Seeing Rob, Rosey and Harrison again gave rangatahi a chance to ask questions, talk through what had changed since March and keep building their own sense of what leadership looks like in their lives.
This approach reflects the wider work of the Blues Charitable Trust, which focuses on helping rangatahi develop leadership, wellbeing and career readiness, while building connections between school, community and future employment.
A key outcome from the follow up session was the chance for every participant to receive a personalised Leadership and Career Profile prepared by the Blues Charitable Trust. Each profile brings together information about the individual's personality, communication style, leadership strengths, values and career aspirations, giving a more personal and practical reflection of who they are and where they may want to go.
Having something tangible to take away from the programme gives them a resource they can continue to use well beyond the day itself. Whether they are considering subject choices, further education, employment or other options, understanding their own strengths and values can help them make decisions with greater confidence and direction. Career readiness is also part of the Blues Charitable Trust's work supporting young people into employment.
This individual focus is an important part of the wider leadership journey. While March brought the group together to learn and develop collectively, the profiles recognise that each person has their own strengths, interests and aspirations.
The day also included a panel Q&A, giving rangatahi the chance to hear directly from people with a range of professional and personal experience. The panel brought together representatives from business, logistics, education and rugby, sharing different career paths and the challenges and lessons that came with each one.
Rugby For Life would like to thank Brent Molineaux from Northland Waste, Chris Carmichael, Zac Bean and Connor Mackie from Mainfreight, Brooke Kapa, Personal Development Manager at the Blues, Brett Williamson, Academy and Pathways Manager at Northland Rugby, and Emma Rankin from NorthTec for giving their time and sharing their experiences with the group.
Hearing directly from people working in different industries can be particularly valuable for young people still considering what their future might look like. The panel demonstrated that there is no single path to a successful career, while reinforcing the importance of qualities such as resilience, commitment, relationships and a willingness to learn along the way.
Following the workshop, the day moved back into the rugby environment, with everyone watching the Taniwha train, taking photographs with the Ranfurly Shield and sharing a kai with the players. For many of the students, and their parents, getting up close to the players and the shield was a memorable part of the day and a reminder of what a connection to rugby can open up for young people.
This is an important part of what Rugby For Life seeks to create. Rugby is a familiar and powerful way of bringing young people together, and what it creates for them extends well beyond the field, with leadership development, career conversations, mentoring and wellbeing all part of a broader experience that helps young people recognise their potential and consider what they might achieve.
This closely aligns with Rugby For Life's broader focus on creating positive health, education and employment pathways for rugby communities. The organisation's Youth Leadership Programme specifically supports clubs to build strong relationships between young people, their communities and wider networks, with partnerships such as the Blues Charitable Trust helping create more days like this one.
Rugby For Life extends its thanks to Northland Rugby Union for providing the venue and supporting the session, and to Caterfresh for the catering, which was well received throughout the day.
The September visit is another step in the ongoing partnership between Rugby For Life and the Blues Charitable Trust. What began with the March leadership experience has continued through a commitment to reconnect with rangatahi, provide practical support and help them explore what comes next.
For Rugby For Life, this is about building relationships that develop over time, giving rangatahi consistent support as they grow, make decisions about their futures and move towards further education, employment and leadership within their communities. That long term approach sits at the heart of the Rugby For Life kaupapa, and it is what the partnership with the Blues Charitable Trust is proud to deliver, developing leadership capabilities, strengthening resilience and building connections with people who can help young people move forward.
With 20 rangatahi returning to Northland Rugby in September and each leaving with a personalised Leadership and Career Profile, the next chapter of this journey is already underway. Rugby For Life looks forward to continuing this mahi with the Blues Charitable Trust for Northland's young people in 2027 and beyond.
Read our earlier story about the Blues Charitable Trust Leadership Trip to learn more about where this year's leadership journey began.