The latest Y25 programme is celebrating 25 young women and non-binary people considered game changers and leaders in their fields.
The programme aims to break down barriers that young women still face and make the world more equitable.
YWCA chief executive Dellwyn Stuart says every cohort is different: “This one has quite a strong arts focus, which is lovely, but it’s a real melting pot of different interests and objectives.”
Tylah Farani-Watene (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maru, Te Arawa, Taputimu, Nofoali’i) is a proud public servant, working in the engagement and communications space. Farani-Watene says she grew up being impacted by a range of institutional issues, from inaccessible health care to people lacking confidence in their leadership because of environments not designed for Māori and Pasifika success.
“My drive is to create more leadership opportunities for Māori and Pasifika wāhine and to be a role model for my younger sisters, Blayke (7) and Ridley (5), so they feel confident navigating the world as strong Pasifika women,” Farani-Watene says.
Georgia Latu (Ngāpuhi, Kai Tahu) is the chief executive of Pōtiki Poi, the largest poi manufacturing company in the world, who says she is who she is because of her whānau.
“My success is not mine alone but it is the strength of many. Therefore we need to grasp the knowledge given to us with whānau at the forefront. So we need to instil love for love to prevail,” Latu says.
Kate Laughter (Ngāti Porou) a spoken word poet and advocate for the environment, is eager to draw inspiration from the other wāhine and mentors.
“I think I really want to learn from the people around me and what everyone else is already doing because there’s some really cool people in the room over there and they are doing some really great things and I think the mentorship is something that I’m really inspired by,” Laughter says.
Celine Waikohu George (Ngāti Wai, Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Rarawa) is a self-contracted care advisor who wants to inspire other rangatahi trailblazers.
“People only change if the pain of changing is less than staying the same, so for me, I guess a reminder for our rangatahi is to stay strong, be you and in the end, in a year’s time from now, you’ll either be glad that you started or wish that you did,” George says.
Alyce Lysaght (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui) is an engineer and an advocate for te ao Māori and she hopes to see others like her succeed in their professions.
“When I was starting within my mahi (work), I didn’t see a lot of people who look like me … preaching the same things that I’m hopefully preaching now, that no one has to leave their identity at the door in the spaces that they operate in,” Lysaght says.
Danielle Carson (Kai Tahu) is a mental health champion and envisions a brighter future.
“I envision a community with clear-cut collaboration, where everyone gets a seat at the table, no matter what that table looks like. I want an equal partnership, and I want clear decisions that are made, and we know why they’ve been made,” Carson says.
YWCA chief executive Dellwyn Stuart says that, sadly, the world consists of barriers for young women and a lot of work is still to be done to get young wāhine on an equal footing.