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Youth Leadership in Fiji

National Youth Day Celebrations


April 03 2009
Civic Centre
What we will be looking at…
• The traits of leaders
• The individuality of leadership
• Youth leadership in Fiji
• Youth role models in Fiji – the debate
• Youth leadership models in Fiji!
• Youth leadership models in Fiji – Research
• Questioning leadership – Motivation
• What are we lacking?
The Leadership Name Game!
• Write your name vertically down
the side of your paper
• Display all the pieces of paper
• Walk around and write down
leadership traits and styles that go
along with the letters to each
person’s name
The Leadership Name Game!
• For example:

S – Sincere
H – Honest
A – Active
D – Devoted to the Cause
I – Intelligent
Y – Young at Heart
A – Attentive to the needs of others
Reflect
• How did you feel when you read your
paper?
Do you agree/disagree with the
“leadership” traits that were listed?

• Why did you write some of the things


your wrote?
Why did you pick this trait or that trait?
Why is this trait important to you?
Apply
• What do these traits tell us about our
own styles of leadership?
• How do these styles affect how we
lead?
• How can we bring out these styles in
our teams and group?
Individuality of Leadership
• Differences in what characteristics
make up a leader
• Differences in what characteristics
make up a GOOD leader
• Differences in the degree to which each
characteristic is needed
• My way or…
• Who’s right?
Youth Leadership in Fiji
• What exists?
• To what extent do you take part in
leadership activities?
• What programs have you been part of?
• How can these programs be
strengthened?
Youth Role Models in Fiji – The
Debate
Fiji Youths Lack Good Mentors: Fr Barr
23 March 2009
Fijilive.com

Fiji’s youths lack role models who could possibly show them the right path for a better
future, says Father Kevin Barr. And this he says, is a major obstacle for youth
leadership in the country.

“It is a pity that Fiji youths do not have a good role model, there is just so much
disharmony and opposition amongst political parties and religious groups which has
left today’s youths in a vulnerable situation,” Fr Barr said.

He said unlike United States President Barrack Obama, who is looked upon as a role
model by many in the world, Fiji does not have any prominent figure on whose advise
and footsteps the youths of the country could follow.

There are mentors like Sevens maestro Waisale Serevi and some others but at a lesser
level, he said. Youths he said should be encouraged to exercise their abilities to the
best.

He said youths should adapt President Obama’s motto of ‘Yes, we can’ in their lives to
every opportunity they get to succeed. “Don’t be discouraged as there will be many
ups and downs along the path to success. Be confident on your plan and work hard
towards it,” he has advised youths.

Fiji is today celebrating National Youth Day.


Posted By: Pardesi
Posted On: Mar 23 2009 13:20:16

Comment: Whilst I agree with Father Barr in part, may I


suggest that one of the reasons Fijian youth is besotted
with crime is that they have no direction in life. People
need jobs to have some meaning in life. I hope that as
part of the multi party dialogue the youth of Fiji are
discussed. With an abundance of land and sea everyone
should be able to work, however little to contribute firstly
for their own welfare and collectively for the good of the
country. Might sound a bit idealistic, but when people are
busy working they have not time, or need or are too busy
to commit crime.
Posted By: localboy
Posted On: Mar 23 2009 19:43:00

Comment: My views are slightly different from the above


with regards to youth development especially in small
island countries like ours. While some of the arguments
are quite true, on the other hand, we need to assess this
from a holistic approach. There are a lot of other factors
that also need to be taken into account, all of which
contributes to the current issues our youths are facing.
The problems that we are facing in small islands
developing states, for example, are very different to
those faced by other regions. Fiji has a lot of good role
models but sometimes, our government does not seem
to recognise their efforts or they are not just not seen at
all. Our economy and its status also have a lot to say
with regards to youth development in Fiji.
Posted By: boe
Posted On: Mar 25 2009 06:14:31

Comment: There is a role model. He/she doesn't realise


his/her potential but he/she can be the biggest influence
on all Fiji youth in Fiji and abroad. I am waiting for that
person to stand up and take the podium, but he/she has
to realise it. Look hard and you will recognise him/her.
Youth Leadership Models in Fiji
• Local level – informal and traditional in
nature
• Institutional level - schools, churches
and uniform groups
• Formal and highly visible – Leadership
Fiji and the Emerging Leaders Forum
• Government level – National Youth
Parliament
Youth Leadership Models in Fiji
– the Research
An Exploration of Youth Leadership
Models in Fiji

Dr. Patrick Vakaoti


Vanisha Mishra

• ECREA/ Pacific Leadership Program


(an AusAID initiative)
Youth Leadership Models in Fiji
– the Research
Overall Aim

The research aims to:


• Explore existing positive and negative youth leadership
initiatives in Fiji
• Determine the extent to which leadership frameworks
integrate gender equality objectives
• Identify and address gaps in youth leadership initiatives
• Contribute to the body of knowledge pertaining to youth
leadership models in Fiji
• Assist in building on existing successful youth leadership
models
Youth Leadership Models in Fiji
– the Research
Specific Objectives

The research objectives include:


• Developing a directory of existing youth leadership
models and initiatives
• Undertaking a desk review of relevant published and
unpublished work on youth leadership models
• Identifying ways to strengthen and sustain positive youth
leadership initiatives
• Identifying strategies needed to engage women and girls
more effectively in youth leadership initiatives
• Developing policy recommendations for the development
of relevant youth leadership models
Questioning Leadership –
Motivation?

The Leader Says – Motivational Activity


Questioning Leadership –
Motivation?
Reflection

• When we first started playing, why did you do the task I


asked you to do?
• After we’d been playing for a while, why did you
complete the task? Why not?
• If I had told you there was money to be won if you
completed the task, would you have completed the task?
Why or why not?
• Why does money- or some other reward- make you want
(or not want) to do the task?
Why does our motivation change with rewards?
• How does motivation affect our work? Our attitude?
Questioning Leadership –
Motivation?
Apply

• How does motivation affect what we choose to


do as individuals? As members of a group?
• What can we do to positively motivate
ourselves? Each other?
• How can we maintain high motivation as a
group?
What are we lacking?
• Where are the gaps?
Where are our strengths?

• What do we have on our side?


Where to from here?!
Pacific Youth Festival
Information Sharing
Advocacy
Personal Development
Awareness
Keep in touch!
ms.vanisha.mishra@gmail.com
323 2250 (work)
Room H302
Faculty of Arts and Law Building
University of the South Pacific

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