Netball Northern have launched the second year of the Netball Leaders Bronze Award programme aimed at growing young leaders through sport.

The programme, which has the backing from Aktive – an Auckland Sport and Recreation charitable trust – and the Ministry of Youth Development, will use Netball to provide opportunities for youth to explore concepts of leadership and develop their capability and confidence as young leaders within their community.

Northern Chief Executive Nicole Spratt said they wanted to inspire young people in South Auckland to build an understanding and knowledge of leadership and ultimately practice their skills in their local community.

The target group would be youth who had started to exhibit leadership qualities and would benefit from growing their confidence.

“We want to nurture leadership through Netball and support our participants to positively impact the community through many different avenues whether that is coaching, umpiring or volunteering at the netball centre or other community events,” she said.

“We hope that the workshops will increase self-confidence, improve problem solving and also understanding others better.”

The programme, which is aimed at young people between the ages of 12-24 years and living in the Counties Manukau area, sees participants completing four leadership workshops focusing on the concepts of leadership, leading others, challenges, and preparation for giving back.

A Netball Leaders Bronze Award is presented on completion of the workshops before participants choose one of three leadership pathways – coaching, umpiring or giving back – which lead to gaining a Silver/Gold Leadership Award. The coach and umpire pathways utilise Netball New Zealand modules to support learning.

A group from Rosehill College are the latest recipients of the Bronze Award which they earned after attending four workshops before school.

Spratt said Netball had obvious benefits when it came to improving health and well-being, and Netball Northern believed enhancing leadership skills was also an added benefit.

“Many athletes have the mind set of just playing Netball and not realising that the skills that come with the sport including team work, values, leadership and identity can help you grow as a person and a Netballer.”

Impacts identified by teachers so far is that those involved in the workshops have gained an inner confidence within themselves to be a part of a team which helps improve their personal well-being, develops confidence, builds resilience and grows social skills.