Exploring Leadership and Culture in Nadi, Fiji

Bula vinaka!

For the first time, we took our Student Leadership Program to Nadi, Fiji. We have held courses in Suva but never in the West of Vanua Levu.

Our course aimed to deliver on our four pillars:

1. That our students develop deep connections with one another, creating lifelong friends.

2. To embrace and learn from the culture of the Pacific Islands.

3. Providing an experiential adventure and offering a chance to see the world.

4. Give opportunities to lead, and develop leadership skills.

As you are about to see in this article, with 44 students gathered from all over New Zealand (33), Australia (5), and Fiji (6), we achieved our aims.

First Few Days

Our journey kicked off by getting to know the unfamiliar faces through our Team Building session, featuring loud icebreakers, quirky communication activities, and competitive team games. It is also when our students found out which syndicates they are in and the peers they will spend most of the week with.

The students were then introduced to the TAP (Task Achievement Process) tool, which is our framework to guide the young leaders as they lead throughout the week. This was followed by a mindfulness session from our staff, who specialise in mindfulness techniques, offering more tools to use in uncomfortable situations.

We ended with a welcome ceremony at Saravi Village—the village where we carried out our community project. This was a chance to learn more about Fijian culture.

An Action-Packed Week

The bulk of our course centered around our key activities, which syndicates tackled with different leaders for each activity. We believe the best way to build leadership is to actually lead and learn through experience.

The hike requires leaders who are vocal, strong-willed, and ready to bring energy to the crew. Based in Koroyanitu National Park, students made their way to Abaca Village to begin the trail. With most of the path exposed to Fiji’s unforgiving sun, it is definitely one of the more challenging tests of the week, but one that comes with a great sense of accomplishment, and amazing view!

The business visits provided an opportunity for the young leaders to understand the nuances of business in the Fiji. A huge thanks to Tappoo, a family-run retail/gift business, for offering insights into their business and presenting real challenges for our students to try and solve. Other syndicates engaged in what we call "syndicate projects," where students create action plans to address major issues faced by young local Fijians.

One of the big highlights for most was our time spent at Saravi Village. Much of the week was spent repainting their evacuation/meeting house, fully clearing out the inside, laying new mats, and finishing with a lovo (traditional Fijian food) prepared by the community. Saravi is a vulnerable community, filled with beautiful souls, and our students had the privilege of building a connection with them.

Ian from Fiji Surf Co. gave an amazing environmental insight into Fiji’s coral reefs. As a coral restoration organisation and surfing tour operator, he showed our students their innovative coral restoration methods, paired with a snorkelling opportunity to actually see the work they do and plant some coral. The students also developed solutions for how the business can take strides toward achieving its goal of protecting the reef environment..

Amidst all the activities, there was always a chance to explore the island!

Fun Day!

The final day is all about fun and celebration, and what better place than Natadola Beach—one of the most highly regarded beaches on the island. Some took a small boat to another island to visit caves, while others focused on their tan at the beach.

Graduation

We finish our course by formally recognising our students, community partners, and staff. It takes a lot of people, including our very bright young leaders, to create a well-rounded program that leaves an impact. To complement the acknowledgments, the students prepared a waiata, haka, an Australian song, and a Fijian dance! Thanks to the generosity of the Sheraton Fiji Resort for hosting our graduation.

Special Thanks

While Future Leaders Academy designs and manages each course, the support and generosity of community partners, who believe in growing young leaders is a key part of our program. We would like to thank:

• Fiji New Zealand Business Council (sponsors of local Fijian students).

• Theresa - Smugglers Cove Resort (accomodation manager).

• Ian Muller - Fiji Surf Co (coral restoration activity).

• Liam - Koroyanitu Heritage Park (programme development officer, Peace Corps - Fiji).

• Dan Herbison - Nadi based networker and contact support.

• Jessie Hamilton - The Print Room (merchandise suppliers).

Thanks also to our staff on this course for facilitating our young leaders' journey

Lyrique H-T (Course Manager), Jordan G (2IC), Teagan D (Syndicate Coach), Freya K (Course Support),

Ali O (Syndicate Coach), Mitch A (Syndicate Coach), Tyrone M (Syndicate Coach).