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Rangatahi Leadership
Opportunities Database

Discover leadership opportunities for
young people under 35 in Aotearoa.

Discover Opportunities

Nau mai, haere mai

We’re on a mission to make information on youth leadership more transparent, fair, and accessible for all rangatahi in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We recognise that many young people face barriers in accessing information about what opportunities are out there, especially young people from migrant backgrounds, first-generation students, and those attending lower decile schools.

Through the Rangatahi Leadership Opportunities Database (RLOD), we hope to break down the information barrier.

The Rangatahi Leadership Opportunities Database is proudly brought to you by Multiethnic Young Leaders NZ.

DISCOVER OPPORTUNITIES

Discover leadership opportunities for young people under 35 in Aotearoa.

Help us open doors for more young people in Aotearoa to discover opportunities. Just fill out a simple form.

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Break Barriers,
Share Opportunities

A level playing field for all, because everyone deserves to know and grow.

Our belief is simple: barriers are meant to be broken, and opportunities are meant to be shared. By breaking down barriers to information, we unlock a world of shared opportunities and make the playing field fairer for everyone.

Aware of any upcoming opportunities for young people in Aotearoa? Join us in building this resource together as we strive to break down the information barrier!

2025 RLOD Ambassadors

RLOD Ambassadors are young changemakers and peer advocates who bring the RLOD kaupapa to life – helping more rangatahi see themselves, and be seen, in leadership.

GO STRAIGHT TO FORM

Leilani is a proud tama’ita’i Samoa from the Samoan villages of Falealupo, Salelologa, Luatuanu’u and Leulumoega, with ancestral links to China. Leilani is in her corporate girly era working at Deloitte as an Analyst in Technology and Transformation. She is also a Leadership Network Member of the Asia New Zealand Foundation and Komiti (Committee) member of Pasifika Fusion.

Village-made and raised, she recognises the strength of collective solidarity and love, and is fearlessly ambitious in creating a better tomorrow. Leilani has always strived to make the most of every opportunity and through RLOD, Leilani was one of two New Zealanders selected for the Asia Europe Foundation Young Leaders Summit and travelled to Budapest, Hungary in October 2024. By participating in these spaces, she strives to represent and advocate for her Pacific and Youth communities, while also creating inclusive opportunities and equitable outcomes that empower others to pursue their dreams and passions.

Emelia Martin Moses is an immigrant from Malaysia of Tamil heritage and moved to Aotearoa at the age of 12! She is currently in her final year doing a Bachelor of Arts/ Global Studies degree at the University of Auckland

Emelia has been actively involved in the public and not-for-profit organization particularly around youth development space. She has worked for the Electoral Commission as a youth advisor and held several leadership roles in UN Youth New Zealand. She is currently the Women’s Rights Officer for Te Rōpū Kahikatea – Auckland University Students’ Association, where she is advocating for sexual violence prevention policies on campus.

Emelia is passionate about empowering and advocating for young women throughout Aotearoa, to create a sense of belonging and opportunity.

Descending from the Māori peoples of Waikato, Avarau, and Tongareva, Kauri is the youngest senior-level subject matter expert in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the New Zealand public service. Across their career, they have held lead DEI roles at the Department of Corrections, the Ministry for the Environment, and now the Department of Internal Affairs.

Outside of the 9-5, Kauri leads movements across Aotearoa New Zealand that support diverse communities to thrive in the worlds of work, learning, and in life – something they have done since childhood.

Kauri’s experience includes a community-driven governance and leadership career spanning multiple roles at the regional, national, and international levels. To name a couple, they currently serve as a member of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Leadership Network, and as a category judge for the New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Buua is a proud I-Kiribati Kiwi raised across the Bay of plenty (Tauranga, Taupo and Rotorua) and based in Te Tonga o Tāmaki Makaurau. She works in a range of fields as a Youth Worker, Accounts Lead, and a Pacific Community Leader.

Buua is actively involved in multiple not-for-profit organisations and climate change spaces. Founding her own organisation Ara M’aneaba in 2021 which aims to enable I-Kiribati youth brought up in the diaspora to reconnect with their roots.

Buua’s goal is to to bridge gaps, raise awareness, and foster collaboration amongst leaders, aiming to create a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.

Lushomo is a trailblazer, weaving her Zambian-Kiwi heritage into the fabric of leadership. As a barrister and solicitor of the High Court, she practices at Aotearoa’s leading law firm, Chapman Tripp. With over five years of governance experience, Lushomo has distinguished herself in boardrooms as a company director, trustee, and board chair, skilfully overcoming age barriers and making a significant impact.

Currently, she is a Board Member on the YWCA National Board, contributing her expertise as a member of the Finance Risk and Audit Committee. Her legal acumen is complemented by her academic achievements as a former PwC scholar, having pursued a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Business (Finance). During her studies, Lushomo demonstrated her leadership prowess by being twice elected as the Student Union President, where she fervently advocated for inclusive and equitable spaces for all learners on both national and international platforms.

Her commitment to education and governance is further exemplified by her role as a Council member on the University of Waikato’s governing body. In 2022, Lushomo’s remarkable contributions were recognized when she was named on the Y25, an annual accolade celebrating 25 women under 25 who are trailblazers and change-makers in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Beyond her professional roles, Lushomo is a sought-after speaker, mentor, and multi-disciplinary advisor. She is celebrated for her authentic leadership, her advocacy for women’s and migrant rights, and her dedication to advancing these causes.

Passionate about community and health, Nate works as a fundraising specialist for Hato Hone St John, also pursuing postgraduate study in Māori Studies and Strategic Communication. 

He has experience across Hato Hone St John, St John International, Volunteering New Zealand, and other community organisations in governance, strategy, youth leadership, training, and advocacy, and in community engagement.

“He aha te take nui i roto i tō tātou mahi aroha?”, Nate says, “koia ko te mahi tahi tātou mō whai ana i te pikinga o te ora kei roto i ngā hāpori, mai Aotearoa ki te ao”; we work and volunteer together to make life-changing differences – impact that is felt in communities around Aotearoa and the world.

“He uri ahau nō Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, me Ngāi Tūmapūhia-ā-Rangi hoki. Ko Jess Jenkins tōku ingoa.”

Born and raised in Porirua, Jess Jenkins is completing her third year of study at Harvard University majoring in Economics and Folklore & Mythology. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of data analysis, quantitative modeling, and storytelling.

Having spent time working within Aotearoa New Zealand’s non-profit and public sectors, Jess spent the winter of 2024 as an intern on the Analytics and Insights team at the New Zealand Treasury conducting a project on regional discrepancies in intergenerational economic mobility throughout the country. Before attending Harvard, Jess worked as a National Coordinator at Race Unity Aotearoa, taught violin with the Virtuoso Strings Charitable Trust, and represented Aotearoa New Zealand as one of four youth delegates to the 2021 ‘APEC Voices of the Future’ Program. She is a past National Champion of the New Zealand Race Unity Speech Awards, an associate principal violist of the National Youth Orchestra, and a nominee for Young Wellington of the Year.

Over her Summer break, Jess will be working as an intern on the Client Solutions Group in the Asset Management branch of Goldman Sachs in New York City. She looks forward to driving the mission of MYLN forward on a global stage, having served on the board of the organisation since its inception.

Rana whakapapas back to Iraq and Syria and has built a life rooted in service and community. Born in New Zealand and raised in the UAE, she graduated from Waikato University with a strong commitment to youth and community development. Over the years, she has worked with and volunteered for numerous NGOs and governmental agencies, dedicating her energy to initiatives that empower young people and foster social cohesion.

Her leadership journey includes serving on multiple boards, where she has contributed her insights and passion to shaping impactful policies and programs. As an active member of the community, she is deeply involved in initiatives that strengthen connections and amplify underrepresented voices.

A driven and passionate young woman, she is committed to creating meaningful change and continues to inspire those around her with her dedication to fostering justice, equity, and opportunity for all.

Got a Pātai on Youth Leadership?

Ask Our RLOD Ambassador of the Month!

Each month, one of our RLOD Ambassadors is featured as the Ambassador of the Month, sharing their thoughts on youth leadership through a short video, open letter, or Instagram takeover. They reflect on their leadership journey – what they’ve learned, what they’re still figuring out, and what leadership looks like through their eyes.

Got something on your mind – a challenge, a question, or simply “how do others do this?” Send in your pātai below. Your question will be passed to this month’s Ambassador and may help shape what they choose to reflect on and share.

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