Tuia Mentoring Programme

A nationwide, year-long leadership mentoring programme pairing one or two rangatahi Māori with a councillor, alongside five leadership wānanga around Aotearoa.

Waikato RegionRangatahiLeadershipMāori-led

Closes: 2026 cohort applications closed 10 December 2025. Runs annually
Who can apply: Read on the council's page, quoted verbatim: "an opportunity for rangatahi Māori to connect into a nationwide forum to grow, to inspire, to further your leadership skills while learning more about local government," through a "tuakana-teina relationship" mentored "by willing councillors on a one-on-one basis."
Amount: Not a cash grant — a mentoring and leadership development programme
Funding route: Programme
Applicants: Individuals & whānau

Before you apply

Applicants submit a two-minute video via Facebook Messenger rather than a written form. Five wānanga are held across the year in different regions (Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Te Waipounamu, Hawke's Bay, Wellington). roger.lewis@waikatoregion.govt.nz.

Official source →

Checked 16 September 2026

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Before you apply

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