Your support will transform lives!
Young Leaders
Resilience, Contribution and Influence
"From the first camp I went to I always wanted to go back for more because it's such a great environment to be around. Youth Encounter really inspired me to become my best self meaning that I've become a young leader to inspire other young people to do the same."
- Caleb
At Youth Encounter, we believe leadership is not about status or position — it is about identity, responsibility, contribution, influence, and becoming the kind of person who positively impacts others. Through experiential learning, mentoring, practical responsibility, adventure, faith, and community, we empower young people to grow in confidence, resilience, purpose, and leadership.
Our Young Leader Programmes create clear and intentional pathways for young people to progress from belonging and participation, to self-leadership, into contribution, to transformational influence. Grounded in Youth Encounter’s Live Life Wide Open framework and F.A.C.E culture, these pathways help young people discover who they are, develop practical life and leadership skills, and contribute meaningfully within their communities.
LLWO Foundations
From participation to self-leadership
Young people who need confidence, belonging, life skills, and self-leadership foundations (9–24 yrs), asking "how can I lead myself?”
Young Leaders Mahi Lab
From self-leadership to contribution
Young people growing through practical responsibility, volunteering, employability, and contribution experiences (15–24 yrs), asking “how can I contribute meaningfully?”
LLWO Leadership Track
From contribution to influence
Young leaders intentionally pursuing deeper identity, faith, discipleship, and personal growth (17+ yrs), asking “who am I called to influence?”
Young people in our Young Leaders Pathways develop...
LLWO Foundations Course
Building confidence, belonging & self-leadership
The LLWO Foundations Course is an 8-week experiential self-leadership journey designed to help young people grow in confidence, resilience, emotional awareness, and direction through challenge-based learning and the Live Life Wide Open framework.
Positioned within Youth Encounter’s Young Leaders pathway, this preventative programme supports young people before they reach crisis point — creating a safe and empowering environment where they can discover who they are, build healthy mindsets, and learn practical tools for life.
"I have much more confidence. I am not antisocial anymore. I am not afraid to talk to new people.” - Participant
At Youth Encounter, we believe leadership begins with learning to lead yourself well. Using experiential learning and a cognitive behavioural approach, we help young people build confidence, resilience, emotional awareness, and practical self-leadership skills through challenge, reflection, and positive connection.
Rather than classroom-based learning, participants grow through:
practical experiences
reflection and discussion
positive challenge
supportive relationships
experiential learning
growth mindset development
cognitive behavioural approaches
The LLWO Foundations Course helps young people better understand:
their thoughts
emotions
behaviours
choices
values
direction in life
Suitable For
Young people aged 9–24 years who:
need greater confidence and belonging
struggle with motivation or direction
learn best through practical experiences
would benefit from emotional resilience and self-leadership development
show emerging leadership potential
The LLWO Foundations Course is the starting point of the Youth Encounter Young Leaders pathway — helping young people move from participation to self-leadership, and from self-leadership toward contribution, purpose, and influence.
Learn to lead yourself well — and live life wide open.
Young people will develop:
✅ Confidence & self-worth
✅ Belonging & positive connection
✅ Emotional awareness & resilience
✅ Growth mindset & healthy thinking
✅ Responsibility & decision-making skills
✅ Communication & teamwork
✅ Courage & perseverance
✅ Direction, purpose & self-leadership
Delivery Options
Small Group LLWO Foundations Course;
8 participants per cohort
2 facilitators
3-hour weekly sessions
8-week programme
1-on-1 LLWO Foundations Course;
2-hour weekly sessions
8-week programme
Individualised facilitation and support
How to engage?
Make a referral (see button below) and we will be in touch!
"At Youth Encounter I love the way that I can build relationships with new people and feel empowered to be the best version of myself. Youth Encounter has established an amazing environment where I feel very safe and comfortable, but I am also encouraged to explore outside of my comfort zone.” - Young Leader
Young Leaders Mahi Lab
Practical contribution, responsibility & employability
Young Leaders Mahi Lab is Youth Encounter’s practical contribution and employability pathway for young people who are ready to grow through meaningful workplace experience, volunteering, responsibility and service.
Mahi Lab is not simply about completing jobs. Through hands-on mahi, mentoring, coaching and reflection, young people develop confidence, transferable skills, workplace readiness, teamwork, communication, resilience and a stronger sense of purpose and contribution.
Participants may contribute through:
Programme and event support
Hospitality
Facilities and equipment care
Administration and media
Community contribution projects
Supervised leadership opportunities
Work-readiness coaching and mentoring
Careerforce Level 3 Youth Leadership learning where appropriate
Tasks are matched to each participant’s goals, capabilities, training and supervision needs. Not every opportunity will be available during every term.
"I now have a business with 10 employees!! It's still stressful but I'm able to manage the stresses a lot better now." - Participant
Fees and funding
Mahi Lab placements may be fully subsidised, partially subsidised or funded through an agency, school, disability-support allocation or private contribution. This depends on available programme funding and the level of staffing and support required.
Where a participant requires additional or dedicated support, including a placement providing planned respite for whānau, the funding and staffing arrangement must be agreed before the placement begins.
Any fees will be clearly communicated before a placement is confirmed.
Who Mahi Lab is for?
Mahi Lab is generally for young people aged 15–24 who:
Want practical leadership and employability experience
Need greater confidence, responsibility or workplace readiness
Learn best through practical and relational experiences
Are exploring education, training, volunteering or employment
Want to contribute positively within a community environment
Can benefit from an individually planned and supported placement
Mahi Lab is inclusive of neurodiverse young people and practical learners. The support required and Youth Encounter’s capacity to provide it safely will be considered as part of the placement process.
How placements work
Placements are normally offered one school term at a time, for up to 10 weeks. The agreed day, hours, tasks, goals and supervision arrangements are recorded in an individual placement plan.
Some participants require ordinary workplace guidance, while others need more regular or dedicated support. Our Client Navigation and Operations teams work together to ensure that each placement is developmentally appropriate, adequately supervised and sustainable alongside Youth Encounter’s programme delivery.
Toward the end of each term, progress is reviewed and the next step is agreed. A further term may be offered where it is appropriate and Youth Encounter has the capacity to continue.
How to engage
Start by completing an expression of interest. This does not automatically confirm a place.
Our Client Navigation Team will contact the young person, whānau or referrer to discuss:
Goals and interests
Learning and support needs
Suitable days and tasks
Transport
Funding
Available staff supervision
Whether Mahi Lab is the right pathway
If a suitable placement is available, a term placement plan and agreement will be completed before the young person begins.
LLWO Leadership Track
A transformational journey of identity, purpose, faith, and influence
The Live Life Wide Open (LLWO) Leadership Track is Youth Encounter’s transformational leadership and discipleship journey for young leaders aged 17+ who are ready to grow deeper in identity, faith, character, and influence.
This is more than a leadership programme.
It is a journey of becoming.
Built on Youth Encounter’s Live Life Wide Open philosophy, developed by Mary Wanhill, and grounded in our F.A.C.E culture, the LLWO Leadership Track develops courageous, servant-hearted young leaders through mentoring, spiritual formation, adventure, practical leadership experiences, reflection, and authentic community.
Young leaders journey together through camps, events, volunteering, mentoring, leadership intensives, and real-world responsibility while being challenged to grow in confidence, resilience, emotional maturity, faith, and purpose.
At the heart of the journey is the belief that leadership begins with understanding who you are and learning to live from that foundation with courage, humility, integrity, and love for others.
Through experiential learning and authentic community, young leaders are empowered to:
discover identity and purpose
strengthen faith and spiritual foundations
grow in resilience and emotional maturity
develop leadership and communication skills
learn servant-hearted leadership
positively influence others and culture
step into meaningful contribution and responsibility
build confidence through real-life leadership opportunities
The LLWO Leadership Track creates a strong sense of belonging while also challenging young leaders to step outside their comfort zones, embrace growth, and become positive influences within their communities.
Pathway Features
Leadership mentoring and coaching
Leadership camps and retreats
Spiritual formation and discipleship
Adventure and experiential leadership challenges
Community service and volunteering opportunities
Facilitation and mentoring pathways
Leadership reflection and personal growth
Practical leadership responsibility within Youth Encounter programmes and events
From uncertainty, insecurity, or passive participation → to courageous, faith-filled young leaders living with purpose, influence, resilience, and a heart to serve others.
"I am being pushed out of my comfort zone to have a wider impact on this generation to live life wide open.” - Participant
This pathway is ideal for young people who:
want to grow personally and spiritually
are passionate about leadership and community impact
want mentoring and deeper discipleship
are exploring calling and purpose
want to volunteer and lead within Youth Encounter
are willing to challenge themselves and grow through experience
Young leaders participating in the LLWO Leadership Track develop:
stronger identity, confidence, and purpose
servant-hearted leadership capability
practical ministry and volunteering experience
leadership, mentoring, and facilitation skills
resilience, responsibility, and emotional growth
deeper faith and spiritual formation
belonging, connection, and positive community influence
“Youth Encounter empowers me to step out in courage and faith to unleash my full potential.” - Young Leader
Leadership Journey Investment: $3,000 per participant for 12 months
(funding support and sponsorship opportunities available)
Support NZ youth—together, we can make a lasting impact on the next generation.
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