We host our next I.Lead conference this month in Wellington! To maintain the momentum following our 2025 conference and our I.Lead Showcase days, our I.Lead members from across the motu will gather in Wellington in September for our 2026 I.Lead conference. This conference will be an opportunity for these rangatahi whaikaha to explore disability policy.

The I.Lead conference is a platform for disabled youth (18 – 30 years old) from across Aotearoa. This enables rangatahi whaikaha to come together to find solutions to prevalent issues and barriers they face as disabled youth living in New Zealand. It is also a space of collaboration and innovation, being a platform from which we can identify solutions and present them to high-level policy and decision-makers.

REGISTRATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.  Thank you to all the rangatahi whaikaha who took their time to express interest in our conference. For those who are attending, we look forward to seeing you all in Wellington in September!

Our I.Drive X VTNZ Testing Day was a success! I.Drive partnered with VTNZ to bring their portable testing units to our I Lead space for the first time! This allowed participants the opportunity to take their learners licence test in a familiar and relaxed environment. Readers were also provided to make this process as accessible as possible. Congratulations to our successful participants who passed their learner's tests. Gaining your driver’s licence is one of the biggest milestones in starting disabled youth on their journeys towards independence. Upcoming I.Drive workshops in the Auckland region are West Auckland 10-11 September, South Auckland 1-2 October, and North Shore 3-4 November.

I.Lead's 2026 Showcase Days are on a roll! So far we have hosted showcases in Auckland, Christchurch, Blenheim, Whangārei, Dunedin, and Tauranga. Ngā mihi to everyone who came along to learn more about our mahi and how to get involved. We have further upcoming Showcase Days in Invercargill, Waikato, Manawatū, and Wellington.

I.Lead is hosting a table at Power in the Park 2026. Come and meet the I.Lead team at Eden Park on Thursday 22 October for a day of connection, innovation, and inspiration. Attendees can engage with various aspects of mobility and disabilities to increase their knowledge and confidence in products and services that are available to users, families and community members. To find out more or register you can visit hub.permobil.co.nz/power-in-the-park

For more information about our programmes and upcoming events, check out our websites and social media.

Website: ilead.org.nz

Facebook: facebook.com/ileadconferencenz

Instagram: instagram.com/i.leadnz

Tiktok: tiktok.com/@i.lead

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/i-lead-org