We only have just over two months to go until our 2025 I.Lead Conference.
Registrations are now closed for our I.Lead 2025 Conference! Thank you to the 65+ rangatahi whaikaha who applied to attend our conference. You'll be hearing from us soon. We can't wait to host another amazing event centring on and amplifying the voices of young disabled people.
The I.Lead 2025 conference will be held in Wellington on 17 and 18 June 2025. Our chosen conference theme is "Oranga, Mahi, Hākinakina - Live, Work, Play". We believe that these are three key pillars of a balanced life for rangatahi whaikaha. We have invited 60 young disabled people to attend our conference, an event focused on providing a safe and stable platform for disabled youth to have their voices heard and influence positive changes in policy.
We are still accepting enrolments for our next I.Lead x William Pike Challenge intake! If you or a disabled young person you know is interested in participating, they can register through our website. The participants (all with various ability levels) will be encouraged to get inspired by the outdoors; building their resilience, wellbeing, confidence, and skills through completing five outdoor activities, 20 hours of community service, and 20 hours of passion projects over a 12 month period.
I.Drive partnered with VTNZ to bring their portable testing units to Shore Junction, Takapuna. This gave participants the opportunity to take their learner's licence test in an environment that was familiar and relaxing. The successful participants gave incredible feedback, including one young disabled person stating "I wouldn't do the test any other way".
Want to see more about our I.Drive x VTNZ testing day? Check out our social media for the highlights.
I.Drive also hosted our first-ever West Auckland I.Drive workshop in April, which was located at The D*List. We host our first Wellington I.Drive workshop next month. Check out our website to see when our workshops will happen this year.
Youth Week is just around the corner! Occurring between 19-25 May, this year’s theme is “Take Our Place – Whai Wāhitanga.” During Youth Week, I.Lead Auckland will host an art exhibition consisting of artworks by rangatahi whaikaka. These works will include prints of photos and digital art, paintings, videos of cultural dances, sculptures, and more.
YES Disability continues its Disabled Men’s Mental Health Group. We are inviting disabled men 18+ years old – who don’t often get to connect with other disabled men – to join other disabled men in discussing their mental health. This group was created by disabled men, for disabled men and aims to normalise the discussion of mental health challenges among disabled men. The
sessions occur once a month. Interested? Email Abdulla at abdulla@yesdisability.org.nz.
