Acorn Foundation and Roy and Mary McGowan are giving 72 Western Bay of Plenty students the opportunity to sharpen their skills on a renowned Dale Carnegie training course.

Over the next three years, teenagers have the opportunity to be selected by their school to attend the three day intensive ‘Skills for Success' course.

The programme helps people build self confidence, gain skills in communication, leadership and managing people, as well as learning how to reduce stress and maintain a positive attitude.

In 2010, Dale Carnegie sponsored one student from each of the sub-region's eight secondary schools to attend the ‘Skills for Success' course.

Economic development organisation, Priority One, was instrumental in facilitating the opportunity through its INSTEP programme.

'Due to the extremely positive feedback received in 2010 from all eight student graduates, their parents, teachers and principals, it was important that INSTEP investigate ways of sustaining this amazing opportunity and also make it accessible to more young people,” says INSTEP manager Lyn Parlane.

Future funding is being provided through the overwhelming generosity of Roy and Mary McGowan, who are working with the Acorn Foundation to provide scholarships to significantly reduce the cost of attending the course.

‘Skills for Success' is designed to empower people and to encourage them to stretch and attain ambitious new skills.

'We always get adults saying ‘I wish I'd done this course 20 years ago',” says Nationwide Dale Carnegie training director Andrea Shaw.

'The course will empower people to move far beyond their comfort zone,” says Dale Carnegie Bay of Plenty – Waikato's Michael Shaw.

'It will also teach participants to build greater self-confidence, strengthen and enhance their people skills, develop leadership skills, reduce stress and improve attitude.”

Each school will select three students who will then be interviewed by a Dale Carnegie performance consultant.

Parents will be invited to attend an information evening prior to the commencement of the course in July 2011 and will, along with teachers and principals, attend a special graduation ceremony.

'The Dale Carnegie course is one of the most successful leadership development programmes in history, having transformed over eight million graduates in 86 countries over 99 years.

'It is recognised by employers internationally and has proven to be extremely effective in preparing young people for the business world,” says Michael.

Comments from last year's student graduates of the course:

I feel that my major benefit from this course was that it really prepared me for the workforce because before I went on the Dale Carnegie course I never realised how much of business was reliant on people skills. From hearing all the class members share each week, I learned more than I had expected about business and life outside of school. This was an invaluable experience.
Dylan Seidel, Bethlehem College

I cannot thank yourself and the Dale Carnegie team enough for the opportunity to learn from such inspiring local people. The other scholarship candidates and I have gained so much in so little time and the lessons I have taken away from the course will be an invaluable asset.
Emma Raymond, Tauranga Girls' College

I'm a less stressed person and have gained many leadership skills I can use any time.
Aroha Hughes, Mount Maunganui College

The training has helped my self confidence and given me good tools used in personal relations. This has a lot of value in day to day life, no matter what you do.
Joseph Meys, Aquinas College

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