A selection of Bay of Plenty College students are taking part in a special student leadership programme.

The Year-12 students are enjoying the first of two years on a Future Leaders Programme run by the Bay of Plenty Education Trust.

Future Leaders Programme Leader Phil Laurence with, back row, from left, Flynn Kelly from Tauranga Boys' College, Lachlan McBride from Bethlehem College, front row, from left, Helena Goldsmith from Mt Maunganui College, Millie Elliot from Aquinas College, and Hunta Davies from Tauranga Girls' College. Photo Supplied.

They gathered at Mt Maunganui last week for a day of learning. There to inspire them as a guest speaker was former TePuke High School head boy and businessman Damon Stewart, who is managing director of Phone4U – SPARKS' Waikato-Bay of Plenty independent retailer.

Damon shared business life experiences and spoke around the five 'Cs” of leadership – character, courage, collaboration, communication and compassion.

Future Leaders Programme leader Phil Laurence says the students are being well grounded to potentially take on leadership roles at their schools next year.

'It gives them confidence and self-belief that anyone can be a leader. Leadership is learned and a deliberate process. The course is quality driven, providing a select group with a unique opportunity for self-discovery and development,” Phil says.

The Western Bay of Plenty students selected are Millie Elliot, Jake Hynds, Lachlan McBride, Matthew Hall, Maddie Scown, Helena Goldsmith, Kara Crawford-Smi, Jesse Remnant, Hunta Davies, Joy Ackerley, Flynn Kelly, Kane Drake, Parminder Kaur, Claudia Jones and Jayda Hopping. Five Eastern Bay of Plenty students are also on the programme.

The objectives of the programme is to teach participants how to improve their leadership effectiveness, better utilise their influence potential when interacting and relating to others, and take on leadership roles within their respective learning institutions and communities.

It has been developed specifically for the Bay of Plenty Education Trust and run over Year-12 and 13. During this time the students, who are selected by their schools, receive instruction, guidance and personal coaching.

Phil says leadership is important in every sector, in every community, and in every country.

'This programme is designed to contribute to the revitalisation of organisations, to the creation of new enterprises, to the renewal of healthy communities, and to greater respect and understanding in the world,” Phil says.

The 20 students on the programme are from colleges down the coast from Katikati to Opotoki. It is designed to complement the Bay of Plenty Education Trust's scholarships, which are awarded annually to Year-13 students resident in the coastal Bay of Plenty area as recommended to the Trust by the schools' principals.