Fashion designer among leaders' forum delegates

Fashion design student Steve Hall has been selected as one of 100 delegates at this year’s Aspiring Leaders’ Forum, hosted by members of Parliament.

The 22 year-old, who is originally from Tauranga, will join other young potential leaders for the conference from July 26-29 at Wellington. The forum encourages delegates to become leading role models in their community and in their chosen fields of arts, business, politics or sport.

The fourth year student, who is of Te Arawa descent, believes attending the forum will help him to engage more fully with his Maori heritage.

Mr Hall, who joined Massey’s College of Creative Arts after starting his fashion design studies at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, also wants to complement his designs of male urban street wear to explore philosophies of leadership, which are the focus of the four-day conference.

“ I believe that it will give me a better understanding of myself and the direction I am taking with a potential career in the fashion industry.”

Each forum delegate is first nominated by a mentor and then required to raise the $900 needed to attend. The College of Creative Arts as well as a private sponsor have supported Mr Hall.

The forum format includes a day spent in Parliament House, keynote addresses from senior politicians and other community leaders, seminar groups, smaller group discussions, a local community service project and a sport and recreation afternoon.

“I’m particularly looking forward to listening to the different leaders speak and then talking in smaller groups about what we get from it too, ” Mr Hall says.

Forum organisers say the small groups are often challenging and therefore require individuals to be willing participants and to learn to communicate with others who may think differently to them.