SPACPAC INITIATIVES

Exciting Opportunities Await!

This is an opportunity for any Pacific students in leadership positions to be equipped in a day retreat. This day will include leadership workshops, Pacific identity/ belongingness workshops, and an opportunity to meet other Pacific youth and community leaders from across Canterbury.
Date & Time: Tuesday 11 February 2025 9am - 3pm
Venue: Multicultural Centre
455 Hagley Avenue, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-leadership-retreat-2025

This is an opportunity for students, parents, schools, and the wider community to celebrate our Pacific high achievers for 2024. With our revamp, we have come up with some unique and more prestigious awards that better showcase our Pacific students and their talents and achievements. Some examples of our new awards are Pacific Champion, Trailblazing Innovation Award, Sports Game Changer and Commitment to Wellbeing.
Date & Time: Tuesday 6 May 2025 5.30pm - 7pm
Venue: The Aurora Centre,
151 Greers Road, Burnside, Christchurch
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-pacific-youth-awards

Canterbury Polyfest provides the opportunity for our secondary school students from across the Canterbury region to celebrate and showcase their Pasifika culture, language and identity through song and dance to reflect the diverse Pasifika cultures residing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In recent years we have extended special invitations to secondary schools from around the South Island to experience this opportunity.
Date & Time: Saturday 22 March 2025 8.30am - 5.30pm
Venue: North Hagley Park
57 Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-canterbury-polyfest-2025

A chance for young people to think of an issue and propose a solution for it. This provides our Pasifika students with challenges that will require some thinking outside of the box. Teams will be given opportunities to develop an innovative solution by means of a product/service to address a topical issue that is relevant to Pacific youth today.
Winning pitch will receive funds to support the development of their idea/ initiative. There will be opportunity to connect the groups with a business/community mentor to enable their idea/ initiative.
Date & Time: Tuesday 12 August 2025 3pm - 7pm
Venue: Christchurch City Council Chambers, 53 Hereford Street
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-innovate

Hosted by Ara Te Pūkenga and University of Canterbury to provide a general overview of future careers and employment opportunities. Over 40 businesses and agencies including training/tertiary institutions will be represented on the day to profile career and scholarship information for our Pasifika students.
Students will hear from inspirational Pasifika leaders and business owners. An expo with Pacific flare.
Date & Time: Thursday 19 June 2025 8.30am - 3.00pm
Venue: Te Pae Convention Centre
188 Oxford Terrace, Christchurch Convention Centre
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-careers-expo-school-registration

The annual Mamana Le Leo Pasifika Speech Competition allows students to compete in the following languages: Cook Islands Māori, English, Fijian, Kiribati, Samoan, and Tongan. Students are able to gain NCEA achievement standards or unit standards (let us know if your school needs support around this).
Students can go on to participate in the Samoan FAGASA regional speech competition. Tongan language learners can gain speech writing support through the Lea Faka Tonga programme.
Date & Time: Tuesday 2 September 2025 9am - 5pm
Venue: University of Canterbury Rātā Engineering Core
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-mamana-le-leo-speech-festival

The Emerging Leaders Breakfast recognises students who have made a significant contribution to the life of their respective school. As leaders they will have demonstrated the values and attributes associated with being an effective leader. Keynote speakers will be invited to motivate and encourage our student leaders throughout the morning on issues affecting youth of today. This is an opportunity for our Pasifika student leaders to strengthen networks with their peers from across Canterbury.
Date & Time: Wednesday 17 September 2025 8am - 10am
Venue: TBC
Click the link to register:
https://events.humanitix.com/spacpac-pacific-leaders-breakfast