About yia! > For schools

Essential skills for the future of work

In the past 15 years, thousands of young people have come through the yia! program with essential skills for their future employment, scholarship or further education.

yia! is the only Design Thinking programme in the Western Bay of Plenty, and helps to build resilience, empathy, teamwork, communication and creativity.

  • "It's been fantastic for (my child) to really decide on a concrete career path. She's going through Year 13 with real direction. Yia! has been amazing."

    Parent, yia! 2019

  • "We need more people from an early age to to have their eyes open to opportunity, innovation and creativity. The world is changing, and we need young talent that are innovators."

    Steven Saunders, Founder, Robotics Plus | yia! judge and partner.

  • "Innovation is so important for our students. They already come with amazing ideas and views of the world, but they need the tools to turn it into something that can have a genuine impact on the world".

    Andy Howells, Teacher, Aquinas College

  • "What exites me is all the potential, and how much you can do and all the possibilities. You could make something that changes someone's life!"

    Student and yia! participant, 2023

A young person writing post-it-notes

Foster innovation

The yia! programme offers a unique opportunity for educators to foster a culture of innovation in your school, connect with local innovators and businesses, and
prepare your students for the future of work. It’s an incredible chance to equip your students with the skills they need to succeed.

A group of young people raising their arms in excitement

Learn Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a critical skill that students can develop through the yia! programme, providing them with skills required for the future of work – resilience, empathy, teamwork, and communication skills. This programme offers a chance for students to learn these skills in a practical, hands-on environment.

Prize winners holding their cheque

Empower students

Every student has the potential to be innovative regardless of their skill set or background. The yia! programme is an excellent platform for educators to see their students flourish, develop confidence, and discover their unique talents. It's an opportunity to empower every student to reach their full potential.

School and teacher

FAQ

Tauranga’s yia! Awards celebrate the young talent in the Western Bay of Plenty and inspire them to become the future innovators of Aotearoa.

What is yia! ?

The yia! program empowers the future workforce by building young minds through innovation.

Read more on our About page.

What are the benefits of the program?

Your young person will create, connect and learn valuable skills that enable them on their next venture, whether that is future employment, scholarship or further education. Children finishing the program say it helped them to learn about leadership, creativity and collaboration.

How is the yia! program unique from other youth programs?

The yia! program is the only program in the Bay of Plenty to take students through the Design Thinking methodology.

What is Design Thinking, and why is it important?

Employers in the Bay of Plenty tell us that they want future employees to be able to think creatively. Design Thinking is a framework for developing ideas that is fast becoming an essential skill - not taught through our current school curriculum. The yia! program teaches Design Thinking in a hands-on, fun and inclusive way.

As a teacher, what’s the involvement?

The yia! program is completely run through the schools. You will support your students to develop and submit their entries. Our yia! team, will help support you to embed the program. Additional resources to help you do this are currently under construction. Please contact us if you are interested in being involved and do not know your participating school coordinator.

Who runs the program?

The yia! program is facilitated as part of the Priority One Instep program, which has several sister programs. You can view them on the Priority One School Careers page. All yia! facilitators and mentors are highly skilled in their field and are passionate about your young person’s success. Meg Davis is the Project Manager.

Can we come to the Awards Night?

Yes! If your student or child is a finalist, we will invite you to the awards night. We love to see everyone supporting the local community and their young people. The evening is purely a celebration of all the hard work that has gone into the ideas. Numbers are limited and RSVP’s are essential. Don’t forget that it’s not the winning, it’s the taking part that counts!