More than 5000 young Kiwis discover their “inner awesome"

Youthline and Coca-Cola celebrate the first anniversary of a free programme helping Kiwi teens and young adults change their lives and communities

The world-first Youthline & Coca-Cola Good2Great programme has exceeded all expectations on its first anniversary, making this Youth Week (May 19-27) a double celebration.

Launched a year ago to help New Zealanders aged 15-24 develop the confidence and knowledge to reach their potential, Good2Great is both a free app and a nationwide series of workshops designed by Youthline and funded by Coca-Cola.

The game-style app guides users through virtual scenarios adapted from real situations identified as major challenges by young people. The original goal for the first year was to reach 3,00 young Kiwis. The app has now been downloaded more than 5,000 times, and hundreds more have attended the nine free workshops held so far from Invercargill to Auckland.

The workshops allow teens and young adults to share their challenges with like-minded peers and learn skills that can help them navigate some of the obstacles they face. The emphasis is on developing their potential and empowering them to make a difference in their communities.

“Good2Great has far surpassed every expectation since it was launched in 2017,” says Youthline CEO Shae Ronald.

“Clearly it strikes a chord with young New Zealanders who are looking to build their self-confidence and leadership skills, and the feedback we’ve had is that it’s been life-changing for many young adults. It can be hard to find the right kind of guidance and support, especially outside the major cities, and people are not always comfortable seeking help in person. That’s why Good2Great is so important, giving teens and young adults the tools to be their best selves without being judged, wherever they are in New Zealand.”

Good2Great’s ambassador, musician Stan Walker, is the perfect example of a young Kiwi who has navigated many challenges along the path to success, and who continues to lead by example. Stan attends workshops to share his journey with participants, inspiring them to explore their own potential as New Zealand’s future leaders.

The programme, which has had a participant approval rating of more than 95%, will now go full-circle, with the next workshop being held in Oamaru, the location of the first ever Good2Great workshop a year ago. Experts from Coca-Cola will join Youthline facilitators from June 2-3 to give advice on how to become more employable and navigate the New Zealand job market.

Coca-Cola Oceania country manager Sandhya Pillay says, “Through our 10-year partnership with Youthline, we always knew there was so much more potential to use our scale and influence to give back in a long-term, more sustainable and engaging way. Good2Great was the result, and it’s been really fantastic to see it change so many young people’s lives and give them more confidence in themselves.”

More workshops will be held in other locations throughout the year, with Christchurch and Northland to follow Oamaru. The Good2Great app can be downloaded at: www.youthline.co.nz/good2great-app.html

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