Love, Kiri
Kia ora e hoa rā, Social Impact Studio e Otago Leadership Award,
Ko Whakatipu waimāori te te awa, no Ōtepoti ahau, ko Lenagh-Glue tōku whānau, ko Kiri tōku ingoa.
It’s been a while, hasn’t it? So much so that when I was first being introduced into a whānau that would be with me from my first year of university to my last day five-and-a-half years later, it was still known as UniCrew! 2015 called, and a lot of things have changed and not always for the best, but some things, important, core programmes and people, remain constant.
It’s always interesting reflecting back on your youth, because yes, 18 years old absolutely counts for that. Making the shift from high school to university, I had made the conscious decision to scale back my volunteering commitments to try and reduce some of the pressures and focus on my first year in a new structure and environment. Naturally, when I came across the Otago Leadership Award, and met Sze-En, and saw what the, then UniCrew, ethos was, that plan of scaling back volunteering hours and external engagement went right out the window. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Over the five years studying at Otago, I was involved across a number of areas of the community. After my introduction to the programme through the Student Leadership Award, I joined the Studio as an Intercollege Coordinator, and again in the following year as a Community Relations Manager. These roles predominantly allowed me to engage with rangatahi and the wider Dunedin ecosystem, to galvanise the student body and help find their passions within the volunteering and community outreach space, and become part of a productive community for Ōtepoti. During my time with the Studio, I also acted as the coordinator for the University of Otago Student Leadership Award, being able to re-engage with the programme that got the whole journey started, and help guide the Award and the participants building on my own experiences.
What has been so astounding about the Studio is despite the steadfast commitment to collective social betterment, is how the Studio has continued to evolve, expand, and explore. I was fortunate enough to be involved with the first iteration of Silverline, propose a number of interactive-art collaborations, and see the programme grow and mature under Sze-En, Tash, and Amal, to name just a criminally short few. I have met and made some of my best friends through the Studio whānau, found lifelong mentors and role models, and been challenged and inspired by ideas and perspectives that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. The work ethic, values, compassion, and confidence nurtured by the Studio and all those who make it up have carried me through university, across several countries, and now in my professional career, developing early-stage deep-tech startups.
Back in the day, when I was asked how I got involved with the Social Impact Studio, I liked to say I showed up for the UOSLA, and just never left. And in the most loving sense, that is the truth. And what’s more, I know I can just show up at any point in the future, and be right back in with my Studio whānau.
Ngā mihi nui,
Kiri Lenagh-Glue