Rising Rangatahi pathway to success

“These opportunities open doors that would never have been possible.”

Raade Brown's dreams are coming true.

The proud Samoan and Cook Islander has landed his dream job interning as Lead Camera Assist at Warner Bros NZ, an international TV production company.

 The 24-year-old grew up in Mt Wellington and initially approached Tāmaki Jobs & Skills Hub for help with getting his driver’s license, which led to the opportunity at Warner Bros.

“I'm grateful to the Hub for opening the door to this incredible opportunity for me to follow my dream,” Raade says.

"I didn't know that without formal training I would still be able to have a career in TV production, so I'm very thankful to the team at the Hub for putting me forward for this role.”

Through her contact with the Glen Innes based Hub, Angela Fa’apoi, who is from Tonga, also works as the Office Personal Assistant at Warner Bros NZ. She wants to encourage other Māori and Pasifika rangatahi to chase their dreams.

“Don’t ever be afraid to back yourself and go hard for what you believe in," Angela says.

"The challenges I encounter are always different, especially when problem solving in a white dominated industry. Diversity is important.”

Following this success, a pilot initiative, Square One, was created by Warner Bros NZ, Tāmaki Jobs and Skills Hub, and other collectives to continue building pathways for Māori and Pasifika to enter the Film and TV industry.

Farah Jacobs is a proud Tāmaki local and Head of Commercial Development at Warner Brothers.

"Square One was designed to intentionally remove barriers that make it hard for young Māori and Pasifika people to get into the screen industry,” Farah says.

“I saw a chance to help our local Rangatahi into this organisation. We aim to offer production roles every year, and creating this pathway will enable us to tell more rich, diverse, and authentic stories that represent the multi-cultural society that is Aotearoa today.”

Overall, 16 applicants were selected to participate in the project, which began with an intensive two-day workshop providing an overview of the industry.

From the workshop, 4 rangatahi are chosen for paid roles with mentoring and support being provided by experienced crew to support the new recruits’ success.

All participants become part of a Square One alumni network, staying connected and receiving information about upcoming opportunities.

Tāmaki Jobs and Skills Hub Manager Alice Taupau is excited about the programme’s success so far and encourages more support from organisations out in the community.

"Partnerships like this create amazing opportunities for Māori and Pasifika that would otherwise not be accessible to them,” she says.

“These opportunities open doors to industries that would never have been possible.”