(Picture caption: Saint is a sustainable clothing line, developed for the Young Enterprise Scheme 2023 by a Pacific team based at Waitakere College.)
As the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) celebrates its 40th anniversary, the number of Pacific students taking part in the initiative is increasing every year. Over the next few months, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) will profile Pacific YES teams – we hope you get behind and support these budding entrepreneurs too...
Saint, from Waitakere College, Auckland
Saint is a sustainable clothing line which is on a mission to increase community morale by educating individuals on the importance of respect, service and love.
The Waitakere College students say young people today are currently living in times of division and conflict where the values of respect, service and love are lacking the most.
It is Saint’s mission to increase community morale to help boost morale, while also evolving into a large and fashionable enterprise that uses its financial profits to do good in the community.
Follow Saint on Instagram and Tiktok at @saintclothingnz.
The Young Enterprise initiative has supported a total of 5000 students (up until 2022), mentoring and developing their entrepreneur skills and ambitions.
This year, 482 Pacific students from around Aotearoa New Zealand are taking part in the hugely beneficial initiative, an increase from the 457 students last year.
To take part in YES, student groups or businesses must complete four challenges, Validation, The Pitch, Sales and Promotion and the fourth challenge of presenting an Annual Review.
There is over $20,000 in the national prize pool as well as regional awards, cash prizes and tertiary scholarships, while students also have opportunities to attend national business competitions, events and go on partner programmes.
Visit the YES Market website for information on teams’ products and services.