Te Rourou, Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation, has announced Sydney Bristow-Kennedy as the recipient for the second annual Anthony Welton Fellowship.

19-year-old Sydney (Ngāi Tahu, Ngā Puhi), who has grown up in Invercargill, is a student at Murihiku Young Parents' Learning Centre (MYPLC). Because of her own experiences with inequality, she is committed to focusing on helping other rangatahi into opportunities.

Sydney will be using her Fellowship to continue at MYPLC to complete her University Entrance and gain work experience in a youth coach organisation to better understand what roles she could work in, building connections and relationships on the way. She is passionate about creating opportunities for Māori and Pasifika rangatahi, especially in her home of Southland, which aligns with the purpose and mission of Te Rourou.

“I believe youth should have equal opportunities no matter what background they come from,” says Sydney.

Kirsty Buggins, Head of Foundation for Te Rourou, is delighted to award the Fellowship to Sydney. “Sydney’s passion for rangatahi and commitment to building better futures for others is admirable, and we are honoured to be able to support her in her work,” she says.

“We look forward to seeing Sydney’s growth and development as our 2022 Fellow.”

The Fellowship provides one young person each year with a $10,000 Fellowship to support them to work towards their vision for the future. It was formed last year, when after 12 years, Antony Welton stepped down from his role as the Chair of the Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation. In honour of his dedicated contributions and commitment to improving outcomes for rangatahi, the Antony Welton Fellowship was established with the generous support of Vodafone New Zealand (soon to be One New Zealand) and CEO Jason Paris who grew up in Invercargill. The 2022 Fellowship requirements included rangatahi aged between 15-24, living in Invercargill or Bluff – Waihopai or Awarua Rūnaka – with the intention to invest the fund into personal and/or professional development.

The Fellowship is in line with Te Rourou’s continuous commitment and investment for the Invercargill region, as Invercargill’s young people are experiencing exclusion and disadvantage at significantly higher rates than the national average. The region has organisations and community groups who are doing wonderful work to try and address the challenges these young people are facing.

This work in Invercargill builds on Vodafone New Zealand’s strategic partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, aiming to increase digital connectivity within the iwi, and boost diversity in the wider technology sector.