Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme

“O le ala ile pule o le tautua - the path to leadership is service.”

With over three thousand years of collective governance systems, Pasifika people are inherently born to be part of a collective, to think of the communities they live in, instead of the individual. Leadership through service or service leadership is instilled from birth.

However, navigating a western landscape of governance is something that has proven challenging and difficult for our Pasifika leaders in Aotearoa.

Applications are closed

Applications for the 2026 programme have now closed. Find out more about our 2026 mentees, 2025 mentees and 2025 mentors.

Background

The IoD is committed to supporting greater involvement, empowerment and visibility of Pacific people in governance and championing the value of board diversity as a key to good governance.

“We cannot be what we cannot see.”

One of the key challenges for Pasifika communities is a lack of visibility of Pacific people in governance roles outside of community and church boards, and the difficulty of navigating the western pathways in New Zealand’s governance landscape.

Having more experienced governors ’leaving the ladder down’ so others can climb up, will create opportunities for aspiring Pacific directors to learn and find their own pathways.

The Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme aims to bridge the gap by providing a mentoring platform for aspiring Pacific leaders wanting to pursue a future in governance, bringing more diversity to the governance landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Two-way learning
“Tautua” or servant leadership in the Pasifika context implies reciprocal learning pathways for both mentors and mentees. We recognise that each person on the programme brings valuable knowledge, wisdom, and insights which the other can learn and grow from. We expect that the experience will be mutually beneficial and culturally enriching for both our mentors and our mentees.

Our Pasifika mentoring programme

After a successful pilot in Tāmaki Makaurau, we are taking our Tautua Pasifika Mentoring programme nationwide in 2026. 

Successful applicants will be matched with a senior director for one-to-one mentoring (approximately 6-8 sessions). The mentoring and advice will provide participants with:

• • a deeper understanding of governance practices
  • an understanding of the expectations of boards for significant sized entities
  • identifying skill gaps
  • developing your unique value proposition as a director

Cohort workshops and networking
During the year we will hold two in-person workshops and networking events in Auckland. This is an opportunity to connect with other mentees and hear from governance experts. Mentees travelling outside of Auckland will need to organise their own travel and accommodation for these compulsory sessions.

Eligibility Criteria

Click here to see if you meet the eligibility criteria for the Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme.

Terms and conditions

Click here to view the terms and conditions for the Tautua Pasifika Mentoring Programme.

Contact

For any other queries regarding the Tautua Pasifika Mentoring programme, please contact:
Litia Brighouse-Fuavao
iodprogrammes@iod.org.nz
027 444 7371