One of the privileges offered to senior students at Te Puna Wai o Waipapa is the opportunity to become Peer Support leaders and help new Year 9 students become part of the Hagley Whānau.

The high school Peer Support programme is a nationwide initiative with the sole purpose of helping make the transition from primary to secondary school as seamless and supported as possible.

The practical implementation of peer support is an enjoyable and rewarding process. First we facilitate the introduction of the programme and learn about one another before progressing through a series of fun and educational activities over a period of weeks with the new students.

Through sharing personal stories and imparting our knowledge gained over our years at high school we form a Tuakana-Taina relationship with the new ākonga, where we help the students grow into themselves and flourish at Hagley.

Watching students become more confident in themselves and with one another is the most rewarding part of being a Peer Support Leader.