Goals and objectives

To engage youth in role modeling smokefree behaviors and promoting the importance of staying smokefree.

Target audience

By Marlborough youth for Marlborough youth.

Project fit with 2025 aims

It supports the initiative to reduce the uptake of smoking amongst youth.

What happened

The Smokefree Marlborough Coalition were approached to work with these three young women. As Pacific and Māori have high rates of smoking, it was thought their positive role modelling may encourage others to lead a smokefree lifestyle. They are actively promoting smokefree within their home, school, sporting communities and Pacific communities.

Partners

Smokefree Marlborough Coalition.

Key outcomes

Three Pacific students who are active in representative sports teams were selected to be MSYA.

They had to engage with the National Heart Foundation and Public Health Unit for an overview of `what is a MSYA?’ and `how can they lead by example?’. Their families also had to commit to being smokefree. They were provided with smokefree merchandise and have an expectation to continue to support smokefree for the next six months.

Key learnings

What worked well:

• Gaining support from the Pacific community.

• Engaging athletes as positive role models.

• Providing an overview of smokefree.

• Identifying three sisters.

What would you do differently:

• Working on engaging with the Māori community.

What's more

One newspaper article from the Marlborough Express.