YMCA Foundation Youth Development Scholarship awarded
The YMCA Foundation is proud to congratulate Sarah Cashmore (Ngāti Porou) on earning our first Youth Development Scholarship at an award ceremony on 25 July.
We partnered with the Whitireia Foundation to offer a scholarship for Sarah to further her studies through a Bachelor of Youth Development with WelTec / Te Pūkenga in 2025.
Sarah is an outstanding advocate for youth and no stranger to accolades. As a student at Aotea College from 2018-2020, in her first year she was awarded the NZ Police Commissioner’s Medal, and in her final year both the Sisterhood Award and the Overall Girls’ Outstanding Role Model Award.
Sarah has been active in youth and community work for several years. She was a boxing coach and mentor at Cannons Creek Boxing Academy for six years and has been a Youthline crisis line responder and facilitator. She is currently doing placement and work experience at Challenge 2000.
“I’ve had the chance to do amazing things such as 1:1 mentoring, running Youth Week, creating community events and running after school programmes,” Sarah says.
Now in her final year of the WelTec / Te Pūkenga Diploma in Youth Work, Sarah is poised to pursue a bachelor’s degree.
“I have a huge passion for young people and advocating for our rangatahi. Undertaking this degree will allow me to further develop my knowledge in the career I’m very passionate about. This will also open up more opportunities for me to learn more about the sector and how I can be a positive intentional youth worker in my community.”
Ka pai Sarah!