Stand Tall unlocks young entrepreneur’s potential

Stand Tall is a registered charity based in Tauranga, dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial and digital capabilities among young people aged 15-24. Now in its third year, Stand Tall delivers an integrated programme of work that equips young people with the skills needed to thrive in today’s fast-evolving economy.

Stand Tall initiatives are designed to address the unique challenges young people face in the Bay of Plenty, focusing on creativity, self-discovery, and innovation. They provide access to innovation tools, resources, and mentorship, helping young people discover their strengths, build new skills, and explore complementary, alternative pathways to education and employment.

Stand Tall operates in key areas like Tauranga, Rotorua, Kawerau, and Whakatāne, where they actively work to break down barriers that may prevent youth from accessing opportunities. Their approach fosters connectedness, resilience, and employability, allowing young people to confidently shape their own future.

Pascale Hyboud-Peron, Stand Tall’s MG (Momentum Generator), says: “We work with over 300 young people across the Bay of Plenty, and spend significant amounts of time with our young people.”

“Through participating in our activities, they become aware of pathways beyond the traditional options of university or work. By focusing on projects they care about, they grow their leadership and many related skills, “ says Pascale, “We help them identify and shape projects they’re passionate about, and they discover their ability to manage projects, work in teams, and build financial skills—all of which are highly valued in today’s job market.” 

Through partnerships with schools, community organisations, and business volunteers, Stand Tall activities all include mentorship and hands-on entrepreneurial experiences. This community-focused approach ensures that their participants, regardless of their background or previous engagement with education, are supported in becoming confident, capable contributors to society.

Stand Tall captures a diverse pool of talented young people from around the Bay of Plenty. One of their alumni is Manaia Peina, who says she learnt so much doing the Young Enterprise Scheme in 2022, one of the in-school programmes Stand Tall delivers.

“In my business, we created sustainable vegan pleather tote bags,” says Manaia, “It was cool to turn up to my first business class thinking: What am I going to do? and end up with my very own business.” 

Now, as the Programme Coordinator at Stand Tall, Manaia is the one going to schools meeting students to get them involved in Stand Tall’s programmes and support them in finding their way. This year, Stand Tall has supported over 300 youth throughout the wider Bay of Plenty compared to 150 in Manaia’s year, 2022. 

In the Western Bay of Plenty, they have worked with 150 young people and last year increased their impact in the Te Puke area specifically. Local funder TECT granted $35,000 to Stand Tall to support their operational costs this year. 

TECT Trustee Kate Barry-Piceno says Stand Tall is already significantly impacting the achievement of our local youth in achieving the future they want to see for themselves.

“TECT wants every young person to be equipped to participate in the world, and we trust that the entrepreneurial and digital skills and experiences these young people are learning through Stand Tall will help them in their future endeavours.”