Education focus for new regional Young Farmers Territory Manager
Getting out into schools to talk about the educational resources developed by NZ Young Farmers is how new Otago Southland territory manager Amber Mitchell plans to spend a lot of her time over the coming year. Having grown up on a sheep and beef farm at Awarua, Mitchell trained as a teacher and has been doing relief teaching from her home base in Lime Hills, as well as running a clothing business with her mother and being mum to Cooper, Henry and Zara. ‘‘I’ve got big shoes to fill,’’ she says, referring to the work of previous territory manager Leanne Woodhead, who is currently on 12 months maternity leave. ‘‘My major focus will be getting into schools and promoting TeenAg and AgriKidsNZ clubs and supporting teachers with the amazing resources Young Farmers have available.’’ These include primary and secondary school curriculum units which have been developed with support from CORE Education and funding from the Red Meat Profit Partnership. Together they have developed the agrication website where teachers can access resources which are aligned with the NZ curriculum and NCEA standards. Primary school topics include Bigger and Better which explores the relationship between science and farming, and a social inquiry unit called Boots and All, looking at stereotypes in the agriculture sector. Secondary resources include a business studies and economic unit called Challenges and Opportunities for the Future, exploring globalisation, entrepreneurship and sustainability, and Farming for Ideas, an English-based unit looking at literature with a farming flavour. There are also Teachers Day Out programmes providing professional development and showcasing careers in the agrifood sector, as well as ideas for guest speakers and field trips. The TeenAg and AgriKids clubs offer leadership pathway programmes and camps to develop emerging leaders, as well as being involved in the annual competition series run alongside the NZ Young Farmer of the Year Contest. Mitchell said since the NZ Young Farmer Contest finals held in Invercargill in early July, two new schools have become involved and new organisations have come forward with funding to help the clubs and schools. The other main aspect to her job is supporting the region’s 14 Young Farmers clubs and helping to build membership. She says the clubs provide an important social outlet for farmers, many of whom work in isolated areas, although you don’t have to be a farmer to join. ‘‘Anyone that wants to connect with rural New Zealand is really welcome.’’