(Picture caption: The Young enterprise team at Hasting Girls' High School is producing coconut candles - adding a little bit of paradise to your home.)
As the Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) celebrates its 40th anniversary, the number of Pacific students taking part in the initiative is increasing every year. Over the next few months, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) will profile Pacific YES teams – we hope you get behind and support these budding entrepreneurs too...
Soothing Scents, from Hastings Girls’ High School
The Soothing Scents YES team from Hastings Girls’ High School is adding a little bit of paradise to your home with its tropical-smelling coconut candle.
Soothing Scents produce environmentally friendly candles which are home-made.
The team, of Pacific heritage, says it wants to encourage people to choose eco-friendly products to reduce the amount of waste – especially plastic - being produced in New Zealand.
“We are on a mission to become your go-to handcrafted coconut candle company to provide you with high quality scented candles that will genuinely inspire you and enliven your senses with enticing aromas,” the team adds.
You can follow Soothing Scents on Instagram and order via email: [email protected].
The Young Enterprise initiative has supported a total of 5000 students (up until 2022), mentoring and developing their entrepreneur skills and ambitions.
This year, 482 Pacific students from around Aotearoa New Zealand are taking part in the hugely beneficial initiative, an increase from the 457 students last year.
To take part in YES, student groups or businesses must complete four challenges, Validation, The Pitch, Sales and Promotion and the fourth challenge of presenting an Annual Review.
There is over $20,000 in the national prize pool as well as regional awards, cash prizes and tertiary scholarships, while students also have opportunities to attend national business competitions, events and go on partner programmes.
Visit the YES Market website for information on teams’ products and services.