MP Lianne Dalziel (far right), participates in a group
ice-breaker activity to start a workshop on women in
leadership as a part of a youth leadership seminar at
Cromwell yesterday. Photo by Rosie Manins.
The right environment growing up is crucial to allow
young people to develop leadership skills, MP Lianne Dalziel
told a group of young Central Otago people at a seminar in
Cromwell yesterday.
Ms Dalziel, of Christchurch, said the hardest challenge for
New Zealanders was to teach their children important skills
for their future, in order for young leaders to develop.
"Monsters aren't born. We grow them," she said.
Ms Dalziel was a guest speaker at a youth leadership seminar
comprising about 20 secondary school-aged teenagers from
throughout Central Otago, which was organised by the New
Zealand Leadership Institute's Excelerator Future Leaders
Programme.
Ms Dalziel spoke to the group and answered questions from
youth and Excelerator members.
Anti-smacking legislation was a hot topic from the group,
with many voicing their opposition.
Ms Dalziel said people should not subscribe to the media's
portrayal of the law and focus instead on the reason it was
changed.
"How many people have been charged with smacking their
children since the legislation was changed? None.
"People want to hold on to the one thing they thing they can
use to discipline their children and don't know what to do if
that is deemed inappropriate.
"As a society the most important thing we can do is teach
parents different strategies for dealing with their
children," she said.
Seminar participants also talked about the mixed messages
youth received from the community, media, and people around
them.
Workshops about women in leadership roles as well as sports
leadership were held in the afternoon.
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