Trust Board
James Wards
Your Corps
Associated Skills and Talents
• Event Management and Logistics, having hosted over 200 events.
• Successful Start-up career and demonstration of entrepreneurialism.
• Extensive youth work with Oranga Tamariki and Open Home Foundation.
• Inventor of various new digital products and computer systems.
• Diverse work skills, managing a dairy farm prior to Your Corps.
• 3D designer for various engineering applications, such as automotive, architectural, agricultural and computer hardware engineering.
Qualifications/Accomplishments
• Gore Young Achiever of the Year 2019
• New Zealander of the Year: Local Hero Award 2021
• Impact Awards: Semi-Finalist 2020
Benefits, Skills and Talents brought to the Trust
I believe that there is a critical need for a charitable organisation, that is not only governed by young professionals, but brings new knowledge and expertise regarding sophisticated modern-technologies, to assist the efforts of other local community incentives, in meeting their objectives for the effective deployment and accessibility of digital experiences.
An example of an issue you see within your community regarding children and teenagers, and their lack of social opportunities and limited access to technology? As a youth worker for Oranga Tamariki and Open Home Foundation, I am regularly working with hard-to-engage youths of New Zealand, who feel neglected by their community, due to the severe lack of opportunities and forums for young people to meet and to interact on issues of current relevance to them. Many of these youths express a significant interest in technology, however most organisations severely lack the availability of resources and expertise at the national, government level to fulfil these requests.
How James thinks children and teens can benefit from access to technology and social events in your community: We seek to co-ordinate and support the routine deployment of community accessible experiences, situated around technology, by utilizing video gaming and the recycling of old computers as a platform to encourage young people to interact, learn team work, develop tech skills, co-operate, compete and form friendships.
These technologies are universally appealing to people of most ages, ethnicities and genders, which is an overwhelming common interest of relevance to young people.
Ultimate Goals and Objectives James wishes to see accomplished with the Trust, and changes he wishes to see for children within the community as a result of the trusts actions: Our vision is the transformation of New Zealand into the greatest place on earth for youth wishing to pursue technological careers digital experiences. Further to our vision and goal; is to empower young people to broaden their scope of interest and create technology that can be empowering and assist them in creating work experiences.
Dr. Marcin Lipski
Exercise and Sport Scientist
Associated Skills and Talents
• Certified scientific and research skills to differentiate fact from fiction
• Health, wellbeing (hauora) and performance expertise with evidence to back up how they are entwined.
• 14 years of coaching and mentoring experience, including disadvantaged tamariki and rangatahi.
Qualifications/Accomplishments
• PhD in Exercise and Sport Science from the Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
• MSc in Exercise Science and Coaching from the German Sports University Cologne, Germany.
• BSc in Sports Performance from the German Sports University Cologne, Germany.
• Scientific and peer-reviewed presentations at 6 different international conferences in the area of health, performance and wellbeing.
• Eight peer-reviewed publications in exercise and sport science
Edith Cowan University International Postgraduate Research Scholarship 2014-2018
• Edith Cowan University Research Travel Grant 2016
• Twice 3rd Place 3-Minute Thesis Presentation at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Benefits, Skills and Talents brought to the Trust
Talent has been shown to be a detrimental concept when considering any type of skill, ability and progress towards individual, group and organisational improvements. Talents are useless in the long term. What matters is knowledge and skill - which is what 2020 and the Covid19 pandemic should have taught us. Thus, I believe that I bring the highest quality of knowledge in the areas of health, performance and wellbeing, bundled together with 14+ years of experience in the exercise, sports and health world - and that from across 4 different countries and 3 continents.
An example of an issue you see within your community regarding children and teenagers, and their lack of social opportunities and limited access to technology? An issue that I see quite often from a health, hauora and performance perspective is that we do not care about what our tamariki and rangatahi really are interested in. A lot of marketing, conceptual documents and even "KPI's" are often generated. Yet, many exercise, sports, health and wellbeing organisations do not even know what our youth would like to do. Furthermore, the investments in these areas are rarely evidence-driven. One such example is the integration of technology in leisure activities such as casual gaming and esports, which is almost demonised by everyone involved in "supporting" our youth. Nothing will ever happen if the major players are afraid of technology - although when it comes to mobile phone usage, they do not mind pushing the "healthy" usage boundaries a bit for themselves.
How Marcin thinks children and teens can benefit from access to technology and social events in your community: There are more gamers out there than any other leisure activity. The benefits of engaging in an educational and supportive environment with technology and gaming are for me highlighted across all aspects of hauora (following e.g. Te Whare Tapa Whā or Te Wheke models):
1. Taha tinana (physical health), despite often misunderstood, but any technological and gaming-related activities are the most challenging and best mental and neural stimulation available. They are so good that they are used in therapy for a lot of neural clinical conditions and even to improve pilots and surgeons.
2. Taha wairua (spiritual health)
This is rather simple: our youth already believes and knows (they are so much ahead of us!) that technology and gaming are important - and it is imperative to them! It is what makes them who they are. Not supporting them in their endeavours is like taking away their life force.
3. Taha whānau (family)
Everyone they know uses technology for something, including their parents and grandparents! Yet, we see so much of "we want to protect them from it". Our youth gains identification, understanding and acceptance through activities like gaming. It builds their whānau, and we have to help them.
4.taha hinengaro (mental health)
Ultimate Goals and Objectives Marcin wishes to see accomplished with the Trust, and changes he wishes to see for children within the community as a result of the trusts actions: This is rather simple. Establish gaming as an accepted, supported and healthy leisure activity, with pathways to all levels of performance and professionalism.
Although many other countries have a massive advantage over New Zealand when it comes to esports, there are many issues around how casual gaming and esports are highlighted by the professional scene and its prominent figures. There are unhealthy, dangerous and simply ineffective approaches taken in the area of casual gaming and esports. I want to see this be done differently in New Zealand. Thus, I take upon myself the responsibility to build, support, and mentor casual gaming and esports scenes that are evidence-driven and focused on a holistic hauora approach!
Jesse Hall
Chartered Accountant
Associated Skills and Talents
• Tax and legislation knowledge
• Start ups and small business coaching
• Financial budgets and planning
• Technology; especially cloud technology
• Business Planning
• Growth Strategies
Qualifications/Accomplishments
• Bachelor of Commerce Majoring in Accounting
• Bachelor of Science Majoring in Chemistry
• Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting
• Named as 1 of 15 Acuity Magazines Future Leaders 2021
Benefits, Skills and Talents brought to the Trust
I believe I bring a good range of skills and experiences that will help Inert Coin to Play not only help build community through a shared interest but to help drive it towards success. I truly believe that community building is a major factor in helping our youth and with most if not all youth being interested in gaming then this presents a massive opportunity for us as a board to make a real impact in their lives.
An example of an issue you see within your community regarding children and teenagers, and their lack of social opportunities and limited access to technology? Technology while brining a massive advantage, can also heavily influence isolationism. Phones, gaming, tv all present opportunities for our youth to isolate on their own at home and can heavily influence them from enjoying the outdoors or forming solid communities/friendships with their peers. Not having access to technology can also see them being left out or behind and is something I believe everyone should have access to.
How Jesse thinks children and teens can benefit from access to technology and social events in your community: By bringing like minded youth together, we can help them form good solid social bonds and help influence their learning through those critical stages of life.
Ultimate Goals and Objectives Jesse wishes to see accomplished with the Trust, and changes he wishes to see for children within the community as a result of the trusts actions: If we could simply have a set time and place or youth to meet, share some shared interests and form bonds over community based activities then I know our youth will better off mentally than remaining isolated in their homes.