Hamish is a young man with tremendous academic and leadership
potential. During his time at Kamo High School, he consistently
achieved good academic results. Hamish achieved all three levels of
NCEA with a Merit Endorsement, showing specific strength in
English. He has also proven to be a talented sportsman. From the
age of 5 he was involved in Surf Lifesaving and is now a qualified
lifeguard with team leadership responsibilities. Hamish was also a
member of the school First XI Soccer team and the U/19 Futsal
team.
"Hamish demonstrated a maturity beyond his years when articulating
to his interviewers his career, financial and family goals. He was
found to be respectful, polite, attentive, articulate and
resourceful; many facets which we at Manaia PHO can utilise and
learn from," said Karen Giles from Manaia Health when naming Hamish
their First Foundation Student.
Originally from Whangarei, Hamish made the move to Auckland in
2010 to study a Bachelor of Arts, with a double major in
criminology and social science for public health at
the University of Auckland. In 2014 he began working at Youth
Service West as a youth service co-ordinator and following a
secondment in early 2015 he was made a personal advisor.
"The work I have done since completing university has been
really fulfilling as I have the opportunity to work one on one and
help produce positive outcomes with young parents and
disadvantaged, high risk West Auckland teenagers. For me it feels
as though my journey as a First Foundation scholarship recipient
has now come full circle as one component of my work is to
encourage and assist often disadvantaged young people to apply for
scholarships.'"