Kiwi #726 David Faalogo has been working in tandem with Springboard to help school students transition from secondary school into employment or tertiary education. The former Souths, Huddersfield Giants and Newcastle forward has been working exclusively with Long Bay College and Kristin School, being a vital support person.

Springboard is an organisation created in 2002 that aims to work with youth (8-24yrs) and their families to provide support programmes and create opportunities for young people to achieve positive outcomes. They focus on personal wellbeing by creating a place of belonging and celebrating intimate connections.

Faalogo invited NZRL’s Wellbeing manager Jerry Seuseu, Ali Lauiti’iti and the Warriors Wellbeing manager Ben Henry to present alongside himself at Long Bay College. They presented to the year 13 cohorts about transitioning from school into tertiary education or the workforce and the challenges it may present.

“I want to give back, there are young adults that need some guidance and experienced advice, and it is a priority of mine to be this person for young people,” said Fa’alogo.

“Growing up, I had advice and guidance from mentors in sport teams, and so I know the importance it can have. I made mistakes at a younger age, but we live and learn, and we make sure we do our best not to make those same mistakes.”

The presentation infused both advice from the former NRL starlets as well as personal stories that could help relate these tips to the lives of the students.

NZRL Wellbeing Manager Jerry Seuseu commented, “David told us about this presentation and we jumped right on board to see a former Kiwi such as himself focused on making a difference in the wellbeing of youth in Auckland is an inspiration.

“We are proud to be a part of something like this and are excited to see the growth of rangatahi in Tamaki Makaurau.”