Meet Inspiring the Future role model Natalia

Inspiring music plays.

The screen is black. White and orange text appears. It reads, ‘Across Aotearoa, people with all sorts of jobs inspire tamariki through Inspiring the Future.’

The music softens.


Cut to Natalia on a beach, in profile, looking towards the sea. She wears a red and blue checked shirt and glasses. She has short brown hair. On-screen text reads, ‘Natalia Fareti. Director Strategy, Policy and Design. Inspiring the Future role model.’

Natalia speaks in voiceover.

Natalia: “Kia ora. Talofa lava. Ko Natalia Fareti tōku ingoa.”


Cut to Natalia facing the camera, smiling. She is on the balcony of a building on the beach. She wears a yellow shirt, a black blazer and a sei – a flower in her hair. The Inspiring the Future logo is in the bottom-left corner of the video.

Natalia: “I'm a dog lover, eat way too much chocolate, and I'm a Trekkie fan.”

She holds up one hand in the Star Trek Vulcan greeting.

Natalia: “My career started off with my studies in economics and commercial law. I worked in the private sector as an economist, before transitioning to the public sector working in different policy and advisory roles, leading up to where I am today as Director of Strategy, Policy and Design at Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand.” 

As she talks, the camera cuts to a shot of her at a whiteboard with a pen, speaking silently to someone off camera. Then it cuts back to her on the balcony.

Natalia: “I wanted to be an Inspiring the Future role model because I wanted to share opportunities that I would have appreciated when I was younger myself.”


Cut to Natalia at a table, talking cheerfully with another person over a laptop computer. The person has long blond hair and wears a black top.

Natalia’s voiceover: “Hearing from somebody who's actually in a role in real life gives you a window into what those opportunities are.”


Cut to Natalia on the balcony.

Natalia: “Because when you're a kid as well, you have no idea what some of these roles are, and those opportunities and windows allow you to figure out what you might want to study.”


Cut to a long shot of Natalia walking along the beach in a red and blue checked shirt and black trousers. Cut to a close up of Natalia looking out to sea.

Natalia: “So I wanted to share that with the youth.”


Cut to Natalia speaking on the balcony.

Natalia: “What I enjoyed most about my Inspiring the Future event was the kids themselves. It was actually seeing the kids eyes light up when they realised, when they made their guesses as to what your role was, and seeing them have that aha moment, and then start asking you questions. And when you see the interest that's been triggered in them, wanting to find out more about your role, it makes you feel good about your work as well.”

She smiles and becomes more and more animated.

Natalia: “I felt connected to the tamariki during my event the whole way through, but there was this one standout moment for me. It was when one of the tamariki in the audience yelled out, “Are you Samoan!?” Because they saw my sei. And I said, “Yes I am!” And he goes, “I am too!”. And he was really proud because then he started telling all his friends, "Hey hey, she's Samoan. She’s like me!”  

“So that was really inspiring to know that there is somebody out there that looks like you. And if that was the inspiring moment I could have for someone else, it was all worth it.”

“If you’re thinking about signing up to be an Inspiring the Future role model, what are you waiting for? It’s an awesome opportunity. You get to see kids eyes light up. You get to share more about your work and the impact that you make on the environment, the people, whatever type of job it is that you have.”

The background music swells.


Cut to white and orange text on a black screen. It reads, ‘Volunteer to become a role model. InspiringTheFuture.org.nz’

The Inspiring the Future and Tertiary Education Commission logos are underneath it.

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