Polyfest powerhouse Le Va raises the bar, and the Corned Beef!

No amount of rain could dampen the spirit of the Le Va team at this April’s 50th anniversary ASB Polyfest in the Manukau Sports Bowl.

The world’s largest Pacific festival opened with a powerful pōwhiri, setting the tone for four days of songs, dances, performances, food and community.

As the official Youth Wellbeing Sponsor of the event, Le Va filled its iconic inflatable fale with a range of activations to engage the young Pacific people and encourage them to complete an online youth wellbeing survey.

Le Va’s temporary Pacific tattoo station and infamous Corned Beef lifting challenge were a huge hit, and those aged 16 or over who completed the survey received Polyfest dollars to spend on delicious Pacific food.

Recently, Le Va published its 2024 Polyfest Mental Health & Wellbeing Survey: Youth insights report, which explores key factors affecting youth mental health.

Responses from 1,150 participants to the 2024 youth wellbeing survey highlighted critical mental health and social needs among Pasifika, Māori and other diverse youth populations.

The report identifies the preferred coping strategies and support platforms of New Zealand youth aged 16-24 years and gives insights into their mental health needs and support preferences.

Le Va’s gifting of its youth insights report to our communities is a meaningful reflection of the theme of Polyfest 2025 – “LEGACY – a treasure handed down – He oha nō tua, he taonga tuku iho!”

Download Le Va’s Youth insights report