2019 Staff Highlights

2019 has been a great year for SADD, there have been some amazing activities and events getting young people thinking and talking about road safety all around New Zealand.  As a SADD team it is a privilege to work alongside so many awesome young people who are making a change in the road safety space! It is a big ask to change the culture of driving and road safety, but we feel confident knowing how many young leaders there are that really care about making a difference. This is our last blog for the year so we thought we would finish with our staff highlights!

*disclaimer: The SADD team has changed by 42.8% since this photo was taken ;)

Donna - National Manager

It is a privilege to be able to lead such an amazing organisation. It is difficult to select one highlight as we do so many great activities during the year and I get to engage with great SADD team, students and community partners, but if I have to choose one it has to be our National Leadership events, in particular our Christchurch event held at the Woolston Fire Station. Our amazing National Leaders, SADD team and our road safety partners NZP and FENZ got together and brainstormed ways we can improve how we deliver road safety messages in our communities. I witnessed inspirational leaders making plans to make a difference to reduce road trauma and keep our rangatahi safe. I am looking forward to what we can achieve together in 2020 :-)

Christchurch NLP event

Roger - Fundraising and Engagement Manager

As the oldest and crustiest SADD team member – I was wondering how I would fit in with an organisation known for its vitality and youth.  I normally deal in some of the dryer (some would say boring?) aspects of SADD – someone has to do it aye?

My real coming of age was to attend SADD Conference.  It was when I was waist deep at the first conference of 2019 that it hit me.  It’s impossible to do conference justice without being there. My role isn’t really associated with connecting with lots of you.  Those I have had contact with – well – I hope you benefitted and enjoyed it.

At conference I met everyone who came along as I issued the lanyards and goodie bags.  I also had the job of capturing what was happening in front of me on the SADD Go-Pro. Over 3 locations – it was a heap of GBs I can tell you.  I had the chance to stuff the lens under your noses and in your faces. It was great and probably the best experience I have had in all my years of working (started in ’82!) and that’s saying something!

Apart from the presentation morning, my favourite moment was repeated across each event – the day 3 SADD shout out.  If you were there – you know what I’m talking about. I was able to capture you all in full voice and showing what SADD as a movement looks and sounds like.  When I returned home and to my desk – I told everyone who would listen just how good conference 2019 was and how it made me feel. I’ll be there in 2020!

Vic - Operations Manager 

My highlight of 2019 has been watching our people grow. I came back from maternity leave in May and since then have seen all of our staff members grow in their individual knowledge and passion for SADD and develop some really awesome skills that all play an essential role in the success of the SADD programme. The same goes for our National Leaders. We recruited some awesome young people in May and many of them were relatively fresh to SADD. The growth in their confidence, their understanding of contemporary road safety issues and their desire to make a change for all New Zealanders is so inspiring to see. It is truly a privilege to work with such talented and passionate young people, it has been a highlight of my year and of every year since I’ve worked for SADD (7 years now!)

The SADD team as it was in May 2019

Just some of our awesome National Leaders!

Ti - Team Administrator

 It's been awesome joining the SADD team this year, every day has been such an adventure in its own way. My highlight for 2019 was getting to be involved with the Wellington NLP workshop and meeting some of our national leaders, it was fantastic seeing their enthusiasm and passion for SADD. I look excited to see what 2020 brings and especial for the conference season which I hear is quite the event!

Lydia - Programme Delivery Lead

It has been such a fun year with SADD, I have loved getting to know so many amazing young people, staff and community partners! There have been heaps of highlights along the way, but my standout would have to be all the workshops I get to do around New Zealand. I love getting to go and visit students in their towns or cities, hanging out and chatting about their awesome ideas, and in general having a lot of fun! I find it so encouraging to meet young leaders and talk through big ideas about bringing change in their communities, I always leave workshops feeling inspired.

Thanks everyone for the awesome year, we will be back up and running with the blog on the 22nd of January 2020! Have a great summer :)