2022 Staff Highlights!
For our last blog for 2022, we are sharing our team’s highlights from this year! It has been a big year for all of us with lots of changes and challenges to navigate, however we have come out on top and are ready to jump in to 2023!
Donna:
“2022 has been another year full of disruptions and challenges! Though we didn't let it stop us from achieving our goals.
We started the year with the blessing of our new Māori name, Kaitiaki o Ara, which was a privilege to be a part of and demonstrates what our organisation stands for, guardians of roads (pathways/journeys).
As I reflect over the year I'm always so impressed by the amazing mahi that our rangatahi/youth and partners do to help prevent loss on our roads.
We have some exciting changes and new initiatives coming up in 2023 and I’m super excited to share them with you next year. In the meantime stay safe and see you in 2023.”
Mark:
“I have been with Kaitiaki o Ara for almost a year and a half now and I have LOVED settling into the role of PDL and making it my own. 2022 has been a great year, it has had its challenges but I am super dooper stoked to work with a crew who digs in and makes things happen no matter what!
The Road Safety Leadership days were a very cool experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed working on and being a part of something that we hadn't done before. I think they were a great success and produced some brilliant student work. If you haven't read these docs, get busy and read them now because they're GREAT!! https://www.sadd.org.nz/road-safety-leadership-day
Two other quickies that I'd like to mention are:
1) Welcoming some choice as new team members to our whānau! It has been a remarkable experience watching Sandra, Bobbi and Renee settle in so quickly and start getting some inspirational results! They are truly part of the family now.
2) Our end of year staff hui was A W E S O M E.
Can't wait to meet & support heaps more passionate road safety champions in 2023. Happy holidays everyone!”
Vic:
“What a year 2022 has been! I returned from parental leave in January after having my son George and jumped straight back into it with the support of our incredible team. We were lucky enough to welcome 3 new team members this year who all brought with them valuable skills and knowledge to complement our existing team members.
A highlight for me this year has been seeing how we can adapt to conquer challenges and achieve great things – our Road Safety Leadership Days were an example of this. Due to COVID, we couldn’t run our usual conferences, so we came up with something new and saw some awesome outcomes from it. I know 2023 is going to be a big year and I can’t wait to see what else we can achieve!”
Lydia:
“Kia ora koutou, another year done and dusted, and as always there have been so many highlights throughout the year. One of my highlights for the year was planning, organising and running the Road Safety Leadership Day's late in term two. These were pilot events to help combat some of the loss of not being able to run our conferences this year. I loved seeing passionate rangatahi get together to collaborate on road safety, and I also loved that our staff team adapted and prioritised a creative way to still engage with our students and offer them opportunities to get involved, and have a voice in the road safety space. If you want to check out some of their mahi, head over to this webpage - https://www.sadd.org.nz/road-safety-leadership-day . I hope you all have a lovely summer break!”
Bobbi
“There's so many awesome things that have happened since joining the team so I'll give you my top 3!
My number one highlight has 100% been starting mahi with Kaitiaki o Ara, being in an environment that's so uplifting, supportive and fun has been amazing!
NLP events in Christchurch, there were so many times I was blown away with the level of maturity in the National Leaders thinking.
Working with the māori advisory group and seeing all the new māori resources developed including our first all māori road safety advert as well as seeing Ash really shine as a leader throughout the process.
Sorry I have to do one more! haha meeting all the amazing people on my journey rangatahi, teachers, principals, community partners... All such amazing humans and a big mihi atu ki a koutou!”
Rog
“I signed off last year with the knowledge our immediate future was secure. The difference it makes looking 100% ahead and not constantly over our shoulders is massive. In 2022 we eventually returned to some sort of normal and were able to take new, bold steps to deliver on our vision as well as taking the opportunities that were coming our way. This has ultimately been the realisation of all of our efforts over the last 3 years or so to put things in place so we can move on opportunity and be innovative at the same time. Personal highlights for me - developing relationships so they deliver on promise and need; the Albany Senior High School case study; and in 2021, I was given the unexpected task of working with the first cohort of Regional Leaders. They had a challenge of their own to embrace and they did it with gusto. It's time for them to leave their roles but that experience will stay with me for a long time. It was through this group (as it started to blossom) and my curiosity over ex-National Leaders that multiple leader stream purposes started to emerge. That is now in place and will continue to develop. The model is already impressive and the future is not yet written.”
Mia:
“Wow another year has gone by so fast and it has been a busy action packed year full of challenges and successes. My highlight for this year was our end of year hui in Orewa. It was great being together with the whole team for the first time. We had an awesome time reflecting, planning and having fun. On top of it we were surrounded by paradise with the sound of the ocean in the background. This makes working so much more fun :)”
Renee:
Oh my Goodness what a wild couple of months it's been working for SADD. I have met some amazing people around the central North Island. From the Waikato to the Hawkes Bay. I had an amazing Hui at the Rongomaraeroa Marae where I learnt about some of the history of the Marae and Hapu and got to hang out and get to know the awesome Fenz whanau down in the Hawkes Bay.
School community cops. Well what can I say? Thanks Natasha From Taupo Police and Vivian From Rotorua Police for welcoming me to your hui in Taupo with the SCOs from the Bay of plenty , Rotorua and Taupo. It was awesome to brainstorm with you fellas for plans for 2023. So privileged to be next to people that clearly love their jobs and their communities.
Last but not least to our young people- wow!!! From what I have seen in the last couple of months being with SADD I am soooo excited about what you will bring to table with your peers in 2023. Have fun these holidays and don't forget if you are out on the roads this summer. Make a plan, rest when you are feeling tired and make good choices.
Have an awesome summer, team.”
Ti:
“Where did the year even go?! As always it was an honor and a privilege to spend another year working alongside everyone in the SADD/Kaitiaki o Ara Team and our amazing rangatahi. As we say where I'm from "Hamba Kahle!
I look forward to doing it all again next year :) "
Sandra:
Wow, nine months with Kaitiaki o Ara has gone super fast. I’ve loved being here and feel so welcome. Everyone is so friendly and supportive, which makes it very special. A few of my highlights have been travelling and connecting with other regions. Seeing rangatahi living and breathing the mahi in their own communities, means we can relate to them so much better. Meeting some new National Leaders has been amazing. These young people are so creative and have a lot to offer. I’m looking forward to being a mentor and watching their progress! I’ve also loved working with some of my old police colleagues, as well as going into schools I used to visit when I was in the police. Finally, having my daughter listen to me about road safety, and helping out with some video content, makes me confident that getting the message in at a young age is so beneficial. Have a very safe and happy holidays, I am looking forward to an exciting 2023!