Graduate programme 2020 - 2021

Kia ora, my name is Brittany White, and I completed the Sport NZ Ihi Aotearoa Graduate Programme in 2020-2021. I’ve always had a passion for physical activity, having studied a Bachelor of Physical Education with Honours (majoring in Physical Activity and Health) and a Master of Science (specialising in Sport, Exercise and Health) at the University of Otago before starting the Graduate Programme.

I applied for the Sport NZ Graduate Programme because of the breadth of opportunities it offers. The opportunity to develop personally and professionally as a leader within the sector was also a significant driver for me when applying. My second-year Graduate placements were at Paralympics New Zealand and Sport Northland, and I valued the range of experiences and insights I had at each of these organisations.

Highlights from my time on the programme include co-leading a scoping project alongside the Sport NZ Disability Consultant to provide a foundation for disability specific investment decisions, and working on the development of Paralympics New Zealand's Strengthen and Adapt Plan. Both of these projects provided me with stakeholder consultation opportunities which allowed me to build connections and helped to grow my understanding of how the system operates.

After completing my time on the Graduate Programme I took up a role with Sport Northland as Sector Strategy & Community Funding Lead. In this role I led a small team working with external stakeholders on the implementation of Northland’s regional strategy for play, active recreation and sport: Kōkiri ai te Waka Hourua. My team also provided leadership and support across Sport Northland's Community Funding arms. This role allowed me to work at a strategic level, whilst still being connected to what was happening on the ground.

I am currently based in Whangārei working as the General Manager of Tennis Northland. In this role I am responsible for all aspects of regional leadership, strategy implementation, facility management and programme development, with a drive to increase tennis participation across the Northland region.

The Sport NZ Graduate Programme provided me with a solid foundation to build my career from. The insights I had from the various organisations I worked with, and the connections I made throughout my time on the Programme, have been invaluable moving forward into the next steps of my career. I'd highly encourage anyone interested in the Programme to apply!