HOST EMPLOYER BLOG – Final Words for 2021

It’s nearing the end of the year and what a year it has been!

Despite navigating through the challenges of COVID, one of the most positive things to come out of 2021 was undoubtedly hiring Dakota as an ArtsReady trainee and working with her closely. Her support this year has been a real highlight for me and I mean this when I say, I couldn’t have done it without her.

Dakota is over the half-way point of her traineeship and what she has achieved these past six months is truly inspiring. Her writing continues to improve, and she becomes stronger in this skill each and every day. Some of her stories are gaining over 1,000 reactions on Facebook and this is a testament to her incredible writing ability. You can check out some of her stories here – https://aflsportsready.com.au/interesting-reads/. Thanks to Dakota we are now producing double the amount of good news stories and more frequently.

Together, we have also reached milestones on our social media accounts. Our Facebook ticked over 12,000 friends and in recent weeks after launching a giveaway on Instagram we saw over 150 new followers on our page and over 1,800 entries in the comments section – our most successful giveaway yet! Dakota has played a part in all these achievements. She really knows how to communicate and connect with our younger target audience and this is another reason why we are seeing growth on our social platforms.

Dakota is now creating content for Instagram including funky graphics to engaging videos. She has taught herself many skills in content creation and through her traineeship she has been exposed to new apps such as Canva and Impresso. In addition, she has created some amazing email marketing campaigns and newsletters, like our fortnightly HOT JOBS updated all through Mailchimp, a platform she has never used prior to her traineeship. Having Dakota as an extra pair of hands has really increased our productivity as a department.

Dakota is becoming more and more confident, and it really shows in her work! She is networking with other colleagues and our external partners and goes on visit with staff to get a better understanding of the business and what we do. Recently Dakota, along with First Nations Mentor Ralph White visited Aboriginal organisations and met with First Nation Elders where she learned of their journey and the work they are doing in community. She also had the opportunity to meet with Uncle Vince Ross the Founder of Narana Creations Cultural Centre in Geelong and Uncle Rob Hiett the Cultural Manager for Koori Heritage Trust. All these experiences have enriched, and inspired Dakota and it is awesome to witness her connection to culture only grow deeper and stronger.

So far, I have relished every single moment of being a supervisor, the process has been smooth and as you can see, Dakota is wonderful. It’s a win win for the team and for Dakota. She has become an incredibly valued member of the team who has helped our department to grow and thrive and at the same time she is gaining an opportunity to get a taste of the industry.

I have learnt quite a bit about myself as a person and a manager which has been refreshing and, I have learnt so much from Dakota. She has taught me some beautiful life lessons which I can carry into my life outside of work. The best thing about supervising a trainee is the satisfaction you get helping someone begin their career. Dakota shows tremendous initiative, she brings to the table innovating and youthful ideas, she’s motivated and works hard, and she brings optimism and laughter to the team. 2021 has been tough, no doubt, but taking on Dakota has been a shining light.

 

Marissa 🙂