SDC graduate planner awarded emerging leaders scholarship

Southland District Council’s graduate open spaces planner Bridget Elliot says she is delighted to receive the inaugural Emerging Leaders Scholarship from the New Zealand Parks Leaders Forum.

The scholarship will enable Bridget to receive professional development in the parks and open spaces sector alongside the opportunity to be on the board of the New Zealand Parks Leaders Forum (PLF) on a one-year internship. The scholarship also allows Bridget to be immersed in forum members’ meetings and field trips.

“It’s really exciting to be awarded this scholarship,” Bridget says. “I really look forward to the experiences and learning opportunities that will be provided for me from this.”

Community facilities manager Mark Day says “receiving this scholarship is recognition of the enthusiasm that Bridget has for our open spaces. In the short time that Bridget has been at Council she has shown that she is extremely capable, no matter what challenges she is presented with.

“Her ability to connect with our elected members, governance, communities and community groups and bring them along on our open spaces journey shows a level of maturity that belies her age.

“Bridget is a valuable member of the wider community facilities team and being recognised at a national level is a real credit to her.”

The PLF provides services to the parks sector and was created to enhance and increase the significant range of environmental, social and economic benefits to the community that parks provide.

It is made up of a network of New Zealand parks agency managers and parks business leaders who meet regularly to assist each other and to progress sector issues.