Smart Seeds

🌟 Smart Seeds Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is back 🌟 We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Auckland Smart Seeds Programme this year! Workshops kick off in August, running over 8 weeks, culminating in our prestigious Showcase event at the end of October 🚀 This is our favourite time of year as we start to build our emerging leader cohort of 40 diverse and innovative thinkers from various organisations across the industry. With the growing importance of soft skills, Smart Seeds is the ideal platform to enhance capabilities like confidence, communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy, whilst working to solve some of the pressing challenges facing our communities today. Plus, the connections and networks formed cross-industry are invaluable. Senior leaders who volunteer as coaches or mentors find it rewarding for their own development and enjoy sharing their expertise with participants. 💡Learn more about the programme on our Information Hub: https://lnkd.in/gq35E55m Watch our 2024 Showcase video to get a taste of what Smart Seeds is all about ✨ #SmartSeeds2025 #GHD #Innovation #Leadership Hannah Fletcher Maurice Hoban

🌟 Smart Seeds Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is back 🌟 We’re thrilled to announce the return of the Auckland Smart Seeds Programme this year! Workshops kick off in August, running over 8 weeks, culminating in our prestigious Showcase event at the end of October 🚀 This is our favourite time of year as we start to build our emerging leader cohort of 40 diverse and innovative thinkers from various organisations across the industry. With the growing importance of soft skills, Smart Seeds is the ideal platform to enhance capabilities like confidence, communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy, whilst working to solve some of the pressing challenges facing our communities today. Plus, the connections and networks formed cross-industry are invaluable. Senior leaders who volunteer as coaches or mentors find it rewarding for their own development and enjoy sharing their expertise with participants. 💡Learn more about the programme on our Information Hub: https://lnkd.in/gq35E55m Watch our 2024 Showcase video to get a taste of what Smart Seeds is all about ✨ #SmartSeeds2025 #GHD #Innovation #Leadership Hannah Fletcher Maurice Hoban

It’s heartwarming to see community-based solutions developed during our GHD Smart Seeds programme come to life in our communities🌱✨ We’re thrilled to spotlight the My Safe Way team, from our Auckland Smart Seeds 2023 programme, who have truly exemplified what it means to turn a seed of an idea into tangible outcome. This dedicated group, including emerging leaders from Auckland Transport, Brian Perry Civil, GHD, Height, and Shape Energy, developed a visionary solution to transform rundown alleyways into vibrant, accessible spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. Their solution also contributed to helping reduce Auckland’s transport emissions. The first alleyway transformation was completed in December in Māngere East. The team secured $80,000 in funding from Auckland Transport for new fencing, artwork, and community engagement workshops. Ryan Clarke from the team shared: “Local resident, Jenna, had been trying to get something done here for years! Seeing how happy she was with the outcome and hearing some of the positive feedback from the community was a very heartwarming and full circle moment for all of us.” Positive feedback from our Smart Seeds participants, along with these inspiring success stories, fuels our passion at GHD to continue delivering this initiative. For us at GHD, it’s all about fostering cross-industry collaboration, diversity of thought and empowering the next generation of leaders. 👏 Congratulations to the My Safe Way team Georgia R., Isha Joshi, Joshua Eyre, Natasha van Nieuwenhuizen, Ryan Clarke and Mohammed Shaizal Hassan, for their dedication and drive to make positive impact in the community. We look forward to seeing more innovative solutions at our 2025 Smart Seeds programme, in Auckland, later this year. Hannah Fletcher Maurice Hoban Read the full story published in Stuff: https://lnkd.in/gD339EpY

It’s heartwarming to see community-based solutions developed during our GHD Smart Seeds programme come to life in our communities🌱✨ We’re thrilled to spotlight the My Safe Way team, from our Auckland Smart Seeds 2023 programme, who have truly exemplified what it means to turn a seed of an idea into tangible outcome. This dedicated group, including emerging leaders from Auckland Transport, Brian Perry Civil, GHD, Height, and Shape Energy, developed a visionary solution to transform rundown alleyways into vibrant, accessible spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. Their solution also contributed to helping reduce Auckland’s transport emissions. The first alleyway transformation was completed in December in Māngere East. The team secured $80,000 in funding from Auckland Transport for new fencing, artwork, and community engagement workshops. Ryan Clarke from the team shared: “Local resident, Jenna, had been trying to get something done here for years! Seeing how happy she was with the outcome and hearing some of the positive feedback from the community was a very heartwarming and full circle moment for all of us.” Positive feedback from our Smart Seeds participants, along with these inspiring success stories, fuels our passion at GHD to continue delivering this initiative. For us at GHD, it’s all about fostering cross-industry collaboration, diversity of thought and empowering the next generation of leaders. 👏 Congratulations to the My Safe Way team Georgia R., Isha Joshi, Joshua Eyre, Natasha van Nieuwenhuizen, Ryan Clarke and Mohammed Shaizal Hassan, for their dedication and drive to make positive impact in the community. We look forward to seeing more innovative solutions at our 2025 Smart Seeds programme, in Auckland, later this year. Hannah Fletcher Maurice Hoban Read the full story published in Stuff: https://lnkd.in/gD339EpY

🌟 Meet Penelope 🌟 Penelope, from Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities, participated in our 2024 Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Smart Seeds Programme. As a key member of the Skip the Skip team, she tackled the challenge of Fostering a System to Support a Circular Economy. ♻ Reflecting on her experience, Penelope shared her key takeaway: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, speak up, voice my ideas, and embrace the power of collaborative teamwork.” Hear more about Penelope’s journey and insights from the programme🚀 #SmartSeeds2024

🌟 Meet Penelope 🌟 Penelope, from Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities, participated in our 2024 Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Smart Seeds Programme. As a key member of the Skip the Skip team, she tackled the challenge of Fostering a System to Support a Circular Economy. ♻ Reflecting on her experience, Penelope shared her key takeaway: “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, speak up, voice my ideas, and embrace the power of collaborative teamwork.” Hear more about Penelope’s journey and insights from the programme🚀 #SmartSeeds2024

A great mentor does more than just guide - they inspire, challenge, open doors and equip mentees with the confidence and tools to reach their full potential. At Smart Seeds, our mentors are the true MVPs! They set participants up for success, boost their confidence, and provide essential reassurance and support to the team. But don’t take our word for it. Our participants have been singing their praises! 🎤 💬 “Amazing mentor support throughout the programme.” 💬 “Connected us with industry experts and gave critical feedback.” 💬 “Generous and so responsive.” 💬 “They knew when to let the group work and when to step in.” 💬 “Fantastic sounding board for our ideas, providing much-needed direction at crucial stages in idea development.” A huge thank you to our incredible mentors and alumni mentors, for your dedication and support: Ian Dixon, Rob Harris, Samantha Sinton, Remi Cruz, Parul Sood, Amanda Pellow, Caitlyn Mentzer, Cecilé Bester, Don Palmer To'o, Georgia R., Curtis Coleman and Robert Mi. #SmartSeeds2024

In today’s world, the challenges we face are often complex. Yet, when we create a supportive environment for passionate young leaders to collaborate, integrate design thinking, sprinkle over mentorship, and wrap it all with industry backing, incredible ideas begin to flourish! Over six weeks, 49 participants embarked on a transformative journey, guided by their mentors and our Smart Seeds Facilitator, Maurice Hoban. Six teams engaged with stakeholders and leveraged each other’s strengths to develop solutions for three major challenges facing our communities. 💡 Discover each solution here – https://lnkd.in/gv322Erx

📢 Exciting news! The Spinoff has featured Empower Aotearoa, our Smart Seeds Judges’ Award-winning solution. This initiative is gaining attention for its mission to help schools across New Zealand transition to solar power. This innovative concept has the potential to transform our schools into sustainable energy hubs, reducing costs, decreasing reliance on fossil fuels, and educating our tamariki in the process. ☀ Read the full article in The Spinoff's Future Proof bulletin to learn how we can power up schools with solar!

If we want to stop New Zealand’s growing brain drain, we need to give people a reason to stay—or come back. This was one of three key challenges our Smart Seeds teams tackled this year, with two teams delivering pitches that highlighted the urgency of the issue in our infrastructure sector. Maurice Hoban, our Smart Seeds Facilitator, shared his insights with The Post and highlighted the critical need to address New Zealand’s brain drain. The ‘KiwiStayer’ team proposed a KiwiSaver top-up during the first 15 years of a career here, rewarding and incentivising local commitment to New Zealand. ‘Brain X Change’ offered a professional exchange brokerage that facilitates skill swaps between companies, enabling Kiwis to gain international experience while staying connected to New Zealand. As Brain X Change pointed out, diverse global perspectives are invaluable, but right now, retaining our talent is more pressing than ever. “Change starts in our workplaces,” says Maurice. “By demonstrating the impact of cross-sector collaboration at every career stage, not just in boardrooms or government offices, we can create a path that’s worth staying for.” 🔗 Explore the full article online—please note that a subscription may be required to access the full article: https://lnkd.in/gvJbk-s8