The WorkSafe Victoria country club rounds are done for the year, and what a year it was.
It is hard to sum up each round, let alone, a full year of them into one post.
The most rewarding part of my professional life is being able to meet the people I meet. I don’t know exactly what that number is, but I would venture a guess to say I am lucky to meet (or speak to) around 10,000 people a year, maybe more.
What I will say is that I think at times we can all be a little stuck in the environments we find ourselves in, we know what we see and hear, we are comfortable with what is common in our lives.
All the different work I do keeps me from being stuck in any environment, but none more than the work I do with WorkSafe Victoria.
From meeting and hearing stories from farmers, tradies, nurses, veterans, bankers, truck drivers, volunteers and more, you realise the message of reducing workplace harm is integral wherever you are.
Yet, there are areas of our state that don’t have the same level of resources or support that we might have in the big cities. In many cases, these people are their businesses, and they are the only support for their families - and if they can't work, for whatever reason, there is a significant ripple effect.
So we bring the conversation to them, and support what we know is the lifeblood of many regional towns, the Local Football and Netball clubs.
We share a clear message, some stories, a laugh or two and WorkSafe Victoria does what it can to ensure that our regional clubs continue to provide the heartbeat of these country towns.
Additionally, I get to do all of this with incredible people.
In particular, Brenden Caligari has done a mountain of work to deliver above and beyond for this year - there are a million things that are required to ensure these rounds deliver impact - and he nails it every time.
Huge support comes from the rest of the WorkSafe Victoria team, of course. Beth R. Sam Jenkin Ashley West not to mention all of the wonderful inspectors who attend the training sessions and games.
There are the characters, like Pete Lazer and Riley Brettell always good for a laugh, and yet, play their roles to perfection.
And to the incredible AFL Victoria Netball Victoria teams - Daniella Jong Emily Aughterson Evans Greg Madigan just to name a few of the many who do a mountain of work, away from their families each and every round.
I am sure I have missed a bunch of people - but they are all fantastic too.
So, for the final time this year, the message to leave with is this..
Please ensure you get home from work safely, both mentally and physically.
So you can get home, and spend time with the people you love most.
Signing off for 2024 🛫