Cecilia Sullivan-Grant MNZM
New Zealand Local Hero of the Year
2014
Kiwibank
New Zealand Local Hero of the Year
Te Pou Toko o te Tau
These are the individuals who have made a positive difference in their corner of Aotearoa. From Cape Reinga to Bluff, these Kiwi show selflessness and determination to make a difference.
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be an individual who has made (or is making) a significant contribution to their region, town, suburb, community, iwi, or local group. The impact can be across any field or have displayed courage in overcoming personal adversity.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
- THE NOMINEE: Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as 2024 Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau.
- PURPOSE: Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how?
- LEADERSHIP: How does this person set a positive example for other members of their local community?
- COMMITMENT: Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back?
- PROVEN IMPACT: How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their local community
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How do the Kiwibank Local Hero Awards work?
- All Local Hero nominations are divided up into regions across Aotearoa
- Nominations for each region are then sent on to the three Local Hero Judges for that region, for their consideration.
- Nominations are scored by regional Local Hero Judges based on the criteria above
- The top 100 (highest scoring) Local Hero nominees across New Zealand will be honoured in December. While we won’t be having official medal ceremonies this year, we’re making sure we recognise these inspiring New Zealanders by sending each of them their medals — and even hand-delivering a few throughout Aotearoa
- The 100 Local Hero Medallists go forward to Category Judging Day in November for the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau national award and 10 semi-finalists will be announced in mid-January
- The 10 semi-finalists will be considered at the Executive Judging Day in late January. Three will be announced as the finalists in the New Zealand Local Hero award in February, and of those three, one will be awarded the 2024 Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau title at the Gala event in March 2024 in Auckland
Cecilia Sullivan-Grant MNZM
Cecilia was one of the first members of the Dunedin Mayor’s task force for jobs. She was instrumental within this group in developing a tracking program for youth leaving school, the hitchhiker’s guide to apprenticeships, and the graduation ceremonies for apprentices. The ceremony for apprentices was a Dunedin initiative that is now a regular occurrence throughout our country. Cecilia visualised and developed the “Earn and Learn” campaign for a group in approximately 2000. This was to promote apprenticeships at a time when they had almost entirely disappeared. For more than 13 years, Cecilia has worked primarily as a self-employment advisor to persons with disabilities so severe that mainstream work was not an option. She helped manage a portfolio of 40 successful small businesses, with an independent analysis producing a result of a 12.5% return rate. She also worked as an employment facilitator, enabling disadvantaged people to obtain and maintain meaningful employment. The clients all had some form of disability, including those with mental health issues.
A member of the internationally recognised Clinton Foundation formed by former US President Bill Clinton, Cecilia believes in thinking globally and acting locally. She has designed learning and development techniques to enable and empower people with Complex Schizophrenia and Bipolar, among other disorders, to gain and maintain employment within the community. She maintains that “If you take care of the person first, then the rest will take care of itself.” Cecilia herself has a unique perspective on the challenges of working life while dealing with personal challenges. As a sufferer of Crohn’s Disease, she recently spent 14+ months on a liquid diet only while waiting for lifesaving surgery. Despite having a suppressed immune system due to illness and required medication, she maintained her full workload, supporting clients to achieve their goals and aspirations in work and life. Cecilia’s passion for creating and providing tools for people to live, grow, and work successfully knows no bounds.
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New Zealand Local Hero of the Year
Steve Jurkovich
Kiwibank Chief Executive
“Kiwibank has been a part of New Zealander of the Year and the Local Hero Awards for over 14 years. It’s an ideal partnership for us as it is so aligned with our purpose to make Kiwi better off. The local heroes we are here celebrating tonight are making a difference to New Zealand communities that is real, lasting, and local. They’ve stood up to give others a voice of support, to break down social barriers and to tirelessly serve their community. More often than not, these are humble individuals. True local heroes aren’t in this for 15 minutes of fame, instead they care about the difference they are making in the lives of their friends, families and communities. It’s about how they are making Aotearoa and our communities better off too.”
