Speeches
Monday, 19 December 2022
Impact100 Reception
Rod and I warmly welcome you to Government House to celebrate your achievements as members of Young Impact 100.
Congratulations for your efforts and contributing to your communities with business flare and enthusiasm.
Your contributions are all the more impressive because you have done made them in your own time, outside of school and other commitments.
I know there have been many and varied ways in which you have raised money: collecting firewood and selling online, making tie dye tee shirts, home-made greeting cards, making cakes, growing and selling potted plants and many more activities.
You have had to be nimble and navigate challenges such as pandemic restrictions shutting down planned garage sales and sausage sizzles or sitting long hours at markets and having few customers.
Doing business isn’t always easy and you have learnt that timing, location, demand and marketing are all important skills.
It’s part of the learning curve.
To have collectively raised more than $10,700 for three charities is a magnificent outcome which will be much appreciated by BioR, Kickstart for Kids and the Welcoming Centre.
Importantly you were involved in the decisions about which charities to support, and became connected with them, finding out about their important work in the community.
And you were also involved in deciding how to allocate the funds, which I understand turned out to be about a third for each organisation.
You have seen the impact that collective effort can make.
By being involved, you are helping to build strong communities with people at their heart.
Through your participation in Youth Impact 100, I know you have discovered how you can make a difference in practical ways and that your voice has influence.
South Australians have a sense of community to be proud of, which is enhanced by a widespread culture of volunteering.
It is deep within us.
Giving back not only helps others it gives us a sense of purpose but gives us new skills and enables new connections to be made with each other.
I believe that one of you decided to seek sponsorship and shoot 50 netball goals every day for a week – not only raising funds but becoming a very good goal shooter!
Volunteering can also become a bit of a buzz and I know many of you are looking at other ways to help and have given talks at your schools about the work you have done.
I am a sixth generation South Australian and am proud of how my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and their grandparents and the forebears of today’s generation helped shape our State.
It was a hallmark of the pioneers who founded South Australia as a society where freedoms, diversity and opportunity could flourish.
You now have shown that you have the ability and skills to continue that forward.
As Rod and I travel the State and visit schools and community groups, we have been impressed with the pride and commitment that young people have for their communities.
That pride has come too, through the young people’s submissions for the annual Governor’s Civic Awards for Schools, which encourage active citizenship. I hope some of you will enter next year.
I thank your family and friends for their encouragement and support of your participation in Young Impact100.
I also thank Impact100 for expanding the program supporting the development of philanthropy in South Australia by running Young Impact100 in this the second year.
To all the young people here today, again congratulations. I hope that your experience in the program means you will always consider yourselves as leaders.
Because you have already shown you can make an impact.