A letter from Robin
Change is an inevitable part of any organisation's journey, and today, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in our history. It is with a mix of gratitude and anticipation that we share this special post, as we bid farewell to our esteemed leader, Robin from her position as CEO of Abilities Unlimited Australia.
“From the first day that I volunteered for AUA during the school holiday program in the summer of 2022, I knew that I was hooked on this amazing organisation and couldn't wait to volunteer on Saturday mornings. I honestly, hand on heart, would look forward to getting up and spending my Saturday mornings surrounded by a phenomenal group of inspiring instructors, all focused on one amazing cause - helping the kiddies, and their families succeed in their goals and achieve greatness. It was known across the organisation that I would shed tears when I would watch a child 'find their pedals' for the first time. The joy on their faces, and the faces of their family members was truly magical.
After a few months of volunteering, I put in an expression of interest to join the AUA board and was honored to be successfully selected.It was wonderful to sit in a room of extremely bright and enthusiastic people, all working towards making this organisation grow and become better. Fast forward only a few months, and due to the growth of the organisation, it was decided that AUA was at the point where a full time CEO was needed. I quickly threw my hat in the ring and was over the moon to have been the successful candidate in September 2022.
I can honestly say that over the next 13 months, I experienced some of the best months that I have ever undertaken during my working life. Working for an organisation that undoubtedly changes lives for the better is profoundly rewarding. During my first six months, I was also responsible for managing AUA's land-based programs as well as undertaking the role of CEO. Watching AUA grow, in not only enrollment numbers, but in programs, staff and maturity was a joy however, connecting with families and knowing that we were making a difference was the highlight for me. Over the last year, I am extremely proud of what the team and I have achieved. Due to the exceptional calibre of programs that AUA delivers, it was no surprise that the growth continued, and at a significant rate.
During my time in the role of CEO, AUA saw the re-introduction, and huge growth of Waterabilities post COVID-19 as well as the implementation of Teamabilities, Defendabilities and our latest stage of Cyclabilities - Head for the Dirt. These programs have been developed and implemented by some of the most creative and enthusiastic people that I have ever worked with.
Having a very busy family of my own, all with big dreams and goals, in August 2023, I made the extremely hard decision to step down as CEO to shift my focus to them. Being a part of AUA’s journey has been incredibly rewarding and I firmly believe that there is no doubt that AUA is on the beautiful road to success and greatness.
As I move into my new chapter in life, I am over the moon to continue volunteering on Saturday mornings, and in doing so, I also continue to shed those tears of joy when our participants find their pedals and achieve their goals.”