Jodie Whitson-Morris is passionate about children being active and healthy. 

Which makes her new role at Active Southland a good fit. 

Jodie has joined the Healthy Active Learning team as a School Facilitator, working in the Eastern Southland region. 

Healthy Active Learning is a joint government initiative between Sport New Zealand and the Ministries of Health and Education that seeks to improve the wellbeing of children and young people, through healthy eating and drinking and quality physical activity.  

Active Southland is part of the Healthy Active Learning initiative supporting primary and intermediate schools and kura to create healthy and active learning environments and better connection to their local communities. 

While Jodie’s work will be focused in the Eastern Southland area, the Healthy Active Learning team will also continue to support schools in Invercargill and Bluff, and will also be supporting schools in the wider Southland area. 

For Jodie the new role is a chance to explore something she is hugely passionate about. 

“I am hoping to bring my knowledge and expertise from my teaching background to support other teachers and schools with their Healthy Active Learning and HPE curriculum. My passion is kids being active and healthy...and I am also looking forward to meeting new people within the role and getting to also gain knowledge from them.” 

When not supporting teachers and schools with their Health and Physical Education curriculum, you can find Jodie outdoors with her kids (aged 7 and nearly 10). 

“My kids love being active and want to do anything and everything they can with sport and recreation. That’s pretty much my life.” 

As well as taking her kids on bush walks, or coaching them in the likes of touch and miniball, Jodie also enjoys time in the gym, where she concentrates on building her strength to help her overcome a knee injury. 

A Southlander born and bred; she loves the opportunities in Southland for being active. 

“You can’t beat Southland as an area, you don’t have to travel far to find some form of entertainment or do anything. There’s something for everyone.” 

Article added: Thursday 09 December 2021