Jaeda's Story - From participant to volunteer
Updated: Jun 5, 2025
E te tī, e te tā, tēnā koutou katoa. Ko Jaeda Alaalatoa-Dale tōku ingoa. He uri whakaheke ahau o ngā iwi o Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Hāmoa me Ngāti Pākehā hoki. 15 ōku tau. Noho ai mātou ko taku whānau ki Tāmaki-makaurau, arā, ki Māngere Bridge.
Tena koutou katoa. My name is Jaeda Alaalatoa-Dale. I whakapapa to Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri in the far north, Ngati Hamoa (Vaiusu and Fogapoa) in Samoa and I also have Irish, Welsh, Scottish and English ancestry. I am 15 years old and live in Māngere Bridge, Auckland.
When I was 12 years old I signed up with a friend as a participant to snorkel at a Torbay event and fell in love with the feeling of escaping and finding another world below the surface. After attending a volunteer training I have volunteered for as many events in Auckland and Northland as I can that do not clash with my sports and school commitments.
Pulling on the EMR wetsuit at each event brings me so much joy and knowing that I might be the guide that ignites a love for our oceans, estuaries, rivers and lakes in a participant fills me with pride. There will never be motivation from people to protect something that they have not fallen in love with first.
I am so grateful to have learned so much from the Experiencing Marine Reserves and Mountains to Sea whanau and they have inspired me to pursue a future in marine science after I leave school - but in the meantime I will keep volunteering when I can, seeking knowledge and enjoying helping others discover and fall in love with the world below the surface.
Snorkelling at night Learning about the camera Odette and Jaeda
Thank you for sharing your story Jaeda. If this sounds like something you would like do do, Register as a volunteer! No prior experience needed.
