Dedicated to her studies

Nora is enrolled in Early Childhood Education and Care Certificate III at ACE community College Lismore. The Program is in collaboration with Bunjum Aboriginal Cooperative Ballina, which runs Jarjum Bugal Na Childcare and Family centre. The collaboration is to support people gaining qualifications, employment and sharing cultural heritage in our Northern Rivers Region in childcare centres. Nora was already working at Bunjum and chose to gain the ECEC qualification to improve her future employment opportunities.

Class started in April 2021. All students are required to complete LLN assessments, which are used to gain initial understanding of skill levels for each student. A lot of the student’s writing applications inspired me, including Nora’s who wrote that she was ‘eventually hoping to work in child psychology’. Nora has been though a lot in her twenty something years, but has chosen to focus on her learning and education to transform her life.

Since Covid lockdown end of June, Nora has been completing work at home and online and where possible at Bunjum Centre. She has one classmate who is a workmate and they have been completing work together.

Despite being in lockdown since late June, Nora continues to complete her units and now the race is on to complete her certificate before December 2021.

Nora exhibits dedication and commitment to her work and studies and is a future star to look out for.

It was interesting to note most of the learners identified as ‘hands on and visual learners’. Nora was the only student who identified as not wanting to work in a group.

On the first day she sat alone and made it firm and clear that she was happy to work alone. Nora worked alone while other students worked in their familiar groups.

Things have changed. In our most recent face to face class held early June, Nora was working in a small group, she seems comfortable and confident, her aunty is also in this group. Nora has shared with members in the class about her observations of her own growth and change. Both trainers have witnessed her begin to open up to people in the class socially and she also promotes discussion by asking questions or talks about examples to help her understand. Her communication and learning skills have been positively impacted.