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Nadeeshani gains honourable mention for volunteer work at Dandenong Primary Kindergarten
Freya Lucas
Mar 03, 2022
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When bestchance volunteer Nadeeshani migrated to Australia in 2019 to help support and care for her brother’s family, she didn’t envisage receiving an Honourable Mention in the McArthur Early Childhood Volunteer of the Year Award as being part of her migration journey.
Nadeeshani was recognised for her significant contribution to kindergarten and early childhood education as a volunteer, nominated by the staff at bestchance’s Dandenong Primary Kindergarten for her commitment and consistent contribution, something she said was “very unexpected”.“Receiving this award is so good because I did not expect anything like this,” she said. “I appreciate bestchance for giving me this opportunity…It is a really nice feeling and I feel like the staff really value and support volunteers like me.”
Nadeeshani’s nephew has additional needs, and with his father working full time, she made the move to Australia to support by taking care of the family while her sister in law is transporting her nephew to hospital appointments.
Since arriving in Australia she has commenced study in early childhood education and care with bestchance, and wanted to use her spare time to help children and families in the community.
She began her volunteering journey at Oakgrove Community Centre in Narre Warren south, where she helped set up their playgroup and kindergarten activities before joining Dandenong Primary Kindergarten in 2020.
“The staff there are so supportive and I am always happy to help in any way that I can,” she said, “even though sometimes I am very busy and find it hard to find the time myself, I still try my best to give some time to the kindergarten.”
Nadeeshani found bestchance through free workshops and the family support team and said she is very grateful for the opportunity to volunteer, an opportunity which has helped her realise her potential in the growing early childhood education sector.
“I joined up with bestchance at one of the workshops and through that I was able to connect with (bestchance Volunteer Coordinator) Shweta,” she explained. “She is the one who has given me so much support and time, always supporting us as volunteers so I always tried my best to join in the activities and help as much as I can.”
“I now know that because of these last two years and the support and opportunities I have received, I can do much more,” she said. “English is my second language, and I have noticed how much it has been improving because I have been gaining a lot more experience.”
“We’d like to say a big thanks to Nadeeshani, and all our volunteers for the effort you put in to support children and families every day,” a bestchance spokesperson said.
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