Former ECEC professional named 2024 Young Leader of the Year

Former early childhood educator Angeline Karvinkop was recently named the City of Greater Dandenong’s 2024 Young Leader of the Year  for her work as a volunteer with homeless charity Christmas on the Streets.

Her volunteering was sparked by self reflection at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, at which time she wanted to give back to her community, beyond her role as an educator, and began volunteering. 

“As I volunteered, the amount of positive response and the opportunity to give back to the community was very overwhelming,” she shared with Star Journal Dandenong. 

She extended her efforts by volunteering in multiple positions, soon finding the Centre for Multicultural Youth where she supported newly arrived migrants in Australia and volunteered as an online tutor during lockdowns.

In this capacity, she was able to support newly arrived migrants, school students, young carers and the homeless, drawing on her own experience of arriving in Australia from Bangalore in 2000. 

Her volunteer experience has led Ms Karvinkop away from the world of early childhood education, and she is now studying a Bachelor of Youth Work at RMIT, seeking to become the role model for youth in the community that she lacked when growing up. 

“Growing up, navigating culture and identity was definitely difficult,” she said. “Trying to accept the colour of one’s skin, especially going to school you just want to fit in, be like everyone else and I am still on my journey of trying to become confident.”

Regardless of which sector she is working in Ms Karvinkop describes herself as one who is passionate about inclusion, diversity, ensuring the success of others, and “forever trying to create a kinder world.” 

Read the original coverage of this story here.