Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE

Marketing

Community services student Benalla's best

GOTAFE's Outstanding Student of the Year Award for the Benalla Campus was won by Certificate IV in Community Services student, Jodie Bell from Mansfield.

Jodie was nominated as the overall campus award winner from a field of nine outstanding students in their fields.

After working in the hospitality industry for many years, Jodie decided she needed a career change. Jodie's passion to help young people led her to study in the community service field, focusing on engaging youth.

Jodie travelled to Benalla and Wangaratta from Mansfield over her three year course and managed to juggle family life, a job, study, her community commitments while consistently achieving high grades throughout the course.

GOTAFE Community Services Coordinator Beverley Lee says Jodie's active support of youth compelled her to arrange a White Balloon Day program in Mansfield. Ms Lee says Jodie consistently demonstrated sound community services work values and related her studies to community services work in Mansfield. A high point was the White Balloon Day campaign during the first year of her course.

"Her ability to self-start projects was evident in her committed, energetic and well planned approach to implementing the Mansfield arm of this regional campaign," says Ms Lee.

"The task proved complex at times as prevention of child abuse brought up a range of responses in the community. Jodie handled such pressures well and networked very effectively with the community services sector."

Jodie has often taken the initiative and sought out additional information to increase her understanding of issues and topics discussed in class. "As a high achiever, she makes the most of every opportunity to develop her skills to a high level."

"Jodie has clearly set and achieved her goal of completing Certificate IV in Community Service Work and is continuing on with her study and career pathway, undertaking the Diploma of Community Welfare Work."

Over 250 students graduated at from GOTAFE's Benalla Campus in 2007 from the Primary Industries, Service and Technology Divisions of GOTAFE, the National Centre for Equine Education and Innoven. The students receive recognition for completing nationally accredited courses at Advanced Diploma, Diploma and Certificates I through to Certificate IV levels.