Volunteer collaborators

We love our volunteer collaborators!

Photo by Travis Grossen on Unsplash

Our volunteers have been instrumental in editing, authoring and informing our resources, and their support has made an enormous difference. We salute them!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”  Margaret Mead

Administration, social media and resource development

Jenny Damita Enholm

Jenny is an Early Education Teaching student at UNE who is due to graduate in August 2023. She has close to 5 years of working as a lead educator and educational leader in early education services. More recently, Jenny has been working at a leading Government Authority, handling projects relating to early childhood development, research, policy, regulations/laws and reform.

Donna Li

Donna is studying early childhood at the University of New England. She works as a preschool educator. She has built knowledge and experience from in various roles as an Educator, Room Leader, Family Day Care Coordinator, and Administrator for different services. Donna is passionate about inclusion, social justice, and children’s rights.

Dionne Cheng

Dionne is currently studying social work at the University of New England and working as an aged care support worker. During her spare time, she volunteers as a telephone crisis supporter, an English Conversation Class teacher, and a community outreach worker. She is passionate about social justice, mental health, and storytelling.

Grace Prescott

Grace graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Social Science in December 2022 and has been in the community services space for three years. Grace is currently working in a Non-Government Organisation (NGO), gaining experience in casework, outreach, community engagement, and facilitating peer support. Grace is passionate about youth mental health and wellbeing.

Carla Yeates

Carla is a classroom teacher with the ACT Department of Education. She is an Early Education Teacher and currently completing her Primary Education Degree at UNE. Carla has lived experience as a defence partner and a mother of two children (6 and 9). She has over 25 years of experience working in education, as a lead educator, and in centre management. Carla is a strong advocate for Early Education.

Game designers

Douglas van Hoffen

Douglas is an engineering student at Newcastle University. Since childhood, Douglas has spent countless hours designing board games. Eventually, he also started designing computer games. Doug hopes his game is an enjoyable way for children to build maths skills.

Editing

Beth Rogers

Beth has devoted hours to editing the eBooks and their back pages over many years. She also edited the Educational Activities. Beth recently won the ‘Social Inclusion’ award at her local Australia Day celebration. She has worked to support Burundian refugees in her community for over a decade and was awarded an OAM in 2023 for this work.

Dr Nadine McCrea

Nadine was the founder of the Early Childhood Education courses at the University of New England. Nadine agreed to ‘come out of retirement’ to help with the final editing of our Educator Resources as the Editor in Chief. We are very grateful for her interest and commitment.

Yazmyn Sims

Yaz helped us with last-minute editing of the resources in Moodle. Yaz is finishing her studies in business and looking to start her career.

Members of our Steering Committee are also editing the modules and adding their expertise.

Video read-along readers

These volunteers have read the stories for the children so they can watch the video as they read-along.

Audio read-along readers

These volunteers have read the stories so children can watch the video as they read along.

Video and audio lessons or contributors