Central TAFE student, Sharon Simoen, has won two community awards in recognition of her commitment to learning and enhancing the lives of other migrants and refugees in Perth.
Sharon, originally from Burma, recently won the Western Australian (WA) Multicultural Community Service Award for 2008, having already secured the Outstanding Learner’s Award during the Adult Learner's Week in September.
She was nominated by her lecturers for the Outstanding Learner’s Award due to her ability to juggle studies and work as a bi-lingual volunteer at the Northern Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre.
“Sharon has managed to cope with a single parent family situation, work and study commitments with incredible success,” says Anne Epanomitis, lecturer in English as a Second Language (ESL) at Central TAFE.
“She initially came to Central TAFE to study ESL in 2004 with very basic literacy skills but has worked hard to improve her English.
“She has completed all of the units of competency in the Business training package within the Wider Opportunities for Work Certificate I in Business and is now completing her Certificate II in Information Technology at our College,” she said.
The Northern Metropolitan Migrant resource Centre nominated Sharon for the WA Multicultural Award due to her inspiring efforts to support fellow Burmese migrants and refugees.
Her duties includes tasks most of us take for granted such as assisting with forms, locating medical services, attending appointments, accessing accommodation and liaising with real estate companies, government agencies and banks.
She also works with hospitals and courts as an interpreter and provides driving lessons to migrants.
Sharon speaks the ‘Chin’ dialect, which is from a village near Burma and also Burmese. She was the first migrant in Western Australia able to speak Chin.
“The biggest barrier for migrants is the language one,” she says.
“It’s very difficult to move to a new country and not be able to communicate - especially when there is no available interpreter who knows your particular language.
“I’m able to speak Chin, Burmese and now English and am happy to share this with others to make the adjustment easier.
“Central TAFE has been important to me. My lecturer, Anne Epanomitis, took a genuine interest and made time for me. It started with simple tasks, but once I knew how to do something, I’d remember the next time, and I’m now in a position where I can pass all sorts of knowledge on to other migrants.
“Anne also understood my responsibilities with work and children and helped adjust my training around other activities so I could get ahead,” she said.
Sharon was presented with the WA Multicultural Award by the Hon John Castrilli MLA, Minister for Local Government, Heritage, Citizenship and Multicultural at a ceremony held at Government House.