Domestic Violence Support Worker Wins Vocational Student of the Year Award
22 August 2007
Yeon Leslie
Kangan Batman TAFE Community Welfare graduate, Yeon Leslie, is the education sector's newest celebrity, after winning the prestigious Outstanding Student of the Year (Vocational) accolade in the 2007 Victorian Training Awards on Monday 20 August.
Minister for Skills, Education Services and Employment, Jacinta Allan, MP, presented the trophy and a $10,000 scholarship to the Williamstown-resident at Crown Palladium.
Yeon, who volunteers at the Western Women's Domestic Violence Network, plans to use her scholarship to fulfil her dream of studying a social work degree.
Yeon was overcome with emotion when her name was read out.
'I'm so honoured to be here!' she said, accepting her award. 'I am very proud to be here as a representative of the TAFE vocational training system. With this award, I hope I can inspire other people with a similar background to strive for the best.'
Having migrated from Korea in early 2000, Yeon came to Kangan Batman TAFE barely speaking English. Surviving domestic violence and determined to regain her strength, she is a true testament to hard work.
Since graduating from a Diploma in Community Welfare Work in 2006, Yeon has won various awards such as Kangan Batman TAFE's Gold Medallion for Community, Youth and Health faculty, Community Welfare Work Outstanding Achievement Awards, and more recently, the 2007 Community Services and Heath Industry Training Board Lifelong Learner Award.
Kangan Batman TAFE CEO Ray Griffiths, who was also celebrating the Institute's Training Provider of the Year award, commends Yeon on her fantastic achievements.
'I applaud the recognition of a student who has overcome significant personal challenges to succeed,' he said. 'Yeon's journey has, without doubt, been more difficult than most, but her story is also in many ways a very typical TAFE story of a person using our services to overcome disadvantage and take a meaningful role in the workplace and community.
Yeon Leslie automatically qualifies for the Vocational Student category in the Australian Training Awards, to be held on 8 November 2007 in Tasmania.
For information on Kangan Batman TAFE, visit www.kangan.edu.au
