Training teachers in India Jennifer Star, OAM

Bengali and Kannada,” says Jennifer, at ease in the Indian saree and salwar-kameez attire too.

Though a 100% volunteer-based organisation, Tara Ed has been successful because of the passion of volunteer teachers who have over the years put in over 35,000 hours in training local teachers. Its programs bring Australian teachers and pre-service teachers to India on a four-week immersion program in an Indian school. Jennifer explains that over the four-week period, each Australian teacher is paired with an Indian teacher. They collaborate with each other to complete an action research project.

“The collaborative nature of the program means there is great learning for both the Indian and Australian teacher, and the friendship often continues after the actual program finishes,” Jennifer observes.

“In fact, the Tara.Ed Teacher Tour program often starts a relationship with India that continues throughout their career. Australian teachers have returned to India to travel or volunteer, they teach their students in Australia about India and generally have become great advocates for India and its people,” she adds.

This mentoring model has worked so well that Tara.Ed has now created an online platform to train, support and empower returned refugees in Afghanistan to provide education for the next generation and help rebuild communities. While Australian teachers cannot physically travel to these conflict zones, they volunteer their time online to mentor an Afghani teacher over a period of 6 months. Jennifer is excited about this newest project empowering teachers in war-torn Afghanistan to implement microteaching innovations in the classroom. “So far we have trained 46 teachers, who have gone on to teach 5650 students in Afghanistan who otherwise wouldn't have access to education,” she says with justifiable pride.

Teaching is now the subject of Jennifer’s

PhD, investigating how teacher training and professional learning programs can be improved to develop high quality teachers that can cater to diverse classrooms. “Much of what I learn through my research is channelled back into Tara Ed's teacher training programs to ensure that everything we do is evidence based, best practice,” she says.

Jennifer Star is an inspiration to all around her. Doing good for others on one’s chosen scale, whether it is for one person or for many people thousands of miles away, gives one a contentment that only comes with giving. For Jennifer this has become her life’s mission. Shesays, “There are always challenges that come with running a volunteer organisation, but seeing the kids who benefit makes it worth it!”

Besides education, Judo has been a large part of Jennifer’s life. She retired from international competition in 2012 but says “Judo has followed me wherever I go. I always wanted to find a way to give back to the sport and jumped at the opportunity to teach girls in Delhi. It is often the highlight of my week but I am currently on maternity leave and really miss this aspect of my life.”

F"or service to international relations through educational and business initiatives”, reads Hayley Bolding’s citation on being awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This service is rendered through Atma, an organisation that Hayley founded when she was only 22. Reminiscing on her early days, she says, “I went to India to volunteer and see the world. It was meant to be for 6 months and ended up being 9 years.”

Hayley observed the stark realities of schools in Mumbai trying to proffer an education to vulnerable sections of society with little resources. However, instead of being overwhelmed, Hayley used her anger and anguish to channelise her energies to set about creating Atma, an organisation that supports those who support others, namely the educational institutions working at grassroots, to deliver quality education. She saw an urgent need for capacity building across such organisations and instead of reinventing the wheel she decided to be the oil in the wheel that helps it run smoothly over bumpy paths.

Atma’s programs have since supported thousands of children and young adults through school, health and nutrition programs, night schools and kindergartens and a skills centre in Dharavi, Mumbai’s biggest slum. All this and more has been achieved by partnering with over sixty NGOs who impact the lives of over 16,00,000 children. Over 400 volunteers from more than 25 countries have been a part of the Atma Volunteer Program, helping NGOs and enterprises in Mumbai and Pune to grow and achieve more than they could have by themselves alone.

Hayley understands that systemic challenges that face the educational NGOs cannot be dealt with overnight or single-handedly. She surmised that with proper support, these educators could widen their outreach and their impact.

“After all, they are educators, not strategic planners or fund raisers,” says Hayley. She describes Atma as an “education accelerator”; hastening and multiplying the impacts that educators alone could possibly have on those who need them most.

“I was so humbled by the people who work so tirelessly on the ground, and these were