Shelley, volunteer

Shelley's story

Shelley Charlton was one of four winners in the Volunteer of the Year Awards 2019, as part of the Department for Education, Children and Young People’s Together We Inspire Awards.

She works as an adult literacy and numeracy volunteer at Glenorchy Library and has an amazing amount of respect and passion for her students.

“To me, my students never fail,” she said. “If they can’t do something, it means I have to find another way to teach it.”

“If you can read, it doesn’t matter if you are sick, if you can’t walk, if nobody thinks anything of you. It doesn’t matter. Because as long as you have a book, you can be anybody, you can go anywhere and you can do anything.”

Award winning 26Ten volunteer

"I really enjoy seeing people's confidence soar when their literacy improves, and they suddenly realise what they are capable of."

Photo of Bluegum Grounds Maintenance employees, Glenn and Alex, standing in front of a utility vehicle with a sign that says, 'men at work'. Both men are dressed in high visibility clothing.

Bluegum Grounds Maintenance - improving safety at work

"I think that the guys have actually bonded a lot better because of their understanding. [They've] not only learned to understand the policies and procedures more, but because of that, they've helped each other, and so the whole atmosphere in the last six months has changed in a very positive way."

Acknowledgement of Country

26Ten recognises the deep histories and cultures of the Aboriginal people of Lutruwita/Tasmania, the land’s first storytellers. We acknowledge Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the traditional and continuing custodians of the land, waters and sky. We pay respect to the Elders, past and present, who hold the memories, traditions, culture and knowledge of Country. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose Countries were never ceded.

Success story: Shelley, volunteer