Thursday, 24 February 2022

Mariam Yacoub Ibrahim

Mr PEARSON (Essendon—Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Regulatory Reform, Minister for Government Services, Minister for Creative Industries) (09:51): In this business there is a lot of noise—some of it useful and some of it less so. Then there are those in our community who do not make a lot of noise; they just crack on and do what needs to be done. They learn, grow and serve others in their community, and it is one of those special gems in my electorate that I rise to acknowledge today. In December Mariam Yacoub Ibrahim won the Victorian Learn Local Pre-accredited Learner (Skills for Work) Award. The Learn Local Awards are presented by the Adult, Community and Further Education Board. Learn Local is a unique, community-based learning option, and the focus is squarely on the individual learner to learn digital, literacy, numeracy and employability skills for study, work and life.

Mariam’s story is extraordinary. She arrived in Australia in 2015 after eight years in a Sudanese refugee camp. Mariam has studied many courses through the Farnham Street Neighbourhood Learning Centre in Flemington, including conversation skills, reading and pathways to employment. A big, heartfelt shout-out to the one and only Cathy Connop and her amazing team at Farnham Street for the support and mentoring they give to Mariam and so many others.

With the onset of the pandemic, Mariam’s skills and learnings took on an urgent importance. She became deeply involved with CALD communities in the area, working long hours to ensure that community members had the most up-to-date public health information in their first language. Through 2021 Mariam held a role as a health concierge with Cohealth on the Flemington public housing estate. With no noise she just got on and did what needed to be done. These are the stories from our communities. We must keep telling them; they are important and they matter. Congratulations on the achievement— (Time expired)