SOUTH Metropolitan TAFE Community Services student and Mandurah resident Dee-Arne Hovingh has won the City of Mandurah’s Nikki Wise Scholarship for 2018 in recognition of her volunteer work.
Ms Hovingh completed her student work placement with The Crew, an organisation supporting homeless people in the Rockingham/Kwinana area and volunteers weekly at their Community BBQ.
The Nikki Wise Community Services Memorial Scholarship is provided by the City of Mandurah to help passionate members of the Mandurah community wishing to study in the area of community services and honours the legacy of Nikki Wise, who was devoted to helping those in need and passed away in 2016.
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READ NOWMs Hovingh said the scholarship will help her commute to volunteer events that support the community.
“This scholarship gives me the chance to build on my confidence and learn and use skills in industry to be able to further support struggling families and the homeless,” she said.
“There are always other people worse off than me who could do with some help.
“It doesn’t really take a lot to be that person who can make a difference in another person’s life.”
Ms Hovingh is studying a Certificate IV in Community Services at the Mandurah campus in order to transition back into the workforce.
The Crew chief executive Garry Eves and outreach coordinator praised Ms Hovingh for turning up every Wednesday, with a smile, to support the Community BBQ for the homeless on the Rockingham foreshore.