I am immensely grateful to the Hope Fish Foundation for their generous support, which allowed me to complete my Masters of Teaching and Learning. The grant (NZ$3,500) covered my course fees and enabled me to complete a Mentoring and Supervision paper and my Professional Project. My project focused on Trauma-Informed Practice in Education, culminating in the design of a Google Site for teachers to enhance their knowledge in this area.

Thanks to the grant, I successfully achieved my goal of completing my Masters, gaining valuable coaching and mentoring skills. The qualification has already opened new career opportunities and provided me with a skill set I use daily in my teaching practice. Without this financial support, completing my studies would not have been possible.

One of the most rewarding outcomes has been sharing my Trauma-Informed Practice Google Site with teachers across Aotearoa/New Zealand. I am currently establishing a Trauma-Informed Educators Group in Lower Hutt to further this work, aiming to create more empathetic schools for tamariki and whānau.

I am incredibly thankful to the Hope Fish Foundation for their support and am committed to paying this kindness forward in the future. Strong women lift each other up, and I hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams.
I have acknowledged the Foundation’s support within my university circles and shared my experience with other women considering similar projects. I look forward to celebrating this milestone at my graduation in April 2025.