Yvonne Simpson, a member of SI Westland (New Zealand) and Past-President of SI South West Pacific, took up the role of Soroptimist International President-Elect on 1 January 2014. Yvonne’s professional background is in high-school and community education and in this week’s SoroptiVoice blog, she shares her passion for education as a tool to empower and enable opportunities.
It sums up an important aspect of my journey and guides me with my work, my
family and Soroptimist life. Formal and informal education, mentors who have
shared their experiences and insights, and a willingness to learn, have
empowered and enabled me to grow as a Soroptimist and as a person. I will be
forever grateful for the opportunity and the friendships gained.
school at the age of 12 to start work to assist the family finances. By
hardwork, determination, curiosity, and intelligence he was successful in steel
structural engineering and worked alongside and led engineers with university
education.
My mother also left school early, at 14, and for similar
reasons. Growing up during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the focus had to
be on ensuring the viability of the family unit. There was no choice. My mother
recognised that education was the key and she was the driving force for all
five of her children to have training and therefore a better future.
Formal education of attending school and university enabled
me to explore the world of words, of themes, values, drama… I was uplifted by
books and pursuing my passion I achieved a MA (hons) in English literature. I
was fortunate. The fees were reasonable and we were not burdened with student
loans. Success truly came from 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. My work
ethic comes from my father and education as the door to the future from my
mother. I got through university debt free because I took a studentship
(payment to attend university in exchange for a pledge to teach). My surname
was Chalk so I figured that I was destined to be in education!
Being Miss Chalk, the teacher, taught me to laugh at myself
and to utilise what initially seemed to
be a disadvantage into being an advantage.
On the first day of school I would tell the high school students all the
jokes I already knew of my name. I could fill an hour with the stories.
Reading was balanced with writing. At the age of 11 I had
29 penpals in Japan, South Africa, Gibraltar, Malaysia… In the days when you
wrote and posted letters, no luxury of the Internet. My life was enriched
because of literacy. My passion for writing brought other worlds into my home.
My Soroptimist journey has taken me to some of those worlds.
High school education has been my chosen field. There you
have drama as an everyday experience! No two days are the same. The teenage
years are full of potential which is challenged by issues of relationships and
self esteem.
Some say that size matters. Some say there are more choices
in the city. I have found close friendships, and a wide range of meaningful
employment opportunities in Hokitika, a community of 4000, and a school of 300
high school aged students. Over the past 35 years I have organised adult
community education, organised work placement for high school students, been
the Careers Advisor, and Director of International Programmes. The latter
involves marketing our school for international high school students and
providing pastoral care. My passion for education and other cultures come
together. I have been given opportunities to explore my creative side, to work
with stunning young people.
Education as a Soroptimist has been through discussion,
taking office, attending conferences, attending and leading workshops, more
discussion, encouraged by Soroptimist friends who saw potential, more discussion
… I have developed leadership skills.
The Soroptimist theme of "Soroptimists Educate to
Lead" applies as much to our members as it does to our programme of
service. We will reach the potential of our movement’s mission when we fully
embrace offering learning and leadership opportunities to Soroptimists. We need
to be clear on the benefits of membership and develop these.
Leadership occurs whenever
someone follows. You can lead without a position or title: when you lead by
example and strive to be the best you can be. You also lead by encouraging
others to be the best they can be. You may see potential where the person
concerned can see none or little. "Educate, empower and enable" are
important to the health of Soroptimist International.
My vision is a growing
organisation that is dynamic because younger professional women want our
training and the opportunity to serve. We offer the opportunity for
Soroptimists to enhance their current skills and expertise and use these
heightened skills in Soroptimist service.
Our theme is “Soroptimists Educate To Lead”.
Let’s take it a step further and
include “Soroptimists Educate
Soroptimists to Lead".
By investing in educating, empowering and enabling our members we are making a
greater investment in the success of our mission to improve the lives of women
and girls.
Yvonne Simpson
Learner
SI President-Elect
Image credit: Photo Corner (Hokitika)
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