Tonje Akerholt
Springwood,NSW
Summary
Creative, compassionate and dynamic Community Development Worker with excellent problem solving skills and a strong work ethic. Highly experienced in building relationships across the sector and identifying local needs.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Community and Family Worker
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd
06.2022 - Current
- Collaborated with other community organisations and Council to run events such as IDAHOBIT and International Women's Day.
- Identified local needs and developed relevant activities to meet them, for example, an intergenerational program.
- Facilitated ongoing partnerships with other neighbourhood centres such BANC and WNC to deliver Mental Health First Aid training.
- Worked within guidelines of DCJ's TEI program and reported outputs via the DEX portal.
- Partnered with Belong Blue Mountains and committee to plan, fund and run the annual Blue Fringe Art and Literature Festival.
- Secured grant funding to expand emergency food supplies and start Budget Boxes initiative.
- Promoted Springwood Neighbourhood Centre's services by writing articles for Blue Mountains Gazette.
- Coordinated volunteers to provide ongoing social support to elderly clients.
Volunteer Coordinator - Social Support
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative
11.2019 - 05.2022
- Matched clients with compatible volunteers.
- Recruited and trained new volunteers on providing individual social support services.
- Performed wide-ranging administrative, financial and service-related tasks.
- Provided logistics and reports for grant applications, board meetings and funding bodies.
- Organised events and activities such as bus trips, lunches and workshops.
- Collaborated with other organisations to deliver combined events at the annual Senior's Festival.
- Reported monthly outputs on the DEX portal.
Administrative Officer
Blue Mountains City Council
05.2017 - 11.2019
- Provided administrative support to the Mayor and Councillors.
- Delivered customer service via phone and email.
- Drafted correspondence and other documents for the Mayor and Executive Officer.
- Organised catering and room set-up for monthly Council Meetings.
- Collected data, updated records and protected electronic files.
- Wrote copy for internal business publications.
- Entered Council motions into database.
Social Researcher, Copy Writer and Translator
Self-employed
08.2002 - 04.2017
- Translated a wide range of Norwegian fiction and nonfiction writing to English.
- Reviewed final works to spot and correct errors in punctuation, grammar and translation.
- Researched and reported on assigned topics for government tenders and grant applications.
- Maintained message content, tone and emotion as closely as possible.
- Organised photo shoots for various articles.
- Interviewed individuals by phone and in person to write stories for monthly column.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
Macquarie University
Sydney, NSWCertificate IV - Leisure And Health
TAFE Western Sydney
Diploma - Dementia Care
University of Tasmania
Hobart, TAS04.2017
Skills
- Building community connections
- Collaborating with stakeholders
- Developing social programs
- Mental health first aid
- Creative solutions
- Coordinating volunteers
- Facilitating meetings
- Public speaking
- DEX reporting
- Working to tight deadlines
- Staying calm in stressful situations
Certification
- Mental Health First Aid Training - 2021
- First Aid Certificate 2022
Volunteer work
Blue Mountains Musical Society - The Hub Theatre
Front of House Manager and Usher - currently volunteering.
Springwood United Football Club
Manager of football teams for nine years.
Scholastic Australia
Coordinated Scholastic Book Club at Springwood Public School for five years.
Timeline
Community and Family Worker
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd
06.2022 - Current
Volunteer Coordinator - Social Support
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative
11.2019 - 05.2022
Administrative Officer
Blue Mountains City Council
05.2017 - 11.2019
Social Researcher, Copy Writer and Translator
Self-employed
08.2002 - 04.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Communications
Macquarie University
Certificate IV - Leisure And Health
TAFE Western Sydney
Diploma - Dementia Care
University of Tasmania
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