Finding the strength in lifelong learning

By JENNIFER GRANT

Stronger together, the Noah’s Ark team is gathering for the organisation’s biennial forum in Melbourne.

Operations Manager Quality and Service Delivery Jane Tinkler, who is also leading the forum organisation team, says the 2025 theme for this whole staff event is Stronger Together – Collaborate, Innovate, Succeed.

As the allied health team of Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Specialist Teachers as well as corporate staff come together for the day, she says it marks an opportunity to showcase learning as “an everyday core value”.

“We celebrate and use lifelong learning at Noah’s Ark every single day in all that we do,” she says.

“Learning happens at every level – it is a deep-seated commitment which has informed our work in early childhood intervention with children and families at Noah’s Ark from the very start.”

Noah’s Ark, a non-profit organisation, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2021.

The whole staff forum is held every second year with teams across Victoria, NSW and the ACT gathering more regularly in between for further learning opportunities.

“We are very much looking forward to being all together so we can connect in learning, share insights and reaffirm our dedication to best practice in our work with children and families,” Jane says.

The forum will include a welcome from Noah’s Ark Chief Executive Officer John Forster and a keynote address from Speech Therapist and Professional Educator Adina Levy.

Other topics include The Power of Working Together and Partnerships with Paediatricians.

“There will be so many wonderful learning opportunities throughout the day,” Jane says.

“However, while this day is so important, the theme of this year’s forum is one which we see happen and encourage within our teams on a daily basis – that culture of learning remains strong.”

Some examples of where and how this is embedded within the organisation day-to-day includes supervision and mentoring, team meetings with embedded time for learning opportunities, discipline-specific mentoring for allied health professionals, peer group coaching and professional development opportunities.

“Our development of a suite of Learning, Development and Training courses, which reflects best practice and Noah's Ark's vision, enables us to now share our research and learning with other professionals and families on important topics, such as child agency,” Jane says.

“And we have just begun a pilot in Victoria and NSW to explore the adaption of Embedded Learning to the Australian context, which is just so exciting.”

“We have historically been and will remain into the future an evidence-based and continuous learning organisation,” she says.

“And at the heart of it all is the continual strive for better outcomes for all families and children.

“We really are stronger together.”