Rachel Thorne crowned inaugural NT News Woman of the Year
In the remote community of Gunbalanya in west Arnhem Land there lives a woman who dedicates her life to helping others – Rachel Thorne. Find out why she’s been crowned the inaugural NT Woman of the Year.
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In the remote community of Gunbalanya in west Arnhem Land there lives a woman who dedicates her life to helping others – Rachel Thorne.
The mother-of-five has been crowned the inaugural NT News Woman of the Year, after first winning the Champions of Education category, sponsored by GTNT Group, for being more than a teacher passionate for education and support for youth.
Ms Thorne was among a crowd of nearly 300 people at Mindil Beach Casino Resort on Friday afternoon as the NT News Woman of the Year awards, brought to you by Charles Darwin University, were held for the first time.
Winners were named across seven categories, as well as those chosen by ntnews.com.au readers in the People’s Choice category.
Speaking to the crowd after accepting the award, Ms Thorne said she was “so humbled, very blessed” and “so shocked”.
“This is for all the underdog students that I’ve taught and love,” she said.
“I do what I do because I know what it’s like to go through the education system without anyone giving a care.”
Ms Thorne, a boisterous New Zealander, first began her life in the Northern Territory when she relocated from NZ to Maningrida to pursue her career in education.
For more than a decade since, she has dedicated herself to educating and inspiring students and is now the Families as First Teachers program educator at Gunbalanya School.
The Gunbalanya FaFT is one of 55 remote centres which works with the parents of children aged zero to three to at the start of their kids’ “learning journey”.
It is a role Ms Thorne said spoke to her ‘natural passion’ in wanting to work with mothers and children, and give them an opportunity to grow.
“I make sure that any student, any child, any family that comes into my program, into my classroom, they count, they matter,” she said.
“Whether they come from challenging backgrounds or have trauma, or are just down on their luck, they’re still important.”
She said the power of the Gunbalanya FaFT centre was not just in the educational outcomes, but its role as a “safe place” for mums and bubs with food, tea, laughter, jokes and songs.
But Ms Thorne’s work extends far beyond the classroom and parameters set by the program.
She does whatever it takes to seek donations of clothes and supplies for babies, children and ladies in the community.
On numerous occasions she has paid for charter flights out of the community, or driven seven hour round trips, to ensure families and children have access to basic supplies.
She also brings the community together by organising sporting trips for students and events for community members.
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