AS a young woman in rural New Zealand, Shiree Pilkinton dreamed of becoming a journalist.<\/p>\n
With on-air aspirations, she nervously walked into an audition for a radio course. This was the moment she experienced her first \u201cbout of sexism.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was the only female on the day. The man leading the auditions… made a comment. \u2018Come on in, but you do realise the listening audience prefers a male voice\u2019,\u201d Ms Pilkinton said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought, this is what I\u2019m up against already? I hadn\u2019t even gone into do the audition tape.\u201d<\/p>\n
This experience lay at the back of her mind for years, prompting reflection.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt made me aware of what others were experiencing, who may not have had the language or understanding of what is okay, and what\u2019s not.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt made me really passionate and aware to support others,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
With a desire to see others thrive, Ms Pilkinton is one of the Zonta Club of Ballarat\u2019s 2021 Great Women.<\/p>\n
A qualified teacher, she has educated and nurtured people of all ages and varying cultures in England, Wales and Australia. For the last 20 years, her focus has been the arts, refugees and migrants.<\/p>\n
Moving to Ballarat in 2007, she took on a French-speaking role, supporting West African refugee families as they settled in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was curious… fascinated. Those families had been in camps for more than a decade. It raised my awareness of what was happening politically in the world.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy own great-grandfather migrated to New Zealand from Yugoslavia by boat as a 16-year-old. Why were similar things still going on in the world?\u201d Ms Pilkinton said.<\/p>\n
With M\u0101ori, Croatian, and English heritage, she\u2019s passionate about diversity and intercultural understanding.<\/p>\n
A Centre for Multicultural Youth team leader, she offers opportunities for \u201cdynamic\u201d 12 to 25-year-old \u201cchangemakers\u201d to skill-up.<\/p>\n
At Women\u2019s Health Grampians she established programs for diverse women who were \u201cfalling through the cracks;\u201d isolated at home, lacking education or language, or experiencing family violence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe women I worked with were from 14 different cultures. They insisted on bringing food from their homelands,\u201d Ms Pilkinton said.<\/p>\n