Securing funding for young parents' schools was one of Joy Oakly’s cherished memories in her four decades of advocating for women.
The Soroptimist International Nelson member was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal in the New Year Honours for services to women and education.
Joy says she was “overwhelmed” by the honour, but it was also recognition of New Zealand and global Soroptimist organisations.
“I’ve been in Nelson Soroptimists for 42 years… it's an honour to be involved in a group that is passionate about improving the lives of women and girls, not only in Nelson but around the world,” she says.
“My father supported Victory School and his passion for education was because he was told as a 13-year-old that he wasn’t bright enough to go to college… and my mother was a volunteer, she did meals on wheels for 30 years.
“So, part of our upbringing I think is being there to support others and to give back to your community.”
Joy, who’s also a quality control consultant at Cawthron Institute, says she first joined Soroptimist International Nelson in 1981 after serving with Nelson West Rotaract for seven years.
“Rotaract was in Nelson in the 70s in 80s, and it was for males and females aged 18 to 28… we did all our own projects, and we were involved with the chapel and accommodation at Lake Rotoiti, and we did clean ups and all sorts of things as a young group,” she says.
“But when the females got to 28 it was goodbye, because at that stage, Rotary didn’t take females and there was a Soroptimist Club in Nelson… it just seemed to me to be an obvious step.
“Locally we do a lot of projects working with Women’s Refuge, the Women’s Centre, and we’re now involved in the regalia hire for schools and NMIT.”
Joy says one of her fond memories with Soroptimists, was in about 2010 when it attracted funding from Nelson trusts to fund a teacher who would provide learning assistance to young parents who had left school, so they could achieve NCEA levels.
She says when Soroptimist proved the importance of the service in Nelson to the Ministry of Education, they took it over, and later passed on the management of the young parent’s school to Nelson College for Girls.
“They have kindergarten trained people who will look after the babies, they have lots of options around services that can be provided for them as well, like getting their drivers licence,” she says.
“Just going there is really heartwarming to see what some of those young women can achieve… there’s one in Nelson starting a degree course [in 2024].”
Joy is also the current chair of the Nelson Soroptimist Education Trust, which provides scholarships to
women and girls experiencing financial hardship and has also been involved in regional events raising awareness of family violence.
She plans to continue her advocacy for women in the years to come.
