The Story Island Project

11/10/2026

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: Zahra
As a recent school leaver, Zahra is very familiar with being in a classroom. But volunteering with Story Island this year has given her a new perspective on the school environment.

‘Rather than being a student guided by an adult, I am now in a position where I help guide students, answer their questions, encourage them, and help manage the group,’ she says.

To read our full interview with Zahra, and find out more about volunteering with Story Island visit: https://storyislandproject.org/volunteer

04/10/2026

A huge thanks to volunteers Bea and Thea, who gave up a few hours of their time this week to help us transcribe student stories from our Term 3 Vale Primary School workshops. Many hands really do make light work!

02/10/2026

Happy 50th birthday, Clarendon Vale! If you’re in the neighbourhood tomorrow, do swing by the Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood Centre and enjoy the festivities. We feel very fortunate to work with young people from this community. ❤️ 🎂

🎉 COME AND CELEBRATE CLARENDON VALE’S 50 YEARS! 🎉

Tomorrow we are celebrating 50 years of Clarendon Vale with a huge FREE Community Fun Day! 🥳💙

📅 Tomorrow Saturday 3 October 2026
⏰ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
📍 Clarendon Vale Neighbourhood Centre
63–65 Mockridge Road, Clarendon Vale

There will be so much to see and do for the whole family! 🌟

🎨 Face Painting & Art Activities
🎪 Cirque Tas
🫧 Sally Sunshine
💃 Zumba, Bollywood & Cosmic Dancers
🐍 Snake Display & Animals
🌱 Community Garden Sessions & Plant Giveaways
🚒 Rokeby Fire Brigade
📚 Children’s Book Stall
🎥 Visual & Audio Showings celebrating our community
🔨 Community Shed Showcase
🤝 Local services & community groups
🎁 Giveaways and much more!

🌭 FREE BBQ
🌏 FREE International Foods
☕ Blue Sage Coffee Van
🛒 Food Hub Open

Come along, bring your family and friends, and help us look back, reminisce and celebrate 50 years of Clarendon Vale — our community, our history and our future! 💙🎈

25/09/2026

25/09/2026

VOLUNTEER WITH US: In Term 4 (Oct–Dec), we're running our 'Little Mysteries of Me' autobiographical writing program with students at Bayview Secondary College. If you're keen to join us as a community volunteer, supporting students to tell their own stories, we'd love to hear from you! To find out more, and register your interest, visit: https://storyislandproject.org/volunteer

18/09/2026

After eight weeks of creative fun, we wrapped up our Choose Your Own Adventure! workshop program at Clarendon Vale Primary School this week. Year 5/6 students like Shayla (pictured with Zahra, one of our community volunteers) have spent this term crafting exciting adventure stories with multiple endings and evocative illustrations. It's been a whole lot of fun, and we can't wait to launch the class anthology of stories later this year! Thanks as always to the Clarendon Vale Primary School community for making us feel so welcome, and for supporting your students to join in our programs.

Choose Your Own Adventure! is supported by Arts Tasmania, and has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. Support for this program is also provided by Clarence City Council.

15/09/2026

'Reading anxiety' can be a big barrier to students' literacy and engagement with reading. This article from The Conversation Australia + NZ explains why, and how a growth mindset and strategies that support student confidence can help.

Reading anxiety involves excessive worries and apprehensions about reading activities.

11/09/2026

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT: T-J
It’s a curious thing when a busy person takes on another commitment in order to give themselves some respite.

But for T-J, volunteering for Story Island while completing his ‘serious and all-consuming’ honours studies in psychology was a much-needed chance to have some creative, meaningful fun.

‘I wanted to give myself the opportunity to indulge in playful creativity and encourage young people to engage in the rewarding art of writing,’ he says.

To find out more about T-J, and how you can join the Story Island volunteer team, visit: https://storyislandproject.org/volunteer

01/09/2026

Welcome, Ailsa!
We'd like to welcome Ailsa Sypkes to the Story Island Board as Treasurer/Public Officer. Ailsa is a legal and governance professional with nearly three decades of experience spanning private practice, government and in-house roles. Beyond this, she has held director roles with not-for-profit organisations in the education, arts and community sectors. To find out more about Ailsa, visit the Story Island website:
https://storyislandproject.org/people