Lifestyle Program Trainers
Alan Taylor
Alan has been sharing his skills with the college since 2018. He presents engineering based subjects to anyone who will listen - oldies, trades, builders, and professionals who want to upgrade their skills.
He has been an engineer since 1978. Early on he was a researcher with the UNSW and then was involved in construction on the Mid North Coast. He became an Arbitrator in 1986 and has had a passion for building dispute resolution ever since. Alan opened up a Structural/Civil Consulting practice in Laurieton in 1983, and still loves the work. He and a mate thought up an invention (building product) and had it patented in about 7 different countries. They appeared on ABC New Inventors - so he considers himself a bit of a TV star as well! Lately however, Alan can see the benefit of his experience in helping people navigate litigatious environments and do this without adopting the stress which goes with them.
Alan finds great joy in watching a student as they have a 'light bulb' moment when something they were stressed about becomes clear.
Bev Moss
Bev teaches Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) at the college and has done so since 2019.
She is an Occupational Therapist and has worked in mental health services for most of her career. Bev is a Master Instructor for the Mental Health First Aid course and has been teaching it since 2013.
Bev believes that education is the key to increasing awareness and understanding of mental health issues in our community, and is passionate about sharing her knowledge through the MHFA course.
Maggie Adkins
Maggie’s passion is sharing with others the self-empowerment techniques and concepts she has discovered over a lifetime. She says Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) which she has been teaching for over twenty years, are still the most powerful and gentle techniques she has found. She loves that she can teach it so easily and people have a tool they can use anywhere, anytime. Maggie is committed to empowering her students and providing them with not only the knowledge but the tools to support their growth and progress; she is dedicated to being a source of guidance and support for them even after the class has ended.
Penelope James
Penelope James an art therapist/counsellor who is looking forward to facilitating the visual journaling workshop.
Through her extensive experience facilitating art therapy, she has learned never to underestimate the power of art - as it can help people to help themselves in gaining personal insight, build healthy relationships, and most importantly to have fun.
We welcomed Peter to the college at the end of 2020. He helped us purchase some flash new equipment and expertly trained us to use it, so we thought it a great opportunity to snatch him as a trainer!
Peter is a Graphic Designer who has many other talents such as Photography, IT and Landscape Architecture. He has qualifications and lots of experience in these different areas. Design has been a part of his life as long as he can remember but it wasn't until his 30's he realised his talent and fervour for Graphic Design specifically, redirecting his career from IT and Landscape Architecture.
For fun Peter enjoys travelling to such places as Asia and the Pacific - so much so that he sacrificed most of his income to be there! This was the catalyst for his photography passion which led him into winning prizes in several competitions.
Robyn Martin
Rob delivers a variety of courses at the college. Most are 'hands on' sessions using computers, tablets or smartphones and are focused on the use of a range of software and apps. For many years Rob has also taught all our Tech Savvy Seniors participants.
Rob has worked at community colleges teaching both accredited and more relaxed courses for over twenty five years - at Laurieton since the early 2000s; at Wauchope and Port Macquarie colleges last century! Her first experience as a trainer, some forty years ago, was on an inner urban revegetation project in Melbourne, where she taught the use of small machinery, propagation of indigenous plants, tractor driving and weed control. The subject matter of her lessons has changed a lot since then, though the satisfaction she gets from imparting skills and encouraging confidence has not.
Rob believes learning enriches life and that there is a wealth of knowledge available to all of us. She loves animals and lives in a home shared by two (now not so) feral cats and a rehoused dog, and hopes that, in the not too distant future, our wildlife and natural environment will be strongly protected and its diversity preserved. Rob feels very privileged to live on the Mid North Coast and thoroughly enjoys living in Wauchope.
Silvia Fernandez
You will find Silvia teaching Spanish at the College!
In her professional life she works with numbers and spreadsheets, but her real passion is in language, culture and travel.
Migrating to Australia as a small child from a Spanish speaking country has allowed Silvia to become bilingual in Spanish/English and sometimes what we call Spanglish. During school she was always interested in language and studied French and Italian.
Silvia found that having these skills not only benefitted her professionally, but also enriched her personal life and she has had the pleasure of cultivating friendships with people from different cultures. Silvia strongly believes that learning a new language is not only beneficial to your brain development and health, but that it also opens up a whole new world of opportunities and experiences.
Tin Hta Nu
Tin has been a part of our college for many years, offering Cooking and Buddhism classes to our community.
She has lived a life of service to those around her through fundraising, volunteering, teaching, lecturing and facilitating many different community projects - from Camden Haven to Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and more. Tin has received recognition for her efforts with an array of awards for volunteering and leadership.
In her spare time she enjoys being in her garden, growing magnificent flowers and organic vegetables.