Two village team members who aim to use further education to enhance the lives of residents have been chosen as the Graeme Rabbits Scholarship recipients for 2026.
The scholarship award will assist John Flynn Village’s Taryn Campbell and Shona McFarlane Village’s Katie-Jane Knight to achieve their study goals whilst also serving as a tribute to the late construction worker Graeme Rabbits.
It is Graeme’s parents Selwyn and Viv Rabbits who are tasked each year to pick out the winners from applicants who best reflect their son’s values of support, sustainability, innovation, kindness and care.
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Taryn, a part-time administrator, is enrolling in specialist training to be an end of life doula, while Katie-Jane, an activity and lifestyle coordinator for residents in the village rest home, plans to study to become a fully qualified diversional therapist.
Both describe feeling overwhelmed and emotional on finding out they each would receive NZ$10,000 to go towards their study costs.
“I was absolutely blown away, I can’t believe it,” says Taryn, who hopes to offer her voluntary services in the community.
“My mum worked as a funeral director and I saw the way in which she helped countless families,” says Taryn.
The qualification – Certificate IV of End of Life Doula Services – is a specialised field of study which Taryn hopes will fit alongside her work at John Flynn Village.
She adds: “I’m excited to show how beneficial this can be.”
Taryn Campbell (centre) with Resident Services Manager Carolyn Horvath (left) and Village Manager Roslyn Prentice (right).
Katie-Jane has worked for Ryman for nearly a decade, with the last four years as an activities coordinator, a role she has found extremely rewarding.
“I love my job and making a difference in other people’s lives,” she says. “I feel like it’s a great honour to be able to help our people live out the rest of their lives in a place where the fun carries on.”
The qualification Katie-Jane has chosen will enhance her work considerably.
“I have worked in aged care for 20 years and don’t see myself doing anything but this. I am so passionate about older people and want to learn as much as I can so I can better them and myself,” she says.
Like at work, Katie-Jane follows the ethos of kindness and care at home too, with her family’s motto being, ‘If you can be anything in the world, be kind’.
“In this job I think if you aren’t being kind and caring you are in the wrong job.”
She recalls one day when a resident was unhappy about her dessert she walked to the dairy to get her an ice cream.
“It was something so simple for me to be able to do for her, and it made her entire week. Sitting in the sun eating ice creams together was one of the most happy moments, and a moment where I realised I just made an impact on her day.”
Katie-Jane Knight is presented with the scholarship certificate by Village Manager Megan Gouverneur.
While their roles and goals are different, both Taryn and Katie-Jane have each raised three children and now wish to improve themselves as well as the lives of the residents they are passionate about.
It was their sheer enthusiasm that stood out to Selwyn and Viv out of ‘so many worthy candidates and human beings’ who applied.
“Katie-Jane and Taryn have shown long-term commitments and a passion for helping others, and their chosen development programmes will help them continue that work,” Selvyn and Viv said.
“Their care and compassion is evident in their applications; they both love their jobs and want to make a difference in the lives of others.
“It is certainly a pleasure and rewarding for us that these scholarship awards honour Graeme’s love and generosity to others and his desire and ambition to make the world a better place.”