Founder and CEO of South Australian not-for-profit Puddle Jumpers, Melanie Tate, has been well-awarded at the Women Changing the World 2024 Awards in London.
Melanie’s unwavering dedication to visionary leadership led her to win the Silver Award for Women Changing the World in Not-for-Profit Leadership and a Bronze Award for Women Changing the World Leadership at the global awards ceremony.
Her recognition on this global stage is a testament to her hard work, passion, and the powerful impact she has made through her charitable work in the not-for-profit sector.
“For the last 12 years, I have dedicated my life to working with vulnerable children who grow up without their birth parents. Since then, we’ve expanded to families living tough and others requiring our services,” says Melanie.
Melanie started Puddle Jumpers in 2012 and has committed to responding to the social development needs of society’s most vulnerable children and young people.
Puddle Jumpers aims to empower children to recognise and express their individual abilities, interests, and talents, and to provide each child and young person with a transformative opportunity to grow and develop their own capacities and competencies.
Among the work Melanie and the volunteers at Puddle Jumpers do, they primarily provide recreational and educational residential camps for kids that equip young people with the confidence and skills to assume more control and make informed choices in their everyday lives.
“More recently we are trying to change the system. We made a short film last year, and another is in the works. We are also doing more advocacy work to look at the bigger picture.”
“Across Australia, SA has the worst child protection policies, and I would love nothing more than to change that. We would love to say that we have the best support for vulnerable people,” Melanie says.
Melanie’s lifelong work in the field is what led her to London. The Women Changing the World 2024 Awards were presented by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York & Dr. Tererai Trent.
The Awards are a global program recognising the work of incredible women making a positive difference in the world across a range of industries and areas. These include business, sustainability, leadership, health, education, product development, innovation and technology.
“It was a hard decision of whether I flew over or not for the awards. I recently became a foster carer, so wasn’t sure what to do. But as it got closer I kept in touch and decided at the last minute to go.”
Melanie made the decision to go to London two days before the awards, and it’s not something she regrets.
“When talking with friends they all said you have to be in the room to truly appreciate the significance of the awards and to meet the amazing, hardworking, women from all over the world.”
“And to be awarded in two categories, it’s mind-blowingly amazing! What an honour to be recognised globally for the work you are doing. The Dutchess called my name out as well, so that was pretty cool,” Melanie explains.
For Melanie, being recognised on a global scale, gives more credibility to the work she and her team are doing. Being in the room and networking with all the other amazing women that are changing the world, was a once in a lifetime experience.
For more information about the amazing work being done at Puddle Jumpers, click here.
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