12 Apr Get to know: Zakia Patel

Zakia Patel is a Links to Learning Facilitator

Zakia has been working with young people for the last 6 years as a project worker, running activities in a youth centre and working on projects involving young people in the community and school-based programs. For the last few years, Zakia has been heavily involved in working with the Indigenous youth in Queanbeyan. She loves to empower young people and provide them with every opportunity to reach their goals and dreams. Zakia is a qualified lawyer and her passion involves volunteering for the State Emergency Service in Queanbeyan for over 10 years and spending time on her farm.

What is your favourite sport to watch?

My absolute favourite sport to watch is rugby union. From a really young age I would stay a up late watching the World Cup with my dad. We always supported different teams so there would be a lot of yelling at the TV, smack talk and laughs whenever we watched the games together. My favourite part of the game was the haka at the beginning especially being Fijian and growing up with the haka!

What’s the greatest bit of advice a parent or mentor has given you?

My parents tend to be my mentors for a number of things because I really value their opinion and they always seem to help me make sense of things. The best advice that they have given me is to always give things a go, especially when it terrifies me, because its better to give it a go and say I tried then to not and always regret it.

What is the best perk that you have had at a job?

The best perk that I have had at a previous job working in a law firm was a designated car space. Nothing beats knowing you have a car space at work and not having to worry about going around and around for 10 minutes trying to find a free space and then having to pay for it!