The late Jill Allen has been recognised for nearly four decades of service across the educational, civic, sporting and cultural needs of the region, celebrated posthumously with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division.
Jill Allen has understood and given distinguished service to the educational, civic, sporting and cultural needs of her rural community and Western NSW for almost 40 years.
However, Jill's service to the NSW rural deaf community is of itself exceptional. Her work has been tireless, selfless and life changing.
For this service Jill has been posthumously awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Jill was nominated for an OAM by her family, and in the nomination, her family described her work has been tireless, selfless and life changing.
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Jill's work exceeded her professional title of Executive Principal - Western NSW.
During her career, Jill worked with deaf children from their SWISH (State Wide Infant Screening Hearing) diagnosis at birth, through their final high school exams and into adulthood and parenthood.
She counselled and supported their parents and families, as they struggled through raw emotions and new technologies.
Jill advocated within the NSW Department of Education for resources, supports and recognition of rural kids with hearing loss.
Her family said knowing the need for succession, Jill mentored and inspired the next generation of teachers of the deaf, who continue her work.
"She knew when to give a cuddle, give advice, and instill a love for learning," her family said.
But at its heart, Jill drove the extra kilometres needed in the bush, made those out-of-hours welfare calls, advocated when it was against her own-interests, and maintains relationships with the adults she saw growing up because she served a simple goal of providing universal education for all children.
"No matter where kids lived, their mean, or physical obstacles they faced. It is Jill's service to this core tenet that drove her to extraordinary lengths."
She always engaged children and made difficult learning seem effortless.
In 2007 Jill was formally recognised for this service, when she received the Educators of Deaf Students Association's Outstanding Professional Service Award. But her colleagues and families she worked with still champion her ongoing work, almost a decade after her formal retirement.
"Their love for Jill was built through her dedication and service," her family said.
In her local village of Greenethorpe, and neighbouring towns of Grenfell and Cowra, Jill served in other roles including as president of the Cowra CWA Evening Branch and with the Grenfell Picnic Race Club.
In 2023, she received life-membership of the Grenfell Picnic Race Club for helping its survival, then revival. In 2024 she received Greenethorpe Citizen of the Year for her work, including with the community hall to ensure it offered kids a pre-school facility, a space for community events like the annual Australia Day awards, and somewhere to celebrate and mourn servicemen and women.
Jill's health failed over the last 2 years, but this led her to find new ways to give, her family said.
As a passion, Jill arranged and donated flowers for the Cowra Art Gallery, community weddings, funerals and the Uniting Church where she played the organ.
