Igniting Change

Igniting Change is passionate about supporting people to find jobs who might otherwise not have the opportunity. The Talent RISE Foundation are bringing the technology community together to support, connect and inspire young jobseekers. Mark Nielsen, APAC CEO of parent company Talent International, was at a recent event:

“It was a real privilege to be a part of Talent RISE’s inaugural Step into the Future event. The event held in Sydney on 15 September, hosted by Google, was attended by around 50 young people mainly from Weave Youth and Community Services in Waterloo, Sydney, who were introduced to Talent by Igniting Change. The aim of the event was to inspire and capture the imagination of young people on what can be achieved through a career in the tech sector. The session included a number of inspirational speakers from Google, Uber, Talent, Publift, Talent RISE and Not Doppler who shared their own personal journeys of overcoming adversity to achieve personal success.”

One of the most powerful moments of the evening was when the speakers were asked by a young Aboriginal girl (15 years of age) in relation to starting out “After you get knocked back so many times how do you not get depressed / down?”   Advice shared by the panellists included to look inside yourself and find that internal drive and resilience to keep pushing through to achieving your dreams. “Only you can do it for yourself” said Sneha Deshpande from Google. “Keep asking questions and be persistent” said Colm Dolan from Publift.

Mark summarised the insights from the day: “Through sharing their stories and individual journeys in the tech sector, the speakers left the young people with some powerful messages including to “just be yourself”, when looking for a job and to “dream big” when starting their career and also to “be persistent” in following that dream.”

Building longterm relationships, giving people a voice, supporting people to do things their way…Igniting Change is so privileged to be able to do this work! Recently we visited some of the projects we have supported in Alice Springs for over a decade with a diverse group of people. Some knew the organisations we were visiting, and for others, it was the first time they’d really spent time with indigenous Australians. The thing we had in common was curiosity, and a real desire to know more about the oldest living culture in the world. What we learned both inspired and humbled us…

Special thanks to MK Turner, William Tilmouth, Bill Pheasant and the rest of the teams at Akeyulerre and Children’s Ground.

Jane Vadiveloo worked in Alice Springs for 20 years and has a deep understanding of the issues faced by Aboriginal people in several communities in the region. She was our guide for the four days, and gently showed us how the ability and vision of First Nations families often gets lost underneath the struggle for survival in a system that responds to a ‘problem’ rather than a person. On top of this, people are often fearful or lacking confidence and many face language and cultural barriers. In communities like this, the impact on children and families is devastating.

Children’s Ground is an approach led by Aboriginal people, supporting their own aspirations with a 25-year vision: to walk with the next generation of children in First Nations communities so they will know their land, language, culture and identity, enjoy health and wellbeing and have the skills for success on their country and in the world. Jane says:

“My overwhelming experience is that these communities are filled with people of intelligence, inspiration, aspiration and vision. The solution lies in backing their abilities, listening to them and trusting their solutions.”

Photos and reflections from this special visit follow.

We visited Akeyulerre, the Aboriginal Healing Centre that was the starting point for Children’s Ground.

Rachael Trainor helps prepare bush medicine:  “At Akeyulerre, the…rich heritage of our bush medicines and remedies was intriguing. Sitting on the tarpaulin in the sun with the elders, crushing local leaves into a paste that will be used for healing was another pinch-yourself moment. I bought many of these traditional Bush Rubs home with me and they keep me feeling very connected to the land and the ladies that we sat with on that  day.” 

Tessa English,Trustee of the English Foundation, reflects on Children’s Ground, which she has known about from the early days: “Children's Ground was a thought, a seed, that was hard for me to  envisage. A brave audacious and optimistic goal - and 3 years later there is  a thriving busy happy community that is engaging so many families in Jabiru  and living out that same audacious plan. Talking with the elders it feels that we are on the cusp of losing this fantastic 40,000+ years of culture, stories and beliefs, and that without a vision of what Jane is trying to create it will be lost forever. It  is her simple sensible approach, where everyone feels safe and respected,  that includes the whole family and community in the development of each child  that makes me feel that Jane, Bill and her team know the best way forward.”

Wendy Bonnici: “It is inspiring to see grandmothers continue to peacefully fight for a better future for their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.” 

Nic Brunner: “The experience certainly brought new perception and sort of  understanding to their and our world. And the way we judge the world’s oldest  peoples … because they don't fly to outer space and build new computers  they’re lesser people? Life changing.”   

Richard Earl, Chairman, Talent International: “We headed to the remote area Corkwood Bore 70kms out of town to hang out with local  families, play sport and enjoy a glorious sunset as we sat around the camp  fire intently listening to the grandmothers talk of their desire for their  grandchildren to have a better life, by teaching through Aboriginal culture  and values with family. They want to get away from the problems of town and  return to a simpler and more traditional way of life.

Australia has much to be proud of. However, the needs and rights of  many indigenous Australians are still overlooked and we must take  responsibility. We must not blame history or the past. We must own the problem  today and get involved!

…Children's Ground is evidence that  purpose equals positive outcomes and a sustainable existence and drives an  agenda for basic human rights, respect and a future for the next generation…

We are part of the Land. The Land is us, and we are the Land. That’s how we hold our Land.” 

Susan Carton describes a visit to a Town Camp outside Alice Springs: “We started at  a ghost camp consisting of about 8-10 tin shacks with only 2 remaining  inhabitants, the rest of family and friends driven away due to lack of  amenities that we take for granted. Water, electricity and sewer lines  stopped a stone's throw away from the camp…

We were honoured by these people who allowed us into their safe  places. The elders are heroic in their  attempts to keep their culture, language and a life style which is good for  their people. Throughout the entire journey we met people who are kind, generous and so willing to share if only we listen. The Aboriginal people are facing unbelievable hardship, abuse and contempt daily because they want to retain their culture, their language and their place in this world.

My eyes and  heart have been opened.”

Rachael Trainor:  “I understand the intense yearning for the children, grandchildren and  great grandchildren of these elders to be proud of who they are and their rich history. The elders want them to belong to first in country and then to understand and succeed in the white world. The desire is for their families to belong in both words but first, their own identity and sense of belonging must be established. From this solid foundation, individuals can then equip themselves with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in the global  world. I will never forget the words of Ray that were captured in the book I read at Yarrenyty Altere Arts Centre.  They resonate with me daily and have forever  changed the way I think about our country:

‘If we go slowly, white man can understand and catch up.’

It is time we caught up.”

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Gill Bird: “For all of us it was an opportunity to listen and learn about the journey of Australia’s first people, and to understand what it means to them be aboriginal. At every stop we were shown how the old culture is so important to the growing children, and how there is a real need to preserve the connection to the land and provide the children with an identity to be proud of.” 

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Jane Vadiveloo reflects on her journey with Igniting Change: “My  journey with Igniting Change has been one that is about connecting people –  feeling, knowing, learning, understanding, respecting, building bridges - one that demands that everyone sit as equals - where the people who you have  introduced me to over the years are overwhelmingly deep feelers, committed –  without ego…not looking for a report, not looking for self-interest or  self-promotion, not asking us or aboriginal people to justify, but wanting to  learn.  What you have created is an amazing, rare thing.” 

…And the last word goes to Nadine McKintosh from a poem she wrote after the visit:

Last week I visited Risdon Prison in Tasmania. I suppose like many people whose lives haven’t been directly touched by the criminal justice system, I didn’t know what to expect. I was there to meet Pastor Norm Reed and to see his video visiting and homework programs in action - Igniting Change has funded both initiatives, and I was keen to see the impact they were having on the lives of individual prisoners.

What I hadn’t really understood before this visit, is that prisoners are also parents, children, carers, siblings, breadwinners…and their sentence often carries a ‘hidden sentence’ for family members. As well as the loss of a family member, there’s often loss of income and stigma too, affecting children as much as adults. Maintaining healthy family connections while inside is one of the major factors in helping prevent reoffending.

Norm Reed’s church is next to Risdon Prison. Before we went inside the gates, he told me the first thing he did when he arrived as pastor was to offer church land for low security prisoners to turn into a veggie garden. This is when Igniting Change met him, and supported seeds and garden equipment. 4 years later this garden and one inside the prison have grown 10,000kg of vegetables for distribution by Second Bite to over 150 community organisations across Southern Tasmania. We got a big wave and a smile from a guy in bright orange overalls as we drove past.

From small things, big things grow… the veggie garden at Risdon Prison

Next, with the permission of prison authorities, Norm began to organise video visits, connecting men and women inside the prison with their families at funerals, weddings and meeting new babies by video. The importance of maintaining these connections cannot be overestimated: according to recent UK Prison Reform Trust report, a single visit while in prison can reduce the chance of reoffending by up to 40%.    

The process of getting into the prison had to be arranged in advance, and I was glad I was with Norm as I went through the various checks. Apparently visitors aren’t automatically granted access to the prison even when they’ve passed security checks – internal security concerns or other reasons may prevent a face to face visit from happening, even when a family has travelled a long distance. This makes video visiting all the more sensible.

We were issued with passes and a personal alarm, and went to the visits area to meet Michael (not his real name), who was waiting for us so that he could attend his uncle’s funeral. A volunteer at the funeral service turned on the camera, and we left Michael to grieve. As he left afterwards in tears, he said he’d been raised by his uncle, so it had been really important to be there.

Pastor Norm Reed outside Risdon Prison

Later that afternoon I met 3 young girls who arrived to do homework with their Dads. This was part of an ongoing program which links the parent in prison with schools (to get an advance copy of the homework) and then supports them to do homework with their child, in person or on video.

This often creates extra much needed support for the family on the outside, through the Family Engagement Worker, a volunteer role Norm developed in recognition of the difficulties many families experience. A recent report for the UK Prison Reform Trust said that 65% of boys who have had a father in prison go on to offend themselves, and Norm says that this reflects his experience in Tassie. However, the same report holds much hope for breaking the cycle.

·         65% of boys who have had a father in prison, go on to offend themselves.

·         Creating and encouraging healthy family contact whilst in custody can reduce the likelihood of offending by up to six times.

·         Offenders who had received at least one visit during their time in custody were 39% less likely to re-offend than those who had received no visits.

·         Parental imprisonment approximately trebles a child’s risk of developing antisocial or delinquent behaviour.

·         Over half of prisoners interviewed (54%) had children under the age of 18 when they entered prison. The vast majority felt they had let their family down (82%).

·         40% of prisoners said that support from their family would help them stop reoffending in the future. 36% mentioned seeing their children as an important factor.  

One of the girls visiting her Dad asked Norm when the next Family Day was. Norm organises four of these events, one in each prison, three times a year during the school holidays. These are special days when prisoners enjoy normal fun time with their children engaging in activities such as cooking competition, face painting and other games and craft activities. One of the girls proudly told me that she painted her (large, tattooed) Dad’s face as a princess. Norm said that the Dads often don’t wash off the face paint returning to their cells proudly painted as princesses and tigers wearing these decorations as a badge of honour.

At a time when prison populations are growing more than 5 times faster than the general population[1], Norm showed me that simple acts of kindness and connection make more difference than I’d ever understood was possible.

Igniting Change are hosting former Brixton gang leader, poet and social activist Karl Lokko’s first visit to Australia. His first stop was in Jabiru at Children’s Ground, an innovative education model arising out of indigenous Australia’s cultural narrative, proudly supported by Igniting Change. The following is a blog by David Pledger, Igniting Change’s artist-in-residence, who accompanied Karl on his adventures in the NT. 

Friday April 1

Darwin 11.30pm and it’s hot. Really hot. Not unexpectedly so. But no matter how hard you try it’s always a challenge to prepare yourself for the heat and the difference in temperature from down south to up north. As I wheel my luggage from the airport to the airport hotel, my thoughts turn to Karl who has dragged himself away from a chilly London spring to this! There’s more than just the weather to consider here. How is a 26-year old former gang leader from Brixton going to acclimatise to the culture of indigenous Australia under the influence of massive jetlag, geographical isolation, with only new friends and no family for company, let alone the heat? This is madness. Crazy. Nuts. Who thought up this April Fools Day prank? Oh yes, that would be us, Igniting Change. Sleep hits me before I can add…..

Saturday April 2

Darwin to Jabiru Jane Vadiveloo calls early. Thankfully I’m awake, trying to make sense of the difference between what I have packed and what will be useful. Karl arrived yesterday afternoon and had dinner with Jane last night. When I meet them at breakfast, it’s clear they have already bonded. I tell Karl that in Australia we call someone of his height and build ‘a big unit’. I spend the rest of my time calling him ‘bigfeller’ or ‘Karl’. Despite his lack of sleep, Karl is up for anything. On our way down to Jabiru, we stop in on some of the community camps around Darwin. I think it’s Jane’s way of easing Karl into what he will experience in Jabiru. It’s a long drive but Karl sleeps most of the way and when he wakes up in Jabiru he can’t quite believe that we are 250 kilometres south and not just out-of-Darwin town. Jetlag does that to you. It plays with your sense of time, place and space. Unless you surrender to it, it can discombobulate your sense of self. Karl must be wrestling with this right now but he doesn’t show it, not now nor any time in the following week that I’m with him.

We get settled in our accommodation and head out to Ubirr, one of the most beautiful natural aspects I think you can experience in Australia. I first experienced Ubirr when I was nineteen years old travelling through the middle of the country. It was not until last year that I walked the track again. I came with Igniting Change and brought my son with me. This evening we have as our hosts and guides two boy-men of similar age to my eldest. Jack and Edward are natural performers, playful, clever and excellent communicators. They give us a most entertaining and educational tour. I came away with a greater sense of the significance of Ubirr than on my previous trips, mainly because their hospitality was imbued with a sense of fun and adventure. Jack and Edward would be our hosts and constant companions for the next two days. Karl and I counted ourselves lucky.

That evening we dropped in on one of the town camps. There’d been a bit of business going on the night before and Jane wanted to introduce Karl to the young men involved. It was the first of many meetings over the next days.

We end the day playing pool after dinner with Jack and Edward who beat Karl. Sorry Karl. It had to be recorded.

Sunday April 3

Jabiru True to the vagaries of jetlag, Karl manages to get to sleep around 5am. So I let him sleep till midday. He wakes up disoriented but ‘up for anything’. Jane, her daughter Sarrita, Jack and Edward drive us to a camp. We are having lunch with a group of elders and Karl shares his story with them. These people are amazing. Here is this 6 foot 5 inch Brit who tells them his incredible story of surviving stabbings, gunshots, fist-fights and all manner of troubles in the gang world of south London and they are able to transport themselves into that reality and immediately relate it to their own. Their capacity to translate time and culture is beyond expert, it’s super-natural. I am in awe.

A group of teenage boys take Karl to their house and we sit out front as Karl adjusts his story to his new audience. I see him do this a number of times throughout the week. He effortlessly re-calibrates the value of his story to his audiences. It is a real talent. He feels the points-of-entry in a group and applies just enough pressure to open up a productive space for vulnerability to emerge, and along with that there is genuine communication, an exchange, conversation. Actually, ‘talent’ may not be the right word. Intuition is more apt.

That evening Jane joins us for dinner at the Croc Hotel. As she leaves she bumps into Selone, a young man I met last August when I came up. I remember him because he was really shy but he had a golden voice, low in the throat, precise pronunciation. Selone is now working at the Croc, painting and selling his work there. We arrange to meet up the next morning.

Monday April 4

Jabiru I once had jetlag for two weeks. Sleep refuses to come. It’s because your soul takes longer to make the journey than your body. You can’t sleep because your soul is still trying to catch up with you. This morning, Karl looks like I felt on those long nights. But he doesn’t waver. Even today he’s ‘up for anything’.

We meet Selone and sit with him in the reception area of the Croc Hotel. He talks and paints. He has his cousin for company. The stories they tell are created as much by their gestures as what they paint. It’s a powerful vocabulary of images, gestures and spoken language. Karl is visibly impressed especially by Selone’s own story. I think it hits a nerve with Karl because he and Selone are the same age.

I want to tell you that the Selone of today is a different young man to the one I met six months ago. His voice is still golden but he bears a confidence and maturity he neither possessed nor implied then. It’s quite a remarkable change. As I watch the two young men together, it’s clear they share something. May be it’s that their stories have a common thread. Karl’s transformation came about under the guidance of Pastor Mimi; Selone has had the incredible support of Jane Vadiveloo and Children’s Ground. I wonder: without these influences would either have been able to become what they are today? Karl’s ‘Butterfly’ poem starts up in my head…

Lunchtime we spend with the staff of Children’s Ground. It’s very informal, chatty, an exchange of story and eating the inevitable chicken sandwich. There are many challenges in this space, endlessly documented in policy reports, government (in)action and (sensational) media stories. Until you spend time here, it is hard to understand that the truth is found elsewhere. In order to appreciate the work that is done here by indigneous and non-indigenous peoples alike, one has to accept that prospects seem bleak. However, Children’s Ground offers not just hope but a deliberate, considered, effective way out of that bleakness.

Fast forward to late afternoon. We are on a boat cruise scouring the river for signs of ginga (crocs). By trip’s end we’ve had five ‘up-close and personals’ with ginga of varying sizes, two yellow tree snakes and a smorgasboard of birdlife. This country is one big garden of teeming wildlife. We are tourists here, nothing more, and Karl is visibly uncomfortable. He said from the get-go that he has a fear of wild animals and insects. Very sensible, I reckon. And yesterday he discovered its extent when Edward, laughing joyously, allowed a ferocious-looking spider to crawl along his arm while chatting to Karl.

It’s true that if you are a visitor to Australia, the more people like you the more they ‘take the piss’. Karl got his fair share of ribbing in Jabiru because everyone really, really liked him. He made a real impression.

Tuesday April 5

Jabiru to Darwin It’s a 3-hour drive to Darwin. So plenty of time to debrief. We cover a lot of territory, religion, family, Jack’s awesome posh-English accent. But the conversation that sticks with me concerns Edward. And that spider. Karl and I separately observed that the spider seemed as familiar on Edward’s arm as she did on the web from which he ‘rescued’ her. It seemed that it would never occur to the spider to bite Edward because that would be like biting itself. Karl and I agreed that we were both very much outside Nature, witnessing its wonders and fearful of its dangers. Edward didn’t experience Nature that way. To him, Nature was an extension of himself, of the land, of Life.

Greta Thomas, a close friend of Igniting Change, wrote this post after visiting Weave in Central Sydney.

Thank you Jane and Igniting Change for taking a small group of us to Meet the People, Feel the Issues last week. We visited a place that has more than its fair share of doors. One of us nearly fell over when we leant on one of them!

What’s special about this place is that, no matter your past, no matter the reason for entering . . . there is no wrong door. This is a place that welcomes everyone who crosses its Redfern community threshold.

I’m speaking about Weave Youth & Community Services, a not for profit organisation dedicated to helping support and create hope for vulnerable community members in south Sydney suburbs including Redfern and La Perouse.

Nothing illustrated the value of a welcoming doorway and organisations more than hearing Keenan’s moving story. Now in his late 20’s and about to become a Dad for the first time, here was a young man who grew up on “The Block” when drugs, alcohol and violence were rife, tragically lost both his parents 12 months apart as a young boy, found himself embraced by the wrong crowd and spent most of his teens in juvenile detention as a result.

A turning point for Keenan came in his early 20’s thanks to the compassion of a wise judge that gave him the opportunity to commit to an intensive 12 month drug treatment program with a slow community integration component, and then to the nurturing and practical support he found when he stepped through the door at Weave.  

In just one short year, Keenan’s life has been turned around and not only is he thriving but he is also giving back to help other young Indigenous kids as part of Weave’s powerful Kool Kids program.

What Igniting Change and I loved about Weave’s open door philosophy is that they refuse to judge people or question the life choices they may have made in the past, knowing all too well the challenging and difficult circumstances that likely would have led to poor decisions.

Instead, the Weave team are there to support, positively impact and create opportunities for those they work with.

Weave challenges injustice at all levels, wherever they see it.

And did we learn about injustices born out of disadvantage! You’re probably well aware of the significant over-representation of Indigenous young people in juvenile detention but the numbers bear noting:

Indigenous young people make up less than 3% of the NSW population

In detention they comprise more than 50%.  

It costs $238,000 to keep one child in juvenile detention for a year

Weave’s Kool Kids program for a year works with 160 children and costs $295,000 for all 160

Not one of the kids who’ve had the opportunity to do the Kool Kids program has been detained.

The power of no wrong door.

The work Weave does with communities is working and is powerful. I hope many more young men like Keenan have the opportunity to cross its positive and nurturing threshold.

Keenan with visitors including Greta, Kit, Jane, Ruth and Julie

Weave

Story telling is core to our work. This November it is our privilege to work alongside textile artist and craftivist Tal Fitzpatrick. Over the next three weeks Tal will be our artist-in-residence, creating a textile wall-hanging that tells the Igniting Change story.

In the following guest blog Tal writes about the idea behind this exciting project and shares some of the photos from her first week with us - once again igniting change by combining extraordinary lives.

 When the Bookcase Quilt is finished, Tal will write another post and share images of the finished hanging. Until then, if you have stories about Igniting Change and the impact they have made please feel free to share them with us by emailing [email protected]

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Art and Change By Tal Fitzpatrick

I first got to know the work of Igniting Change when I came in to help with their social media strategy in late 2015. During my time working alongside Jane and Jess I was exposed to the meaningful work that this organisation enables and as an artist, a community development worker and an activist I was incredibly inspired. To put it simply I’ve never seen an organisation that is able to live up to and act on its values with such authenticity and conviction, let alone achieve so much while maintaining such a streamlined footprint.

I’ve also never come across an organisation that is quite so hard to get your head around; in over a decade Igniting Change has been involved with such breadth of projects, programs and initiatives that it seems almost impossible to communicate in any succinct way the contribution this organisation has made. That is where this artist-in-residence project comes in – my hope is to create a single artwork that captures the essence of Igniting Change, an artwork that speaks to its values while also capturing the scope of its reach.

So here’s the idea: I’m making a quilted bookcase for Igniting Change and filling its shelves with books, nicknacks, pictures and messages that express the values of Igniting Change and hint at the many stories and anecdotes that when put together explain what Igniting Change really is. Upon completing the bookcase I will gift this hanging to Igniting Change so that it can be hung in the Igniting Change office – the symbolic home of the Igniting Change family.

The bookcase quilt I’m making is based on a similar quilt (image below) made by my grandmother Dawn Fitzpatrick which is featured in her book Folk Art Appliqué Quilts (1992). For me Dawn’s quilt beautifully captures her personality, it’s filled with her favourite books and items which are to this day sitting on her shelves at home. Although I’m not sure where this quilt is and I have never seen it in person, simply seeing a photo of it transports me to a different time and place. Within it are so many clues about my family’s history, so many keys to family myths and legends.

Similarly, what I hope the Igniting Change bookcase quilt achieves is to act as a physical focal point that captures people’s interest, sparks their curiosity and taps into their imagination. I want it to be an ongoing celebration of what makes Igniting Change unique and to act as a trigger for the sharing stories, values and ideas.

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In my first week as the artist-in-residence at Igniting Change I’ve managed to both get started on the bookcase quilt and have plenty of conversations about what are the key things to include in the quilt. Using the information about the work of Igniting Change, the human stories behind the projects and the pieces of donated fabric given to be used in this project by people involved with Igniting Change I’ve also started to make the books, pictures and nicknacks that will populate its shelves. For example, some of the first things I’ve made for the bookcase include a basketball with the name NewStars embroidered on it, a snow globe of Necker Island and a refugee boat in a bottle.    

A bit more about my art and my research....  

As an artist and a researcher I am keenly interested in the potential of art to effect change. As I see it, art its best opens up physical, intellectual and emotional spaces that challenge us, inspire us and provide us with alternate possibilities for how the world could be. As a craftivist – someone who uses the strategies of craft for the purposes of activism and advocacy – I see art making as a very practical strategy for intervening in the world and for initiating political moments.

Currently, I am undertaking a practice-led PhD with the Centre for Cultural Partnerships at the Victorian College of the Arts. My research is focused around an investigation into the efficacy of craft as a strategy for activism and advocacy, and as part of this research I am exploring how I might use my own artistic practice as a medium for change. My artistic practice involves using the techniques of appliqué quilting to create large, textile wall hangings. This practice is built on the work of my paternal grandmother, textile artist Dawn Fitzpatrick, who worked in the same medium which she referred to as ‘Cloth Art’ since the 1970’s.

Central to my practice is social-engagement, an artistic strategy that involves working with people outside the artistic community as part of the process of making work. For me this approach of collaborating and co-creating with individuals, community groups and organisations on artistic projects is a generative process that enriches the work I make by enabling me to incorporate the stories, values, ideas and experiences of others into my art. This in turn transforms the work into something that is bigger than just me – the artist – it becomes something that can communicate multiple viewpoints and invites multiple readings. To this end I look to work with community groups and non-profit organisations who are interested in exploring how they might express or act on their vision for change using the medium of textile art. Igniting Change is one such organisation who have agreed to work with me on this creative research project.

By Jane Tewson

Here I am in the garden where I grew up in the UK. My bare feet enjoying the grass where once I lay as a baby underneath the walnut tree beside a duck pond  hearing the children come out of the local school which still remains the hub of this little village. I start reflecting …  

The house I was born in was built in the 16/17th century and is older than the first white settler in Australia.  Our home was set in a village community in which we tended to all muck in together. The whole family was important to the running of the house especially with both Mum and Dad working as local doctors.  The vegetable garden not only needed to be tended but picked, the wood needed to be cut so we kept warm.

In thinking about this I also reflect on a recent trip to the Northern Territory with Rachel and Tessa English, Ros and Joanna Rogers and Tracey Cooper,  hosted by Jane Vadiveloo and the local Bininj (Aboriginal) people of Children’s Ground. Our hosts so generous with culture and place, with integrity, dignity and vision.   I was reminded how much we have to learn.   I experienced a tiny bit of what I had in my childhood, that rich culture in a diverse group of people that reinforced to me how important it is not to lose that, no matter what it takes.

Children’s Ground is an organisation that Igniting Change has been working with for some time and last month I was lucky enough to make a trip out to Jabiru, to see first-hand the work they are doing. Children’s Grounds dream is: To support generations of people to be strong both ways; strong in the oldest living culture in the world, and fully engaged in the Western world.

Children’s Ground works together with the the Gundjeihmu Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) which is the representative body of the Mirarr people of the area and leading incredible social and economic change. The GAC work on the complex challenges of protecting land, promoting local Aboriginal rights and investing in future advancement. These rights and advancements were perfectly depicted through the four quadrants for their sustainable business; corporate, culture, commerce and country; Each equally important to the future of all Aboriginal people. They commit funds that support not only their own clan but all clans in the region and Children’s Ground is a key investment in this future. 

To say we were  concerned that we would be seen as a group of outsiders coming in to gawk would be an understatement, but that was so far from the truth. What we experienced was an amazingly kind and generous community of people. Being welcomed to an evening BBQ and session of traditional dancing and then joining the local women to dance with them.

What I experienced personally was the innate ability for children to break down barriers.  Parents out in Jabiru just want for their children what anyone would. For their kids (and for us that week) a Tuesday lunch was plucking and eating magpie goose fresh off a fire, and at its’ core was having healthy, culturally and contextually appropriate learning and fun for kids, just as we would do, goose or not. What I experienced was an amazingly rich culture in such a diverse group of people that reinforced in me how important it is not to lose that, not matter what it takes.

Throughout those three days I felt many things: overwhelmed, inspired, nervous, grateful… But what stayed with me and what I continue to feel is optimistic. Optimistic that good things are happening in our country and that with Children’s Ground in Jabiru more good things are yet to come.

Moving forward I hope Igniting Change and our friends will further  support the work Children's Ground is doing with creative and cultural arts including developing artistic enterprises using old and new ways.

By Jane Tewson

Igniting Change has helped the inmates at Hobart Risdon Prison to buy seeds for a unique project which is helping to produce thousands of kilos of vegetables that are being donated to families in need!!

Inmates at the minimum security prison are using their time productively at “Norms Paddock”, set in the pristine Tasmanian environment to grow fresh, nutritious food which is then distributed by Second Bite to families and communities throughout Tasmania who are struggling to put fresh food on the table. Crops produced so far by the inmates include pumpkins, corn, lettuce, radish, spring onion, beans, peas and tomatoes, all of which found their way to a dinner table nearby  gone to SecondBite for delivery to local food programs. SecondBite exists to provide access to fresh, nutritious food for people in need across Australia. With support these prisoners are turning what could easily have been time wasted into something that is of great value not only to the those who receive the outcomes of their work, but also to themselves as the people who grow and give.

Below, Steve Graham shares more bout this fantastic initiative.    

Our Community Garden

After a large crop of peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, pumpkin, celery and apples we are now looking to prepare for a new planting season. We also have plans to create a large poly tunnel to help keep the frost off vegetables and increase the growing season. This has been made possible by Igniting Change donors and will have a significant effect of the growing season by adding a month earlier and a month later to the growing time. At present it is taking shape in the minimum prison and being constructed by our gardener inmates.

Our Gardener’s made a big impact with garlic this year growing Australian and New Zealand varieties. Tino from Gardening Australia visited and was impressed with the quality, growth and size of the crop which filled many crates for SecondBite.

Our new rotary hoe has arrived and the old girl nicknamed Rhonda was gratefully retired and the new Rosie has been very busy preparing beds and digging. We have continued development of both Norms Paddock and the garden inside Ron Barwick Minimum Security Prison to increase production, but to also maintain the high quality fruit and vegetables produced.

The garden attracts a lot of visitors and comments include that people were unaware of the giving back community service activities in prison, and what great quality fruit and vegatables. We are really happy with this and would like to thank our supporters Igniting Change and the donors they represent as they make it all possible.

1 in 5 children globally have suffered some form of violence before the age of 18.This year YGAP an Australian non-profit and incubator for social change, is asking men to wear nail polish between September 1-15 to help end violence against children. The #PolishedMan campaign hopes to start a conversation that is yet to be publicly discussed in Australia “the violent forms of masculinity that contribute to violence against children as well as the role men should be playing as leaders in ending this violence. In practice this means challenging violent behavior, language and not just standing by in silence.” The concept of wearing one painted nail came about from YGAP’s CEO Elliot Costello’s experience in Cambodia with a young beneficiary of Hagar International. You can hear Elliot’s talk about his moving experience HERE and learn how you can get involved and make a difference at the Polished-Man website: http://www.polishedman.com.au/

"The jarring of emotions for a bloke wearing nail polish should be the same jarring of emotions towards violence against children. It must stop. The solidarity of this campaign is why I choose to be a Polished Man." - TIM COSTELLO

By: Jane Tewson 

As you walk into the beautiful, welcoming house which is hidden down a tiny alley you instantly feel the love and support of the Mirabel Foundation.  Tibetan bells dangle from the front door and even the offices have dreamy names of far off places such as: New York, Jamaica, London Bridge, Paris, Switzerland, Copenhagen, John O’Groats, The Hague…

There’s not much Jane Rowe hasn’t seen in her years of caring for people, first as a drug and alcohol counsellor, and now in her current position, one she’s held for sixteen years, as founder and face of Mirabel.   Parental drug use is one of the major factors of the tens of thousands of children placed in out of home care.  “Frequently it’s the children who find their parent dead from an overdose or drug induced suicide. Sometimes they’re too young to raise the alarm and wait until a neighbour or relative discovers them”. 

Jane set up Mirabel to help grandparents and other family members care for the children abandoned or left behind after drug addiction has claimed one or both parents…”we might have a baby that’s never been picked up from the maternity ward or dropped off at kindergarten and never collected.”  Staggeringly The Mirabel Foundation is currently supporting 1,300 children and has assisted many more over the years and the numbers are arising at an alarming rate - on average 5  new cases a week are referred to Mirabel and we know given the increase in illicit drug use things are only going to get worse especially given the alarming increase of ice use which exposes children to horrendous levels of trauma and violence. 

Jane says it’s hard to believe that while foster parents receive some government assistance, grandparents and kinship carers don’t. So Mirabel does what it can to help, with a mere 12% of its funding coming from the government.  As Jane puts it:

"If we see a young person in crisis, we’re going to make sure they get immediate and critical help for as long as is needed. So far we have never turned a child away. There’s a window pane in a child’s life and if you can get to them early and help them make sense of their trauma and grief you can turn their life around. There can be no waiting list. When they need help, they need it now. And a constant in their life who they can trust and will be there as they grow. If a child doesn’t have a foundation of belonging, hope and self, which is what we strive to give them, then therapy won’t even touch the sides, there is nothing to build on. These are the most basic principles that every child deserves and needs”.

To drive the point home, former Mirabel young person, 21 year old Heaven talked to me confidently and winningly about her experience of finally finding a place where she belonged; and how even now she still feels like she can call Jane, or one of the other Mirabel workers, if she’s going through a rough patch.

As an outcome of this visit much has been learned and enabled thanks to the support of our generous visitors - to those people THANK YOU.

Jane Tewson,

Here at Igniting change we live by the mantra “meet the people- feel the issues” and regularly take the time to visit the community organisations and groups who we work with, bringing along our supporters and friends … combining extraordinary lives!

This week we share a guest blog by Rachel English (in the red skirt) who came with us on our Igniting Change Visit on the 1st of July 2014 to three extraordinary organizations and who was kind enough to share what she learnt with us.

The Three Things I Learnt From A Day With Igniting Change: By Rachel English

On Tuesday 1 July a group of people welcomed in the new financial year by going on an amazing cross Melbourne trip with Igniting Change. We visited the Port Phillip Youth Unit, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, the TWICH Sewing Collective and New Stars Basketball Association all in one day! While I learnt roughly a million things, I’m going to share my top three.

 1.     Good Things Come in Small Packages

While I feel this is the real beauty of Igniting Change – connecting little gems with the people that can help them grow – this really hit home when we visited, in quick succession, a game changing youth unit in a massive prison that caters to just 35 inmates but makes a seriously meaningful impact on their lives. And TWICH, a tiny sewing collective established by a South Sudanese graduate of the Social Studio. Or New Stars, a group using basketball as an engagement and education tool for young people in Springvale.

The depth of impact these projects are making on the people involved warms this cold heart but more than that it creates a tangible difference. Case in point was during our visit to New Stars Basketball, where on school holidays, there was a packed out room of about 40 teenage boys listening to a lecture on sexual health. That’s how powerful an influence these guys are making…

2.     You Shouldn’t Judge a Book by it’s Cover

As a 25 year old woman, I had a mixture of feelings walking into a male maximum security prison. Equal parts excitement, intrigue and concern over how to handle what was sure to be construction site heckling on steroids.

In reality the inmates at the Port Phillip Prison Youth Unit that we spoke to were all so lovely, made us all feel very comfortable and to see these young men take a terrible situation, acknowledge their role in it and then want to do something to make it meaningful was so great.

I really believe that the way to decrease stigma and fear associated with people in different walks of life is to be able and willing to have a conversation with them; This is why I find it so great having the opportunity to have a conversation with a guy like Jason, an inmate who’s managing the social enterprise within the prison, Doin’Time, about making a difference and giving back really set the tone for an inspiring day. 

3.     Never Underestimate The Power Of A Good Leader

The organisations that we visited over the course of the day were so varied and different in every way, except for one running theme: The compelling nature of the person at the helm.

Like Anne at the Port Phillip Prison Youth Centre who single headedly put together the program to change the outcomes for young prisoners. Or Kon from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and their new digs in Footscray. I had been out to see the location in March when it wasn’t more than a empty warehouse and the cynic within me thought that Kon and the crew at the ASRC were nuts to think they could be up and running in 12 weeks – dynamic and engaging, yes, but I was dubious on Kons ability to follow through. I was so very wrong. Not only was the ASRC open, it was pumping. From children playing on their school holidays, to people able to collect food from the food bank or waiting on a delicious hot meal. The Innovation Hub downstairs was not open yet but after seeing upstairs, I’m looking forward to a third visit to check it out soon.

Similarly when Joe, the mammothly dynamic man leading New Stars on roughly $200,000 per year for 200 young people who just flock to him. That’s 200 young people, while $200,000 is the cost of keeping one young person in the juvenile justice system.

 I guess this is why my father advocates for having a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) – they’re more achievable than you think.

It’s days like these that showcase the impact Igniting Change makes for small organisations. But not just the organisations; being able to connect with the people that are on the ground doing the work to make a change in our society is so powerful, and so important. As a young person just stepping into this world I find it invaluable and cannot wait for the next chance to connect with Igniting Change!

Each year, Igniting Change is priviledged to co-host with Virgin Unite a gathering on Necker Island with a range of business leaders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs and other individuals to discuss a theme to drive social change.

This year the theme was 'Inspiring Stories, Inspiring Change' in the acknowledgment that personal stories and the art of storytelling are often the spark that ignites positive change in our world

The events host, Richard Branson, wrote a wonderful reflection piece about the event which we would like to share: http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/how-to-inspire-change

Life can be a challenge especially when it comes to death.  Talking about it can sometimes help.

At Igniting change we believe that renewing a conversation about dying can help build supportive communities and Inspire change for the living.

In 2007 Igniting Change in conjunction with Hardie Grant Books published   “Dying to Know – Bringing Death to Life”. This little coffee table book, filled with quotes and images  offers 60 thoughts  that reflect on bringing death to life and seeks  to break the silence around death and dying and stimulate a discussion that genuinely connects people on the most profound level, not as experts, but as people with the same dreams, hopes, fears and concerns. 

We could never have anticipated when coming up with the idea for this book that it would go on to inspire a national ‘Dying To Know Day’! First held in 2013 and led by the The Groundswell Project ‘Dying to Know Day’ is “an annual day of action dedicated to bringing to life conversations and community actions around death, dying and bereavement. ”   

So today, August the 8th, we too proudly celebrate Dying to Know day and encourage everyone to think, talk and take action about death as advocated by The Groundswell Project

This week is Homeless Persons’ Week, an important and timely reminder that in the heart of winter as most of us are staying rugged up in our homes, there are many people who are doing it tough out in the cold.

Last week Igniting change had the privilege of hosting a ‘meet the people, feel the issues’ visit to the St Kilda Youth Services (SKYS).

During this visit we were particularly moved by their young mum’s program where we met Hayley, who came to the program with her 1 year old son and her sister. It was a joy to talk with Hayley who was absolutely beaming with pride and confidence, something which she told us she didn’t have when she first walked into the centre.  

Celia Hirsh, a friend of Igniting Change, who joined us on this visit wrote beautifully about her experience, describing the Pickles Street learning centre as “..bright and buzzing with energy. It just confirmes that people who lose their way can get back on track.”  You can read Celia’s full reflection on her experiance below.

Imagine being a troubled teenager with a baby. Now picture how much your life would improve if you could go to school WITH your baby, meet and make friends with other young mums, receive drug or alcohol counselling if required, and receive support every step of the way. That's become the reality for 19 year old Hayley, thanks to St Kilda Youth Service (SKYS).

SKYS CEO Trisha Silvers says SKYS’ strength is its inclusiveness. "We've never turned anyone away. We believe there's always a solution"

 Hayley’s sister Jayde, also attends the centre. Once dogged by domestic violence, anxiety and substance abuse issues, she is now undergoing hospitality training and credits SKYS for changing her life, “I have a routine now and goals for the future. I am determined. I have a purpose. Everything I need to make my life better is here”.

SKYS take a holistic approach to supporting young people which includes, providing a case plan for each young person, assisting with finding accommodation, couselling, and creating education pathways. SKYS also provides innovative approaches to helping young people such as their learner to probationary driver program, L2P.

The Pickles St learning centre is bright and buzzing with energy.  The chefs and staff at Heat Catering, one of SKYS social enterprises, prepared a delicious lunch for our large group from Igniting Change. They are available to cater for events of all sizes.

I came away from our visit with a renewed sense of hope that young people who lose their way can get back on track. But SKYS resources are being stretched to the limit, and they simply can’t help everyone.  I hope they don’t ever have to turn anyone away.- Celia Hirsh

Igniting Change are proud supporters of St Kilda Youth Services who are actively keeping young people off the street with their wide range of programs and initiatives. We look forward to our next visit and to developing our ongoing relationship with SKYS and its CEO Trisha Silvers who we first met over a decade ago at REACH.