On my recent trip around Australia, I met many inspiring changemakers.
Like
Courtney from Food Futures in Broome who has set up a social enterprise
pop up cafe to provide hospitality training for Aboriginal Youth.
And
Judy and Kath from The Patch in Darwin, a community garden set up to
provide work experience and a place to connect for people with a
disability.
Then there was Darren and Lorraine from Australia
Post who were with a group of people from Queensland travelling on
postie bikes through the Kimberley to raise funds for sick kids through
Bright Blue.
And Russell Giles, a surgeon who through his research has influenced public health policy for remote communities in Australia.
Just to name a few!
Not to mention tuning into the history of changemakers like John Flynn who founded the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
There
is so much I could write about all of this and more. I learnt so much
about different types of initiatives and different models to create
change, all of which has helped inform the book I am writing on Being a
Changemaker.
The best part about all of this though was the new
connections created and the rich conversations we had. Many of the
conversations were about the things that worked but also the challenges
faced.
Patrine from Bridging the Landscapes said that at times
making a change can be so isolating, and it was so great to meet up and
have the opportunity to chat and connect with like minded people
realising that she is not alone.
That statement gets to the heart
of what Make a Change is all about! We are in the process of developing
a curriculum for changemakers for 2016 that facilitates inspiration,
connections and skill sharing.