Category / Leadership

by Action4Agriculture

From The Archibull Prize to Young Farming Champion – how Action4Agriculture works for Danielle Fordham

Traditionally agriculture has not conducted longitudinal studies following the journey of participants in its agricultural awareness programs. We look forward to that changing.

Today’s story is very rewarding for our organisation. Our journalist the wonderful Mandy McKeesick interviewed Danielle Fordham who we first met over 12 years ago when she participated in The Archibull Prize during secondary school

 

Young Farming Champion Danielle Fordham (centre front row ) inspiring the next generation of agriculturalists to follow in her footsteps 

Background

Action4Agriculture offers a holistic suite of programs designed to inspire and empower agricultural advocates and leaders. We realise this is not a sprint but a marathon that requires long-term commitment from ourselves, our partners and, most of all, the young people we want to inspire and cultivate.

Danielle Fordham is the perfect example of how the programs and training come together. She was first exposed to Action4Agiculture through The Archibull Prize at Caroline Chisholm College and in 2022 became a Young Farming Champion sponsored by Hunter Local Land Services. As our new program, Action4Youth, readies for roll-out in 2023, Danielle has already been involved – sharing her agricultural journey with students as part of a pilot program at Lake Illawarra High School.

This is Danielle’s Action4Agriculture story ……

Danielle, you were part of the team from Caroline Chisholm College that was named Grand Champion Archibull in 2011 with the wonderful Rubick’s Cube inspired creation “Moobix Cube”. Can you tell us about your Archibull experience?

I was part of The Archibull Prize in 2011 and 2012 and the experience was incredible. It connected my learnings in the classroom to the real world. As a cohort, my friends and I loved participating, bonding and getting to meet like-minded people our own age who shared the same passions.

I enjoyed researching issues such as how to feed a growing population, learning more about cow by-products (did you know cow parts are used in cosmetics and medicine?) and showcasing the trophy-worthy dairy and red-meat industries. It was great to come up with creative ideas to communicate these issues and showcase agriculture in a new light to the wider public.

The experience opened my eyes to the endless opportunities in agriculture and it cemented my interest and career ambitions in the agricultural field. Most importantly The Archibull Prize connected me with the brilliant organisation that is Action4Agriculture (previously Art4Agriculture) and the opportunities it has provided me.

 

Since high school you’ve become a poster girl for the diversity of Australian agriculture, undertaking a business traineeship, attending Tocal Agricultural College (Double Dux!!), working in agribusiness, studying an environmental university degree and working as the Alumni Officer at Tocal. How did it feel to add Young Farming Champion (YFC) to your resume in 2022?

 

It was deeply empowering to be selected as a Young Farming Champion. I was struggling to find my connection back to the agricultural industry as I had moved into the environmental science sector and the YFC program provided the best opportunity to combine the two.

The experiences and workshops provided by Action4Agriculutre as a YFC have strengthened my confidence and ability to a stand as a clear, trusted voice in agriculture. I want to make a positive impact on agriculture and support the community, and YFC has enabled me to do this and more. YFC has broadened my horizons and I feel I can go further with my career than I ever imagined.

 

And, specifically, what skills has the YFC program given you?

The YFC program has taught me essential skills such as how to be an effective communicator, how to be an inspirational speaker and presenter and how to efficiently manage my time. The program has given me a network of peers and industry and community contacts.

Through YFC I have converted my passion for agriculture into a vehicle to empower other young people, such as my students at Tocal Agricultural College.

 

In 2023 we are launching Action4Youth, which aims to introduce disadvantaged young people to career pathways in agriculture. You participated in a pilot program at Lake Illawarra High School last year. What was that like?

It felt incredibly rewarding to be able to connect with students who were like me: interested in agriculture but who didn’t grow up on a farm or have the money to study agriculture straight out of school.

I was able to share my story and empower the students to think outside the square. I could assure them there are plenty of opportunities out there after school and, as a living example, that you are not limited by your HSC or ATAR results. If you are passionate about a career or lifestyle, there is nothing stopping you. You have just got to keep looking for your next step and embrace the skills and lessons you learn along the way.

Additionally, I was equally inspired by the Lake Illawarra students and their tenacity and enthusiasm. It was great to learn from each other and feel connected to the future of agriculture and our communities.

Young Farming Champions Lachie White and Danii Fordham were a big hit with students and teachers at Lake Illawarra High School  

Overall, how do you feel the Action4Agriculture programs align with your aspirations for your own career?

The Action4Agriculture programs align with my aspirations of being a clear, trusted and influential leader in the sustainable agriculture field in two particular arenas: marrying agriculture and science, and promoting women.

The environmental world is in turmoil with global issues of climate change, ocean acidification, food and resource insecurity, habitat destruction, and contamination. These issues threaten all our livelihoods and existence; and this make creating a future we all want to be part of a shared responsibility.  Agriculture is a key industry in combating and controlling these issues with opportunities in technological innovation, sustainable and regenerative practices, environment restoration, carbon capture and rehabilitation integration. The opportunities for agriculture to be part of the solution are endless.

To create these solutions it is vital to strengthen the connection and relationship between agriculture and science and I plan to do this by promoting sustainable agriculture.

Championing women in agriculture and science is also a passion of mine and in 2022 I organised an event to recognise 50 years of female students at Tocal College. By telling my own story and connecting with like-minded women we can overcome social challenges and promote equality.

Action4Agriculture’s ethos and opportunities to connect directly with the next generation and particularly the training and networking received as a Young Farming Champion enables me to effectively communicate these challenges and find the solutions we all need.

 

 

by Action4Agriculture

Meet Ryan McParland who is helping young people create and drive youth led organisations

The agricultural show has been part of the Australian landscape since the 1820s, providing a vital connection and
conversation between the city and the bush. Over the years the show has struggled to retain its relevance in a changing
world but Ryan McParland is leading a charge of young people determined to modernise and revolutionise this mainstay of
agricultural pride. With Ryan at the helm the enthusiasm of youth from both urban and rural environments is married to the
wisdom and experience of age, and all in the show world are coming along for the ride.

Ryan McParland with his father Shaun at Government House 

Action4Agriculture director Lynne Strong recently spent a number of weeks working with Ryan McParland at agricultural shows in the Illawarra. She has been inspired by his vision for building a cohort of committed youth volunteers who can support rural and regional Australia.

“The leadership journey begins with knowing how to lead yourself, then to lead teams and finally to lead systems. I believe Ryan has the capacity to not only lead systems but to drive meaningful change within Australian agriculture. He has the skills to create a movement and also the skills to gather around him the role models, mentors, champions and funding partners that he needs to be successful,” Lynne Strong CEO Action4Agriculture

Ryan grew up on a Jamberoo dairy farm and his family have always been strong supporters of the agricultural show movement, including the now-defunct Rural Youth program.

“The McParland name is synonymous with Albion Park Show and I got to know Ryan when he was still in school and would come to show meetings [at age 15 Ryan was the youngest member ever of the Albion Park Show]. I’ve watched his development, seen the beginning of his career with the steelworks and been fascinated by his never-ending enthusiasm for agriculture”  says Colin Hollis former MP and show committee stalwart.

Ryan’s road to honorary Young Farming Champion is differentiated by the fact he does not work in agriculture; instead Ryan is a mechanical engineer with BlueScope Steel and a tireless volunteer for agricultural shows in his spare time. Harry Murphy is Ryan’s boss at BlueScope and understands the tightrope Ryan often walks.

“We work a nine day fortnight where Ryan puts in longer days but that works for him because he then has a four day weekend for his show commitments. He’s a very skilled and keen young engineer who’s a very systematic thinker with excellent time management, and we lean on those skills in our business. He’s learned a lot of those skills through his involvement with agricultural shows, which makes him well ahead of the curve for someone of his age and experience,” Harry Murphy, Manager  Energy Services Asset Development, Digital, Services and Manufacturing Excellence

Ryan, who has been with BlueScope since he began a cadetship ten years ago sees a flow between his agricultural world and his engineering one.

“Growing up on a farm you realise things don’t always go as planned, things change, and you develop a mindset of adapting and getting on and getting the job done. You deal with many different people at the shows and this develops leadership skills. I think that goes a long way towards shaping my career.

“But in the reverse, there’s a big safety and risk management culture at the steelworks that when combined with the structure, critical and creative thinking, people management and problem solving that comes with engineering, can be transferred to agriculture,” Ryan says.

The benefits are also material ones with BlueScope sponsoring Ryan’s show work.

“BlueScope has a vision of industry and agriculture being connected and they see there’s a pathway of bringing people into both industries,” he says.

Carmen Martinago is a McParland family friend who knew Ryan while she also worked at BlueScope, and it is her own volunteer work with Albion Park Show since her retirement that has brought her into a closer working relationship with him. She has watched as he inspires volunteers at their local show, converting them to committee members, and liaises with groups such as the Wollongong Camera Club to leverage benefits to all.

“Ryan has got that combination of having very good ideas and having the boundless energy to actually bring those ideas to fruition. He does this by bringing other people along with him – he’s got this lovely collaborative approach – and he truly acts as a leader; even the older members of the committee become part of the journey,” Carmen Martinago former Learning and Development Manager BlueScope

Over the years Ryan has held just about every position available within agricultural shows but his passion is a modernised revival of Rural Youth, which he has developed into The Ag Group (TAG). His enthusiasm for the project was one of the reasons he was chosen as a RAS Rural Achiever in 2020/2021, joining one of our original YFC: Dione Howard.

“Ryan is a fantastic role model to young members of the agricultural show movement – he takes the time to show youngsters all there is to showing (livestock, poultry) and ways they can volunteer to ensure that the show movement thrives.

At Sydney Royal I very much enjoyed seeing Ryan in his element within the show community who gets behind him and likewise who he supports. Ryan is a natural choice to be an honorary Young Farming Champion, with a career outside of agriculture and a passion and great success within the sector.” Dione Howard, National Rural Ambassador

 

by Action4Agriculture

Reflections on 2022 from our Young Farming Champions Leadership Team

As we venture forth into a new year and put some distance between ourselves and the lockdowns, restrictions and online world of the pandemic, we want to take a moment to reflect on the Young Farming Champions (YFC) program and lessons learnt in 2022. We spoke with four YFC alumni – Jo Newton, Dione Howard, Franny Earp and Emily May – to get their impressions of the year that was. We found that the highlights have been mentoring from a supportive community, while a wish-list includes face-to-face workshops (or conferences) and long-term funding to secure the future of the program.

What made you proud about being a YFC in 2022?

Dione: “I am proud of the mentoring relationships that have been developed and continued this year between YFC alumni and new program participants. The support extends beyond the program and its workshops, to mentoring throughout many big life decisions that our YFC are making.”

Jo: “Peer-to-peer mentoring was particularly evident in the preparation of school presentations, with YFC presenting in front of one another and providing advice and support to each other.”

Franny: “The YFC community is a supportive space that allows for mentorship and collaboration. I have experienced this community both in terms of YFC activities such as workshops and school presentations, but I have also experienced the community on a personal level through the new friendships I have formed within the YFC community.”

Emily: “I was proud of the way many YFC stepped up this year and embarked on school presentations as part of the Paddock Pen Pals Program and I was especially proud of the YFC who mentored their fellow YFC.”

 

A big part of YFC is the Innovation Hub (iHub) where YFC get to workshop big ideas. What did this look like in 2022?

Jo: “Having been a YFC since 2013, this year I am most proud of watching newer YFC like Emily and Franny step up and become involved with the iHub and continue their own leadership journeys.”

Dione: “For the iHub, I am proud of the ongoing efforts to deliver Paddock Pen Pals [into schools] and connect with students across Australia. It is the perfect representation of how Action4Agriculture and YFC have adapted during challenging times over the past few years.”

Franny: “Over the year the iHub has experienced many changes including additions to the leadership team and the structure of the hub. I am proud of the way that iHub operates as a ‘flat’ hierarchy ( holacracy), which allows for each member to assume different roles and responsibilities that speak to them and their interests. I believe this ‘flat’ structure will continue to improve the hub’s communication and coordination.”

Emily: “While navigating the change in the iHub structure we were able to host various sessions and support our fellow YFC despite being a very small team of volunteers. This was very fulfilling and rewarding to be a part of.”

 

Image source 

 

It feels like everyone is a bit over online learning after the pandemic. What things could be done differently to improve YFC and the iHub?

Dione: “I would love to see YFC have the opportunity to attend a face-to-face workshop. The life skills and friendships I have made from face-to-face YFC workshops over the years will stay with me forever.”

Jo: “I think we could probably improve the on-boarding process for new iHub members to help them understand how it works.”

Franny: “I also feel that it would be helpful to provide an on-boarding activity to iHub. As a new member this year, a clearer vision of what iHub hopes to achieve and clear action points would lead to significant change.”

Emily: “I believe more regular accountability workshops would be of benefit. This would allow us to understand everyone’s work and stress loads and evaluate people who may either need a bit of a break to unwind or may need a bit more additional support during busy times. It also provides a structured session for a bit of a debrief, which we all need from time to time in a safe environment.”

 

What would you do if you could wave your magic wand for YFC?

Jo: “If I had a magic wand I’d provide long-term stable funding to the YFC program as it truly is one-of-a-kind in its approach to building capacity and supporting the development in agriculture’s current and future leaders.”

Dione: “I would wave my magic wand for ongoing funding for YFC, face-to-face workshops and the travel to get there – how many waves does the wand get? It would also be ideal to have administrative support for Lynne for the YFC – everything from on-boarding to following up RSVPs and presentation preparation.”

Franny: “I would love to see an in-person event. In my ideal world, we would have a conference-like event that went for several days and included both workshops as well as opportunities for YFC members to present their own research/work.”

Emily: “My favourite and the most rewarding part of the whole YFC family is the impact I can have on those around me through sharing my experiences and assisting others to follow their goals. While encouraging people to do this is always difficult, having a system that more heavily encourages the giving back portion may just be the push some people need to get them to step up and experience the sense of fulfilment and the greater appreciation for the work that goes into creating this program.”

 

Final words?

Jo: “To me the community of YFC alumni continues to be a place of shared values and source of inspiration and I hope that the community of YFC can continue to support, nurture and champion one another.”

Dione: “The YFC network is a family where we can learn, grow, and learn some more. We have the opportunity to practice difficult conversations and overcome challenges that instill us with skills for life. The community of practice that has been created over the years is something to be immensely proud of, which includes tried and tested ways that we know work well for young people.”

Franny: “In my eyes, I see YFC as a community network and as a training program. I believe that the network is future-proofed because we have some strong and loyal YFC alumni who are passionate about keeping the conversation alive and work closely with new YFC to help them feel supported.”

Emily: “For me the YFC alumni network is a community of likeminded individuals who share in each other’s wins and learn from each other’s losses. It is a community we can all call upon for support, assistance and guidance but also a community that enriches and inspires others in both the agricultural and wider world to look to us as role models.”

by Action4Agriculture

Inviting young people aged 10 to 24 to join the Young Environmental Champions program

 

A new primary and secondary school program offered by Action4Agriculture (A4A) in 2023 will support young Australians to be agents of change to embed sustainability thinking and actions in our way of life. The Empowering Young Environmental Champions Challenge will be delivered in Greater Sydney and the Hunter in Term One and in Riverina Murray and South East/ Tablelands in Term Two – and now is the time for teachers and students to get on board.

The 10-week, curriculum-aligned program is open to young people in NSW primary schools in Stage 3 and secondary schools in Stage 4& 5 who strive to be advocates for environmental and social issues important to them, their schools and their communities. See regions where program has been funded in 2023 here

Participants in the program will:

  • Attend a design-thinking workshop to brainstorm project ideas and action plans
  • Learn skills to improve their wellbeing, resilience and mental health
  • Be trained and mentored on the value of diversity, proactive listening/hearing skills and applied empathy
  • Network with experts and mentors
  • Visit relevant local community projects
  • Share their own community project

A broad range of regionally based experts, including young role models from the agricultural sector, known as Young Farming Champions (YFC), will ensure the program is youth led, co-designed and actively incorporates the voices of young people from design to delivery. Professional learning opportunities will be provided for teachers.

 

The program will culminate with a day of celebration where students will have the chance to pitch their projects, workshop their next steps as capacity builders and develop leadership pathways.

 

Thousands of young people and their schools have benefitted from Action4Agriculture programs, as was evidenced in the recent NSW Sustainability Awards. St Brigid’s Primary School, Raymond Terrace (Kreative Koalas participant) was the Young Climate Champion Winner with the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Education (Kreative Koalas, The Archibull Prize) a finalist. YFC alumni Anika Molesworth and Josh Gilbert were joint winners of the Youth as Our Changemakers Award, and Action4 Agriculture, itself, was a finalist in the Communications for Impact Award.

 

Action4Agriculture director Lynne Strong believes the new program has the capacity to have a similar impact.

“All of the NSW Sustainability Awards for people under 35 were taken out by young people associated with our programs and we are very excited to support as many young people as we can through the Young Environmental Champions program. This is an opportunity to find the next Josh and Anika or for schools to be the next St Brigid’s.

“If you want to challenge the status quo and drive positive social and environmental change, then this is the program for you.” Lynne says

The Empowering Young Environmental Champions program is supported by the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation who is Backing Young People with innovative opportunities that advance independence, social purpose and future security, and the NSW Government Office for Regional Youth.

 

Expressions of interest can be found here, or email Lynne on lynnestrong@action4ag.com.au for further information.

by Action4Agriculture

Bomaderry Public School students and their Koala spreading joy

Bomaderry Public School share an update on their Kreative Koalas journey …….

Bomaderry Public School proudly presented their Kreative Koala during NAIDOC Week 2022, to Aunty Allison their much loved and well respected long standing Aboriginal Education Officer for her contribution and thanks for all that she does and has done for their students and staff. The Stage 2 SRC class representatives and deputy principal Heidi Bridge also made a presentation during the NAIDOC assembly.

A brief background was given about the history and reason for the koala being at BPS. Stage 2 SRC reps completed the decoupage on the koala and during this time they spoke about protecting the beautiful environment that they live in and climate change and using water wisely. The 2021 NAIDOC poster was recycled and used for the decoupage. The artworks were called Caring for Country by Maggi-Jean Douglas and displayed communities, animals, bush, mountains, rivers, and coastal areas. All things that are surrounding BPS and are important features of our local environment.

 

The koala was well received by our school community, Aboriginal Elders, and visitors. The students were responsive to the reasons and background about how he arrived at BPS. Aunty Alison was very excited about receiving the Koala who now sits proudly on a trolley surrounded by gum leaves. He will reside in her office and continue to spread joy and reminders to protect our environment.

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A special shoutout to St Vincent De Paul for funding Bomaderry Public School’s Kreative Koalas experience

by Action4Agriculture

Alone we are smart, together we can be brilliant

Action4Agriculture is a member of Climate Action Network Australia (CANA). As an organisation we feel privileged to be supporting young people from K to 12, higher education and early career to take action on things that matter to them. Organisations like CANA bring people TOGETHER to advocate for change.

Joining the CANA community will support the young people we work with to work with others who share their commitment to create a better world together

During NAIDOC week CANA has been celebrating the incredible work of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander member organisations that we are privileged to have in our network.

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are at the forefront of addressing climate change and protecting people and country from the impacts of climate inaction.

The following is a list of organisations doing wonderful stuff that you can support:

Indigenous People’s Organisation

The Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation-Australia (IPO) is a national coalition of 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peak organisations, community organisations and individual members across Australia. The IPO was established to promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples at the national, regional, and international levels and to facilitate constructive and collaborative participation of Indigenous peoples at the United Nations. Following a series of talks to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2021, the esteemed IPO Climate and Environment committee developed the Heal Country, Heal Climate: Priorities for Climate and Environment Report, shared with the Australian Government delegation at the Glasgow climate conference in November. The report, supported by voices across Australia, highlighted the need to prioritise the perspectives of Indigenous peoples when it comes to climate solutions.

 

First Nations team at Getup!

The First Nations team at Getup! lead campaigns to end fracking in the Northern Territory, increase democratic participation, and create new federal laws protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage. Land Rights and Climate Justice are central to all our campaigns, and all First Nations work at GetUp is led by a team of campaigners from the Widjabul Wia-bul, Garrwa, Gooreng Gooreng, Wiradjuri, Noongar, Gubbi Gubbi, Kulkalgal, and Yanyuwa nations. There is no Justice without First Nations Justice.

 

Original Power

Original Power is a community-focused, Aboriginal organisation that builds the collective power of Aboriginal people to genuinely achieve self-determination within their communities and on their Country.

 

Seed Mob

Seed is Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network. They aim to build a movement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people for climate justice with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. Their vision is for a just and sustainable future with strong cultures and communities, powered by renewable energy. Seed Mob have done exceptional work bringing into the national climate debate the voices, passion and power of Indigenous youth.

 

Gudanji For Country

Gudanji for Country represents the Traditional Owners of the Gundanji Nation who are campaigning to protect their country from fracking. The organisation’s CEO Rikki Dank, a proud and courageous Gudanji/Wakaja woman from Borroloola, was outspoken during COP26 in Glasgow last year and has campaigned for years to prevent fracking for unconventional gas on her Country.

 

Colly Gamilaraay Indigenous Corporation

Colly Gamilaraay is a not-for-profit organisation whose objectives are to assist in the relief of poverty, destitution, distress, suffering, and misfortune, among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, through the process of supporting social and economic development. The corporation achieves this by promoting community development and acting as a resource for the community and stakeholders in the areas of education, health, sport, culture, environment, employment and welfare to rural and isolated communities  The corporation achieves this by promoting community development and acting as a resource for the community and stakeholders in the areas of education, health, sport, culture, environment, employment and welfare to rural and isolated communities.

 

This year’s NAIDOC theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!. Our network commits to strengthening relationships, engaging and working respectfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to uphold climate justice. We invite all CANA members to endorse and implement the Network’s Solidarity Commitments.

 

For those of us that are non-Indigenous, let’s ensure we Get Up, Stand Up and Show Up in meaningful ways to support the work of First Nations communities in our movement.

 

Visit the NAIDOC website to find out what celebrations and events are happening in your local area today.

by Action4Agriculture

Living Sustainably (and Kreatively) with Cecilia Kemp and Wingecarribee Shire Council

Action4Agriculture’s primary school program Kreative Koalas allows us to connect with a diverse and inspirational range of environmental ambassadors, a perfect example of this is Wingecarribee Shire Council’s coordinator of Sustainability Services, Cecilia Kemp. Cecilia works with our Kreative Koala schools in the NSW Southern Highlands and is producing a suite of programs to showcase sustainability to both students and their communities.

Cecilia’s story begins in Sweden with chapters in Switzerland, Scotland and England before her eventual move to Australia in 2003, and it was the early days that influenced her to strive for a sustainable world.

“Swedish culture is strongly aligned with the natural environment and it is deeply ingrained in us and our folklore. It was normal for us to spend time out in nature but one of the things that really triggered my interest was a German teacher at my international school in Switzerland. While teaching us the German language she would always use quotes and texts from environmental sources. Her daughter worked for Greenpeace and, as an early teen, I thought that was the kind of job for me.

“I’ve always been fascinated by injustice and I think a lot of what I do is deeply rooted in that. I was the annoying kid who spoke up when she saw something wrong and said ‘we shouldn’t be doing that’ and it’s evolved into an adult passion where I like to bring issues to the public attention – things we can do better.”

With a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the University of Edinburgh and a Masters in Engineering Studies (focussed on power generation and climate change) from the University of Sydney, Cecilia’s career has seen her champion sustainability with everyone from Clean Up Australia, to state government and local councils. In 2019 she took on her current role with Wingecarribee Shire Council.

One of her initial tasks was to overhaul the annual School’s Environment Day, which at the time “involved 600 students and was bigger than Ben Hur.” Cecilia reimagined the day as one of immersive activities and adventure learning for a smaller number of students to be held in the bush at Camp Wombaroo. The first School’s Environment Day in the new format will be run in May catering for 200 students, with the second to be held later in the year allowing 200 more local students to participate.

Another initiative under Cecilia’s direction is Sustainable Us, designed as a community engagement project to address impact on the environment and actions that can be taken to mitigate climate change.

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The project includes a series of 12 videos and will feature Hilltop Public School, who broke new ground in 2021 by using Kreative Koalas as a catalyst to report on education for sustainability.

Hilltop is a tiny community but every community in the world will be affected by climate change and these kids had already produced a video to highlight it in the context of their own space, and they’re sharing these stories with their parents and grandparents and community members. What they are doing is fantastic and we will feature them in the Sustainable Us episode about community to illustrate how we can come together and make a big difference,” Cecilia says.

Read our case study on Hilltop Public School here 

Watch the first video in the Sustainable US series here

 

Alongside the School’s Environment Day and Sustainable Us, Southern Highland’s schools, including Kreative Koalas participant Robertson Public School, benefit in other ways from Cecilia’s proactive approach.

“We send newsletters to all the schools in the Shire at the start of every term, flagging the resources that we have available to help teach a sustainable lifestyle. We offer workshops, and presentations on the local water cycle and the local impacts of climate change, run recycled art competitions and we were the first regional council to offer the Solar My School program to schools.”

“There is no silver bullet to address our environmental impact but its important people know that switching off the lights when you leave a room is just as powerful as buying a Tesla. Nobody should feel excluded based on their financial or physical ability. It’s just a case of being a bit more resourceful with what we have.”

When it comes to being resourceful Cecilia and her team are well ahead of the curve, and the benefits to our Kreative Koalas schools will be endless. We look forward to continuing and building this association for years to come and congratulate Wingecarribee Shire Council on its initiatives that educate and inspire us all to lead a better life for our planet.

#YouthVoices #CreatingABetterWorldTogether

 

 

by Action4Agriculture

Celebrating Our Partnerships – FEAST reaches 500

Today we celebrate OzHarvest FEAST reaching 500 primary schools across Australia and influencing inspiring nearly 35,000 future change-makers to waste less and care for our planet.

Celebrating strategic partnerships that:

  • encourage all Australians to value food, and the people and the places that provide it, and

  • take climate action by not wasting this most basic of human needs.

Action4Agriculture has a long-standing partnership with OzHarvest who deliver the successful FEAST program into primary schools alongside our Kreative Koalas. FEAST (Food Education and Sustainability Training) is a Year 5 and 6 curriculum-aligned education program, encouraging kids to eat healthy, waste less and become change-makers in their local community.

 

“Action4Agriculture recognises there are organisations doing great things in the food and nutrition space and through our collaboration we can help each other multiply our impact. We appreciate our key partnership with OzHarvest and congratulate them on reaching 500 schools with FEAST,” Action4Agriculture director Lynne Strong says.

Together we are supporting Australian schools to take action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals #SDG 2 Zero Waste, #SDG 12  Responsible Production and Consumption, #SDG 13 Climate Action

The benefits of this successful collaboration are also recognised by Madison Lucas, OzHarvest FEAST National Program Manager.

“OzHarvest’s FEAST Education program values its partnership with Action4Agriculture, as they both share a common vision to bring food and environmental education into schools by providing ongoing support for teachers and delivering on a number of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. It’s great to see like-minded programs like FEAST and Kreative Koalas come together to inspire children to value food and care for our planet. Both programs understand the importance of encouraging community engagement and provide opportunities for our students to have a voice and take action to prevent food waste,” she says.

The partnership between FEAST and Kreative Koalas is exemplified by St Brigid’s Public School at Raymond Terrace who combined the programs to protect the threatened Hunter River Turtle in 2020.

As part of Kreative Koalas the students at St Brigid’s chose to focus their attention on threatened species, selecting the Hunter River Turtle as their school mascot. By participating in FEAST they planted a vegetable garden and used the cooking kit provided by OzHarvest to hold three cooking days utilising their home-grown produce. Items made were sold at the school canteen.

“All funds raised were dedicated to the Hunter River Turtle and we are thrilled to say we have made a $300 donation to the Australian Reptile Park and the work it does to protect the species,” teacher Kristen Jones says.

Kristen and St Brigid’s students travelled to the Australian Reptile Park to make their donation in person to Tim Faulkner. They were given a tour of the new turtle facilities nearing completion, and looked at a successful clutch of Manning River turtles in anticipation of how the breeding program will work.

“Tim tells us our $300 will go directly to the care and breeding program of the Hunter River Turtle. The whole Year 6 cohort is extremely proud of their achievements and our school has gone turtle mad,” Kristen says.

Read more about this exciting project here.

As Kreative Koalas rolls out for another year, Action4Agriculture welcomes the opportunity for our schools to once again partner with the OzHarvest FEAST program. Together we can promote the Sustainable Development Goals, inspire communities and create tomorrow’s change-makers today.

Sign your school up to participate in FEAST here 

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by Action4Agriculture

Creating a Better World Together – with our 2022 Rural Ambassadors

Congratulations to Dione Howard and Jessica Fearnley who have excelled in the Rural Ambassador competition at the recent Sydney Royal Easter Show. These two women exemplify all that we value and strive for in the Young Farming Champions program; they are passionate, articulate, collaborative advocates for agriculture and are showing how we can create a better world together.

Culminating in the national Rural Ambassador Award from Agricultural Shows Australia, the quest for the title begins with state nomination. In NSW the accolade is known as the

R.M. Williams RAS Rural Achiever Award; a “leadership program run by the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW to recognise future young leaders (20-29 years of age) who are working hard to make a significant contribution to their community and to rural Australia.”

For Dione the Rural Achiever Awards was a long-held dream and in 2021 this dream was realised when she was announced as the state winner. Reality then exceeded her dreams when she was declared the 2022 National Rural Ambassador at this year’s Sydney Royal.

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“Building a better world starts with backing yourself,” Dione, who had previously applied for the NSW Rural Ambassador Award, says. “In my role as National Rural Ambassador I hope to encourage people of all ages to step up and volunteer in their local community, for organisations they care about or to apply for that award they’ve been looking at (perhaps again if they’ve missed out in the past!).”

Dione also firmly believes being a Young Farming Champion was invaluable in the Rural Ambassador experience.

“There’s no doubt that YFC training has been pivotal to my success, from being equipped to answer tough questions, to holding my own in front of the camera. It’s also given me the confidence to know where I am on my leadership journey to apply for awards such as this.”

View highlights of Dione’s Rural Ambassador journey here

Following in Dione’s footsteps as they continue their own commitment to agriculture were YFC Jessica Fearnley and Lucy Collingridge who were both selected for the 2022 NSW Rural Achiever Award, with Jess being named the winner.

A highlight for Jess was the Rural Achiever debate –

“I enjoyed being able to think critically and create an argument and it also opened my eyes to other people’s ideas and opinions”

– and throughout the program she was commended on her presentation skills.

“YFC training has given me skills in presenting and taught me to be confident in my own messaging,” she says.

As with Dione, Jess will use the Rural Achiever to inspire others to create a better world.

“Being awarded Rural Achiever has now opened up a range of opportunities for me to network with people outside of my usual circle. Through this program I will go interstate and meet people from all over the country interested in agriculture. The knowledge I will learn from this I can then pass onto to other young people.”

The accolades for our YFC continued at the Sydney Royal Easter Show when Samantha Wan, pictured here with RAS Councilor Joe Byrnes and Jacob Heard, was recognised by her peers, the Youth Group of RAS, for her dedication and support of the wool industry. It was a surprise award for Sam who has been a committed contributor to YFC since she joined in 2017.

Creating a better world together comes when we can share our successes, celebrate our peers and not rest on laurels afforded by awards but consciously work towards using those awards in a meaningful and productive way.

Watch Dione on Landline here 

#YouthinAg #YouthVoices #CreatingaBetterWorldTogether

by Action4Agriculture

Creating a Champions Mindset …. with the support of Hunter Local Land Services

Our Action4Agriculture supporting partners know that champions understand that the people closest to them play a huge role in how successful they will become. No one ever made it big on their own, everyone gets help along the day. It could be a mentor, coach, teammate, spouse, or parent.

Mentorship has always been a powerful tool in the Action4Agriculture toolbox, beautifully exemplified by our Young Farming Champions alumni who support not only each other but the new cohort of Cultivate – Growing Young Leaders participants each year.

Bryan Van Wyk sums up his first year of Cultivate:

“We are not the same group of people we were at the start of 2021. We have become more confident, more knowledgeable, experienced and more authentic. If there is one thing to be proud of it’s the support and encouragement we have given each other through various platforms. I feel I can reach out to any YFC for advice or information at any time and I hope others feel that way about me.”

Action4Agriculture believes this mentorship tool is just as important in the workplace and in 2022 will be working with our partners to realise this.

“Offering a reputable and successful mentoring program can make you a promising employer in the eyes of candidates, which is important when you’re competing for top talent.”     Robert Half Talent Solutions

Embracing the mentorship ideal is Hunter Local Land Services and their recent scholarship winners.

Danielle Fordham and Lachlan White are two young people who are beginning their careers without an agricultural upbringing behind them. Each has gone into agriculture with eyes wide open, looking for direction and challenges; looking for their own niche in the broad industry that is Australian agriculture.

We commend both Danielle and Lachlan on their commitment and are pleased to announce Hunter Local Land Services has provided a dedicated mentor for them in seventh generation sheep farmer and Local Land Services Livestock Officer Teresa Hogan.

“This industry is always changing, the goal posts move regularly. We are governed by climatic conditions, markets, and decision making bodies that are sometimes out of touch with what’s happening on ground. At the same time agriculture is full of very successful and supportive people who are willing to give you a leg up, support your goals and mentor you through. My network grows every day. This is an exciting industry to be a part of, and I look forward to sharing my story further with the Young Farming Champions Program.”    Teresa Hogan

As a mentor Teresa will provide advice and guidance, and share her own experiences, alongside connecting Danielle and Lachlan to board members of Hunter Local Land Services and others influential in agriculture.

Mentor and mentee relationships make such a difference to the enjoyment and performance of any role at any stage of a career. The mentoring component of Cultivate – Growing Young Leaders is what attracted us most to the program. It’s one thing to provide a young farmer with knowledge and access to courses, but quite another to provide a mentor to bounce ideas off, discuss the application of the theory in the real world, and build that scaffold for greater confidence and further peer learning. From the mentee, the mentor will also grow as a leader, broaden their network and gain fresh ideas, new thinking and a new challenge.  We couldn’t be more thrilled with our scholarship recipients, and look forward to working with Lachlan and Danielle in the future. Kath McLoughlin – Team Leader Community Engagement.

 

Further reading on how coaches and mentors can help you navigate life’s journey

Good article here in Stock Journal