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Work For The Dole Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance 2003
Sponsored by Ballina Employment and Training Centre
AIAA has been very happy to undertake Work for the Dole 2003 which commenced in February 2003 at Byron Youth Activity Centre. The project has now completed its six month period in August but continues to provide training and work experience for some of the participants who have chosen to stay on with AIAA until the end of the year. This year the project has continued to be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays of every week and has for the first time incorporated a graphic and web design course as well as a wide range of other training and work experience tasks related to the activities of AIAA.
The AIAA Work for the Dole Team have supported various AIAA projects during the last three years such as the AIAA website, Inspirasi On-line Magazine, Australia Indonesia Poetry Exchange and Artist-in-Residence Projects.The WFD team have also supported activities of the AIAA NSW North Coast Branch such as Suara Indonesia Radio Show, Indonesian Musician-in-Residence projects, performances, classes, school visits and other local Indonesian cultural activities. This year local activities have also included support for the Byron Loves Bali Group which has raised over $12,000 in aid for Bali and has now proposed a Sister-town relationship between Byron Bay and Ubud in Bali.
The WFD project has been divided into: Website Design, Inspirasi Magazine, Suara Indonesia Radio Show and computer work on Tuesdays; Cultural projects, Fundraising and Promotion on Wednesdays. Other work/skill development areas are – community development, office skills and administration, written and verbal communication. AIAA considers that the project has so far been successful both in terms of providing worthwhile training and work experience to the participants and through the wonderful support provided to the organisation.
One of the WFD participants from 2002 Linda Ogonowski has chosen to rejoin the team and continue into a second 6 month period. She has now continued on as an AIAA volunteer since August.Two participants Daniel (2001) and Paul (2002) have become permanent members of the AIAA team. Daniel is continuing to work on the project and this year is supervising production of Inspirasi Magazine, and Paul is continuing on as a main presenter with Suara Indonesia Radio Team, which now goes to air every Wednesday at 2pm on BayFM 99.9.
BETC staff have provided on-going support, information and guidance to the AIAA Work for the Dole supervisors. The BETC staff are a great team to work with and have also linked their Work for the Dole project to ours by providing computer maintenance for the AIAA computers.
Inspirasi Magazine/Suara Indonesia Radio Show
Daniel Summerfield - During the year I, as a one of the supervisors of
the AIAA Work for the dole project have
been supervising the as they write articles
for the AIAA Inspirasi magazine which comes out quarterly.
Some of the tasks that the participants are doing are:
- Checking emails for new articles
- Emailing contacts asking for photos and reviews Learning how to put articles and photo’s into a HTML document
- Making sure that each page is consistent with the design of the other pages.
- Manipulating sound files for use on the website
- Designing posters/leaflets
- Learning to upload HTML files and Images onto the website server
- Tasks such as installing hardware/software if required
Also as a part of the project I supervise the students as they come up with news articles or announcements that will be read on the Suara Indonesia Radio Show. Participants have also been transcribing some of the interviews done on radio for use in the Inspirasi Magazine and vice versa. Participants are also offered the opportunity to sit in on a radio show or even learn how to become a presenter on the show if they wish.
Projects/Promotion/Fundraising
Supervisor- Judy Shelley/Kristen Forster
Efiq Zulfiqar Musician-in-Residence Project 2002-03
The AIAA NSW Nth Coast Branch undertook the Efiq Zulfiqar Musician-in-Residence
Project from Sept 2002 to February 2003. Work for the Dole participant
Janie Cullen was involved with preparing Certificates of Appreciation,
Evaluation Forms and thank you letters to send out to participants in
this project, such as schools, music groups and recording musicians.
The project invited Indonesian musician Efiq Zulfiqar visiting Australia
to teach Indonesian music in the North Coast and Southern Queensland
regions.
Wahyu Roche Musician-in-Residence Project 2003
Wahyu Roche visited the North Coast as Musician-in-Residence in 2002
and has returned this year to undetake his next residency here during June
2003. The Work For the Dole participants helped to promote this
project. Vincenzo designed a leaflet promoting Wahyu’s drumming
class, Linda distributed the posters and rang the students to let them know about the project. The project involved Indonesian musician Wahyu Roche
visiting the North Coast to teach Indonesian drumming, singing, bamboo
flute, gamelan orchestra and kecapi (zither).
Other activities involved participants in interviewing Wahyu for
the radio show, press
releases for local newspapers etc
AIAA Fundraising Garage Sale: During the year the Work
For the Dole Team supported the AIAA Local Branch by helping to organize
fund raising garage sales held at Suffolk Park. Pix and Luke helped
design a poster which Linda, Jani and Luke distributed around Byron
Bay. Linda made garage sale signs and priced items for sale while Jani
helped with setting up, sales and packing up on the day. Paul helped
with collecting items for sale around the area and delivering to the
venue.
Schools Promotion
The Work for the Dole Team put together a promotion to let schools know
about AIAA activities such as the Fundraising Garage Sale, Byron Loves
Bali Mask Dance performance, visiting musician Wahyu Roche and Balinese
dancer Kerensa Dewantoro. Vincenzo designed a leaflet, while Jani, Luke
and Pix helped prepare the mailout to 95 local schools.
As a result of this promotion, three dance drama performances and two Balinese dance workshops were held involving Southern Cross School, Ballina, Emmanuel Anglican College, Ballina, Lennox Heads PS and Crabbes Creek PS. Bookings for Wahyu to provide Indonesian music workshops at Brunswick Heads and Evans River were also received.
Suara Indonesia Radio Show
While Daniel is the main supervisor of Radio work, I have continued
to supervise work on the updating of the Catalogue of Indonesian Cds
in the BayFm library. This task has mainly been undertaken by Wfd participant
Simon Toyer and has involved searching the internet for all CD reviews,
listening to the music and preparing reviews of all new CDs as well
as collating all the information and typing up translations of song
titles.
Meetings, Office Skills and Administration
The Wfd team have had the opportunity to participate in staff and management
meetings, involving developing and contributing to projects, minute-taking
etc. During the project participants also have the opportunity to develop
skills in written and verbal communication through letter writing, emails
and telephone contact. Other administrative tasks included filing, database
entry and answering enquiries.
Pix was able to utilize his skills in technical areas such as computer maintenance and networks, as well as graphic design, often helping other participants with learning new skills or solving problems. Simon was very helpful and efficient undertaking a large filing job at the beginning of the project.
In general participants are encouraged to work together as a team, helping each other, teaching and sharing new skill areas with newly arrived participants.
Some Comments from Participants
Jani:
Judy creates an easy and open space to work in, where I enjoy helping
on this project. She is very good at tailoring each project to the individual
members of the group, making a more efficient workspace where we can
enjoy our activities.
Gert is a great teacher, with extensive knowledge of his subject feeding his ability to teach in a manner where we learn quickly and fully. Through this learning I have broken down my resistance to using and learning about computer technology, in fact I really enjoy learning the software offered. We have created an enthusiastic and willing environment through a great group of fellow volunteers. I enjoy being involved in the AIAA project as well as having access to information I otherwise wouldn’t come across.
Linda:
"Having participated in the AIAA Work for the Dole program for
almost over a year, I can honestly proclaim that I have been exposed
to vast amounts of information: all of which have been crucial in developing
my computer skills; comprising uploading with SmartFTP, web design and
editing using HTML, Dreamweaver and Fireworks FX; extensive internet
research, Access Database entry, Word Processing, email correspondence,
customer service skills (making phone calls), group orientation and
communication skills. Judy Shelley and Gert Gast are both knowledgeable,
attentive, patient, passionate (hence inspiring) and highly qualified
professionals who have merged successfully their prospective differing
fields of Web Design, and Ethnic Arts Organization; giving people like
myself the dual prospect of applying valuable design skills to a very
important multicultural cause. As an artist it is exciting to be involved
in supporting Indonesian and local artists and the proliferation of
art in Australia because it is a country whose extensive arts community
continues to suffer from lack of recognition and financial aid from
a government who feels more secure interacting with weaponry than with
disparate types of people; and AIAA promotes these nuances of difference.
Ultimately, the people here are a wonderful group to work with, creating
a calm, often amusing, stimulating environment and I've had the privilege
to associate on occasions with fantastic Indonesian artists/musicians/performers
whose work has been instrumental in restoring my deep passion for the
arts. I often feel challenged in this line of work because it is hard,
and there are many aspects which test my abilities hence confidence,
but the support of Judy and Gert, the time, the energy and love with
which they teach fuels my curiosity and, conclusively, keeps me here.
Thanks guys, I appreciate that I have been able to participate and continue
so long with such an invaluable project.
Vincenzo:
Judy’s program is great, though I do think that training should extend
to the use of programs such as PhotoShop, Illustrator and maybe a video-edit
program such as Premier. Also Audio is increasingly becoming a major
part of the Internet scene (i.e. some Audio Processing programs).
Paul:
The most exciting project I’ve ever had the privilege to be involved
with. I have already received enough training to keep me busy for the
next six months.
Andrew
"Once I got over the irony that the Howard Government was conscripting
me to promote Australian Indonesian relations, I realised that this
was a project that was not only worth supporting but also one that I
could increase my skill-base by participating in. It is a privilege
to be shown around programs like Dreamweaver and Fireworks by an experienced
professional like Gert. Judy and Daniel are supportive and understanding.
The AIAA website itself is broad and topical. I have been restructuring
the Music Shop page, creating separate pages for each product and making
it possible to audition tracks from each CD for sale. Plans are in motion
to place streamed audio versions of the Bay F.M./ A.I.A.A. radio show
on the website."
Pix
(Anthony):
"Okay, what I think of the course. I'm loving this course. The
supervisors are patient and learned (hehe). Gert knows more than there
is to know about website design, and Judy of course is an expert on
Indonesian arts and culture. Seriously, though, everyone on the team
IS dedicated, and each have their own unique skills and talents to contribute.
The only downside to this course is the fact that the class is only
half as big as it should be. Of course this means more individual teaching/learning,
but many hands make for light work, y'know? So this course is great,
it's excellent, the people are great, and I'd like to stay on after
it's finished to see and help teach the next group of participants.
All the best, Pix. P.S. Judy, your dedication and thoroughness inspire
me to reach new heights."
Simon:
The AIAA Work for the Dole project has allowed me to gain a greater
insight into Indonesian Art and Culture especially the country’s music.
The equipment and technology available to the project is excellent and
the group of volunteers have been helpful and communicative.