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Success Stories
AIAA is able to function only through the help of many volunteers. Here are some of their stories:
Interview with Claire Detchen 23.11.05
A participant on the AIAA Work for the Dole Project 2005
Presently employed at Macadamialand
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
I learned the use of video cameras, and seeing how a festival is organised, and playing with Photoshop, to design a poster.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
Judy offered me a job at the markets.
4. How has your experience at AIAA enriched you & your life?
I learned more about Indonesian culture.
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
A lot more, especially of the dance. I loved the dance.
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
It's good that AIAA promotes Indonesian culture in Byron Bay. It gives education through events.
Interview with Dharma-November 2005
A participant on the AIAA Work For the Dole Project 2004
Presently employed by Hertz Car Rentals
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
It gave me a weekly routine, which was important when I wasn’t working. It provided a lot of office skills and I became multi-tasked. It gave me a lot of connections to the community around me. It got me involved with Bay-FM and I became a radio broadcaster. I developed my creative capacity with computers and I learned to work in an office environment. It helped me get re-connected with Indonesia. It helped me create things with my own initiative. It also provided me with the opportunity to work on my own tasks, as well as within a group situation. It gave me event management and organization skills and increased my PR abilities. I met a lot of amazing people and worked with. a creatively interactive environment. The interaction of the work team helped to create the festivals and other events that AIAA produced. The structure was very mutable and very organic, and open for input from myself and everyone I was working with.
2. How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
Office skills, computer skills, Dreamweaver Photoshop – able to work creatively with the computer.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
Working at AIAA, including event work, as well as becoming a radio broadcaster, and dealing with businesses raised my public profile within the community. I acquired a lot of office skills which can help in all sorts of areas.
4. How has your experience with AIAA enriched you & your life?
Well, I couldn’t really imagine not being involved with AIAA, as it’s helped give me a stronger direction in my life with my artistic abilities. Its equipped me with some very valuable practical tools which can assist me in working with events or whatever may be.
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
It’s the first time I’ve had a conscious connection with Indonesia, which is half of my heritage. This connection has happened here in Byron, but it’s helped give me a lot more understanding of the heart of the culture of Indonesia, and the different expressions and elements of that culture, in particular, the artists and musicians as part of the ‘Musician in residence’ programs
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
Sharing of Indonesian and Australian cultures, where local and Indonesian individuals
can express themselves, in particular when there’s been turmoil in Indonesia
with terrorist bombings, and the tsunami event, and the opportunity for people
to participate in AIAA’s non-profit organization which has it’s
roots in this town. Byron Bay has a sister city relationship to Ubud which will
have a benefit to the whole community culturally and economically.
Interview with Claire Donegan
A participant on the AIAA Work For the Dole Project 2005
1.What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
Event management skills.
Dreamweaver training.
Research for grants.
Teamwork and communication.
Meeting inspiring people.
Making good contacts in the community.
2.How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
Helped event manage ment at Byron Writers Festival.
Helped an artist research for grants, including grant application.
3.How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
Used skills at Byron Bay Writers Festival.
4.How has your experience at AIAA enriched you & your life?
Greater awareness of Indonesian culture and arts. Saw importance of cultural exchange and importance of relationship between Indonesia and Australia, and importance of focussing on the positive aspects of exchange with neighbouring Indonesia.
5.How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
Increased awareness of popositive aspects of Indonesia, instead of the negative
aspects portrayed by media. Enriched by AIAA events.
Building friendships between Indonesians and Aussies.
6.How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
‘Work for the Dole’ benefits community and artists.
Interview with Kirana – 2005
A participant on the AIAA Work For the Dole Project 2005
Presently employed by ‘Mother Art’ - studio/gallery
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
I learned website maintenance with Dreamweaver, and advanced Photoshop. I learned
organisational skills, communication skills, and liaising with people; I learned
teamwork, delegating, and working with other people, and became a radio presenter
of ‘Suara Indonesia’ on BAY-FM (99.9 MHz, http://www.bayfm.org/news.php
).
It helped me get in touch with Indonesian culture, and meeting the Indonesian
culture in Byron Bay, including kids with Indonesian ancestry, and I discovered
the cultural diversity in Byron Bay.
2. How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
I am now the curator at ‘Mother Art’. I coordinate exhibitions by featured artists, including Opening Nights. I work on a database, and do office keeping, and work in an art environment. ‘Mother Art’ is a new artistic hub.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
Because I was a voluntary worker at a successful art exhibition, Jason Hampton-Taylor (creator of ‘Mother Art’) looked on my experience favourably.
4. How has your experience at AIAA enriched you & your life?
I reconnected with my Indonesian culture, learnt the language again, becoming a BAY-FM radio presenter. I found friendships in the Indonesian community.
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
I get more appreciation from the Indonesian-Australian music on the radio show, and through art. I’ve learned about some of the political and social intrigue. I’m planning to travel further in Indonesia, and to see art galleries there.
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
In contrast to the negative press about Indonesia, AIAA reveals the positive aspects of Indonesian culture, and shows that Indonesians are friendly people. It presents Indonesian music, art and dance, and insight into a different cultural point of view. It fosters tolerance amongst different cultures.
Interview with Dan – November ‘05
A participant on the AIAA Work For the Dole Project 2001
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
The biggest benefit was learning to deal with the public, teamwork, overcoming
my shyness, building my confidence, ringing different companies, supervising,
managing a group situation, and dealing with different kinds of people.
2. How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
I’m now self employed in fixing computers. I have the skill of communicating with the public, thinking about things better, and I know how to approach different situations I might come across with people. Fixing computers at AIAA helped me to learn how to fix other people’s computers.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
4. How has “ “ “ “ enriched you & your life?
It’s boosted my confidence in meeting more people, finding out what they’re doing. It’s given me more practical experience than my university education gave me.
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
It opened my eyes to how much different it is to what the media presents; I find the Indonesians I’ve met to be friendly, kind people. The media has demonized Indonesians quite a bit with a lot of fear- based reporting, but I’ve never experienced anything negative from the Indonesians I’ve met, and I think they’ve got a bright, colourful culture. I think it’s wonderful that AIAA is working to break down the barriers between what people might think about Indonesia and its people, and what’s really out there.
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
I think it gives local residents an education about Indonesia. It encourages them to learn about different cultures and ways of life through the enjoyment of their festivals. It’s a very positive and friendly kind of culture.
Interview with Sarito – October ‘05
A participant on the AIAA Work For the Dole Project 2001
Presently employed by Byron Shire Echo – local newspaper
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
The sheer delight of doing something because I wanted to do it.
Too often people are denied the opportunity to find their place in the jigsaw
puzzle. Usually they’re forced into a position out of necessity. Projects
like AIAA have a thirst for natural ability, and draw it out of the participants.
In this kind of situation the needs of AIAA helped me realize what I had to
offer, the skills I had accumulated through my working history, and I experienced
an increased sense of self-worth.
2. How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
It gave me courage to put out for what I wanted to do, knowing I could also do it. It made me stop and think if I was really chasing rainbows or pursuing something practical and real.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
In the AIAA situation, people give you respect for your skills, and you respect them in return. Also you recognize there are certain things you are able to do, and certain things other people have to do, like working within a business. You have to accommodate others, and they have to accommodate you. So when looking for a job I found I was more specific in assessing the job skills required in the position I was applying for.
4. How has your experience at AIAA enriched you & your life?
It’s shown me that there are pockets of people working towards harmony
in a world that’s going bonkers, and given me trust that there are people
out there, focusing on something that’s common to all….’creativity’
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
It’s given me an insight into the richness of Indonesian culture. I got a glimpse into their personalities and I found Indonesians a lot more gentle than I expected, and was also grateful for the opportunity to interview them, talk to them, and read about their arts. It kinda grew on me, slowly opening my eyes to something I was largely ignorant about.
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
I think Byron is fortunate in having an organization which can organise and present Indonesian culture to this small community. It also creates a focal point where is privileged to receive so many talented Indonesians. Personal experience is enriched through this people-people contact, and through their own experience Australians/Byronians can formulate their own impressions (independent of the media).
Interview with Darshi - 23.11.05
A participant on the AIAA Work for the Dole Project 2004-5
Presently employed by ‘Mother Art’ – studio/gallery
1. What benefits did you get by working at AIAA?
I started networking, with Judy, Dee Tipping, and others embedded in this community.
It’s a great door-opener. It helped me get work.
2. How are you using what you gained at AIAA?
I’m using it in teamwork and communication skills. I’m now able to voice opinions in meetings. I’m working toward a common goal with people.
3. How did your experience at AIAA help you in seeking employment?
I got a job through my AIAA connection.
4. How has your experience at AIAA enriched you & your life?
I made good friends through AIAA.
5. How much more appreciation do you now have of Indonesian culture?
I’ve learned a lot more about Indonesia. I’m meeting Indonesians, and have greater understanding of Indonesian culture. I’ve been seeing, and have more insight into Indonesian arts, through meeting Indonesian artists.
6. How is Byron Bay enriched by AIAA?
AIAA events brought Indonesian culture to the awareness of Byron Bay people. It’s a springboard for people to work, or to explore Indonesian culture. AIAA’s a meeting place for people who are interested in Indonesian arts and culture.