BLOG – My thoughts on the ArtsReady Traineeship at the half-way point

I have successfully completed half of my social media traineeship with AFL SportsReady (AFLSR) and I am happy to say I’m glad that I chose this pathway. Business has always been an interest for me, so finding a program that allowed me to get first-hand experience in an organisation and complete study at the same time, really stood out to me.

Coming to the end of the year we are trying to finish up projects and start planning for next year, so for me it is essential that I set times to complete jobs. Lately I’ve been working on fixing the interface of AFL SportsReady’s (AFLSR) video platform Vimeo, transferring videos from old platforms to new, regularly updating the AFLSR website (staff sections, First Nations Program), designing content, building contact lists for upcoming campaigns and much more.

As part of my traineeship, I have been setting time aside to complete my Certificate III in Business. Once a month, I and 5 other trainees’ get together via Zoom with our AFLSR Educator Yvonne, and we run through the coursework, connect, and have open discussions about our workplace.

For me, having previously completed a traineeship after leaving school it had somewhat already prepared me for what a traineeship involved. Personally, I find the hands-on experience mixed with the education really encourages me to learn and put in 100%. I believe having an Educator on hand to reach out to at any time really takes the stress away from face-to-face teaching and large workshops.

I have also been spending my time expanding my networks. Ralph White, my First Nations Mentor at AFLSR has taken time to introduce me to respected First Nation Elders where they have shared their personal journey through their life and career.

I’ve had the opportunity to meet with Uncle Vince Ross the Founder of Narana Creations Cultural Centre in Geelong and Uncle Rob Hiett the Cultural Manager for Koori Heritage Trust, Uncle Herbie Patten who has a Diploma of Visual Arts and is a Professional Gum Leaf player with many more visits planned. It’s exciting and eye opening for me, being able to connect and learn from inspirational and well-respected First Nations people who have a foot within the Creative and Business Industries.

Since restrictions have been lifted in Victoria, Uncle Ralph also took the time to organise a meet and greet with other First Nations businesses to learn about their story/intention and how they aim to bring their vision forward. I was lucky enough to be 1 of 3 trainees to visit the Aborigines Advancement League Inc. (AAL) with Uncle Ralph and another staff member named Eliza. We met with CEO Esmae Bablett who took us around the grounds and ran us through what AAL does, the upcoming development projects, what AAL means to community and the future for First Nation Communities’.

I was also lucky enough to secure a spot in an online event Supported by Songlines which hosted Yolanda Finette who ran a Holistic Self Care & Wellbeing Workshop. We spoke of self-awareness and the power of building a deep connection with oneself, remembering to take time to check in with ourselves and listen to what our body is telling us. We spoke of intuition, remembering to hold space for play, we ran through a guided meditation to connect to Country & Ancestors. I found this event to be refreshing, uplifting and insightful.

I am also helping to organise an amazing Christmas Initiative called the ‘The wonderful post’ project, a company that aims to connect millions of older people that will experience loneliness this Christmas through writing letters. All AFLSR staff will have the opportunity to be involved and the company will pay for them to participate. I’m really excited for this as I believe it will impact so many people in a positive way!

So far, my traineeship has been a success, I have loved every minute of it and really feel it has allowed me to grow in confidence! I believe in the team that I am working with, and I am always inspired to produce my best work!

I am excited and eager to see how the 2nd half of my traineeship goes, to continue to learn and follow a career path that I am passionate about.

Pictured above is Uncle Herbie Patten playing the Gum Leaf with AFLSR staff & Ralph White

DATE: 23rd of November 2021

AUTHOR: Dakota McCarthy

IMAGE: Taya, Ralph & Dakota