Ma & Morley Newsletter September - October

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING? - 9 SEPTEMBER

2-DAY CULTURAL IMMERSION SEPTEMBER LING JUN CATEGORY

DISCUSSIONS

Ma & Morley Scholarship Program team met with Scholars online to discuss their suggestions for the Ling Jun category of the Scholarship. It was a really productive meeting, where we got to hear more about what Scholars would like to see for the future of the Ling Jun category. The Program team will now draw on these suggestions to help frame an Advisory Committee paper for the end of year meeting.

This month the Stage 1 Scholars explored Worimi and Awabakal Country during their 2-day Cultural Immersion. During the trip they travelled and camped on Worimi Country at Murrook and learnt from Uncle Justin Ridgeway, a proud Worimi man. On day two the Scholars got on the bus and headed to Mount Sugarloaf to hear story and learn about the local plants from Uncle Paul Gordon and Dave Newham. To see some of the pictures from the trip click here.

13 & 19 SEPTEMBER

14 SEPTEMBER

APPLICATION HELP WORKSHOPS

The Ma & Morley team have been running both face-to-face and online workshops to support students who are looking to apply for the Program next year. It has been awesome getting to know some of the potential applicants for 2023 and learning about their alignment with the Program's values and their passions for the future.

AMBASSADOR

EVENT

On Wednesday 14 September the Program team collaborated with the Ambassadors to deliver a second event for 2022, which focused on Climate Action. We were joined on the night by an incredible panel who discussed what each of us can do in our daily lives to create a positive impact on the climate. To find out more, we have included an article about it below.

AMBASSADOR EVENT

MinervaBailey, a recently graduated Ma & Morley Ambassador and Consultant for Rawtec, flew in from South Australia to MC the event - and did an incredible job of setting the tone for the night and keeping the formalities moving with the grace and ease of a pro.

Itwas so great to see so many familiar faces on the night - and even some new onesincluding the 16 year old son of one of the Scholars, who bravely got up the confidence to ask the Panel a fantastic question.

The event was hosted by the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program Ambassadors, and was a panel discussion based around Climate Action, and what each of us can do in our daily lives to create a positive impact on the climate.

Click here to watch the recording of the Cimate Action Panel Discussion

Thepanel were all incredibly knowledgeable, but each with a unique position. Whether it was hearing about Uncle Paul's relationship to Country and the shared responsibility of continuous custodianship, Charlotte's passion for advocacy and making her voice heard, the sustainable architecture projects of Caroline or learning about working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate from Professor Roberts - there was something new for everyone to engage with and learn.

Oneof the highlights for me was hearing from Brent Cassidy about his Action Project for this year (find out more on the next page) and watching all the guests on the night get excited about the seedling packs they were generously gifted on the night.

Ileftthe event with fire in my belly to make a difference in the way I approach climate action - especially in making sure I understand my responsibility to the land, waters and sky that we all share together.

Uncle Paul Gordon

Uncle Paul Gordon is a Ngemba man, born at Brewarrina, and he grew up on the Barwon River in north western New South Wales. Uncle Paul has dedicated his life to teaching, and connecting with other Lore men and women throughout Australia and working with communities throughout Australia to support learnings and connecting our stories through lore and culture.

Charlotte McCabe

Charlotte is a Greens Councillor (Ward 2) for the City of Newcastle and has contributed to environment campaigns across the country on issues such as uranium, logging, coal and gas and environment laws. Charlotte's been a spokesperson for her local resident group on coal dust, ammonium nitrate and planning issues, and has been a board member of the Worimi Conservation Lands for five years.

Caroline Pidcock

Caroline is passionate about architecture, biophilia and regenerative design, and how she can joyfully cocreate “socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative” ways of living in Australia. Her authentic interest and experience in these approaches has been developed and enhanced through her involvement in a diverse range of professional, academic and community commitments.

Professor Tim Roberts AM

Tim Roberts is currently Emeritus Professor of Biology in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle. He continues to be active in research and has published some 130 papers. Tim Roberts is also an education consultant with experience in offshore campus development and control, alumni, and postgraduate education.

C L I M A T E A C T I O NCLIMATE ACTION

ACTION PROJECT

HIGHLIGHTS

Stage 3 of the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program is focused on creating positive change aligned with the Program's values. To achieve this, the Stage 3 Scholars are tasked with creating their own Action Project that they work on throughout the year (or beyond!) We have decided to highlight two amazing Action Projects for our newsletter this month.

ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

Brent Cassidy, one of our inaugural 2018 Scholars, has put together a spring vegetable growing competition for his 2022 Action Project!

On Thursday 1 September Jasmin L'Green and Aleisha Bailey hosted an incredible event focused on the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Jasmin and Aleisha secured four amazing guest speakers for the night, including 2018 Scholars Kishaya Delaney and Phoebe Mcllwraith and 2021 Scholar Jack Chambers who played his yidaki for all of the guests on the night.

Thank you to those of you who attended this fabulous event, and we are so proud of Jasmin and Aleisha for all their hard work and effort in putting together such an impactful and insightful night.

People from all levels of growing experience are invited to compete, with a whole lot of competition categories to compete for. Brent has posted lots of great tips in the group to get people started, and there is $250 worth of prize money up for grabs. The competition categories are still being finalised, but some initial ideas are:

Best Buddies = best companion planting effort

Best Tossed Salad = must grow lettuce and at least two other inclusions eg tomato and cucumber

Best creative grow = for innovation and design - examples include beautiful garden design through to growing in a space that normally wouldn't have plants, etc

Best new pro-gro = for established gardeners who want give something a grow that they never have before

Best failure = most hilarious plant death, plants must make it to at least 3 weeks old and their death can't be intentional.

Brent has created 145 seed packs for people to get involved, and soon we will have a seedling hub here at the IDC building on Callaghan campus for you all to pick up a pack! Please also get in touch with us if you can think of places where you are working/ studying that would be a good place for another seedling hub.

I have already started with some capsicum and cucumber seedlings myself, so I am looking forward to connecting with some of you over our plant baby stories!

To enter yourself for this fun competition, click here to join the HaveAGrow-MMAP Facebook Group.

MEET THE SCHOLAR

GEORGIA YOUNG

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey up until university.

I never thought I'd be at uni (in the slightest). I remember smoking cigarettes at the school back gate and being with friends at maccas more than I remember the content that I learned in school to be honest! (I'm now a non-smoker woo!)

Uni was so far from the trajectory that I thought was (even remotely) possible. I worked at Kmart and worked with people with disabilities when I came to a very difficult patch in my life. It prompted quitting everything, seeking support, and taking a whole new path. That new path began with Open Foundation. I still wasn't decided on coming to uni until I got this scholarship. I then finalised my decision to do social work. Changed my life forever.

I find people often assume different things about me. I'm a rat bag at heart - a rat bag with solid MM values :P

Georgia's three favourite quotes (of many)

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

- Margaret Mead

"You teach people how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce."

- Tony Gaskins

What is something about you that most people wouldn’t know?

I'm a ranga

Why did you choose the degree you are currently studying?

There isn't enough room in this section to tell you the long version (haha) but one reason is because of how closely aligned I am to the professions guiding principles. The three core principles of social work are 'Respect for Persons,' 'Social Justice,' and 'Professional Integrity' (look at the AASW Code of Ethics if ya want to).

- Georgia Young

Are you working on a project at the moment that you might like to tell us all a bit more about?

I am a sole trader (among other things) continuing to expand the services that I offer. I'm contracted as a Respectful Relationships and Consent Facilitator atm, and I want to be contracted to collaborate, co-design and deliver evidence-based programs that are responsive to community need.

2018 Ma & Morley Scholar

"Where are my kettle salt and vinegar chips and chocolate" ha ha ha ha

Greatest love of all time, my Harley boy Pet Pal

WHAT'S NEXT?

3 OCTOBER

APPLICATIONS

CLOSE

Applications for the 2023 Ma & Morley Scholarship Program are coming to a close on Monday 3 October.

If you know someone who would be the perfect fit for the Ma & Morley Scholarship Programlet them know that the team are more than happy to support them on their application journey! We can't wait to meet the next cohort of Scholars in late January/ early February next year.

STAGE 1 REFLECT N' SHARE OCTOBER

The Stage 1 Scholars will have their Reflect N' Share activity on Thursday 13 October from 3:00pm - 5:00pm in the Treehouse.

The Reflect N' Share activity is an opportunity to reconnect and reflect on the year that has been and look forward to the year ahead.

The Stage 1 Scholars will hear about what Stage 2 of the Program will hold for them.

STAGE 2&3

REFLECT N' SHARE

The Stage 2 & 3 Reflect N' Share will take place from 2:00pm5:00pm in the Treehouse and will look a little different this year. At the start of the session we will split into Stages to reflect on the year that has been and then rejoin each other to hear the presentations of the Stage 3 Scholars regarding their Action Projects. This opportunity allows for the Stage 2 Scholars to get an insight into Action Projects and gives the Stage 3 Scholars an audience to present to!

MA & MORLEY INTERVIEWS

The interviews for recruitment of the 2023 Scholars will take place at the end of this month.

I'm sure you all remember what it was like to be behind that table/Zoom screen and try to give yourself the best shot at the Ma & Morley Scholarship Program! We will be reaching out in the next week to select current Scholars and Ambassadors to sit on the Selection Panels for each of the categories. OCTOBER