Beyond the School Gates

Vanessa Pigrum (OM 1983) – HSC 1983 School Co-Captain

Old Michaelian Vanessa Pigrum (OM 1983) is the CEO of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Cranlana runs a range of in-person and online programs that help people engage with ideas from critical thinkers (ancient to contemporary) about justice, fairness, power, trust and how to create a better society for all. Many participants are in senior leadership roles. Through moderated discussions in small group settings, the Cranlana programs challenge participants to question their internal unconscious biases and reflect on whether they are truly using their positions of influence in a way that will benefit future generations.

“I became the CEO of Cranlana Centre in 2018, after more than 25 years of working in the arts industry; as a producer, director, arts manager, venue programmer and strategic policy maker. After I left school I studied Arts/Law at Monash University but put the final two years of the Law degree on hold to have some time off and explore other options. It was my longoverdue rebellion and I threw myself into the crazy night-time world of being a waitress at the Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant.” After a couple of years of working odd jobs Vanessa was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts, and promptly set about working as a freelance director/producer. This led to leading larger and larger festival events and eventually becoming the CEO of Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2000. From that time onwards, Vanessa worked as a lead programmer/producer or Executive Director of a range of arts and cultural organisations; including within Arts Centre Melbourne, City of Darebin and Chunky Move dance company. “Around 2017 or 2018 I was feeling the need to step outside the arts world for a while and test how transferable my skills and experiences were in another sector. Cranlana was a perfect next step as it combines philosophical enquiry with literature, arts and deep discussions to question how we can each contribute to creating the Good Society and promoting ethical leadership decisions in the areas that truly matter.” Speaking about what she loves most about the role, Vanessa says that it’s seeing the real-time change that sparks the biggest sense of pride and satisfaction. “I love the final day of each program. I often have the chance to sit in on the wrap-up session and to hear the way that our programs have affected each individual. Listening to their new insights and the changes they are now going to make is a real privilege. What I am most proud about is the way we have expanded the range of philosophers and thinkers we include in our discussions. There are now more female philosophers in the mix and more Australian indigenous writers and critical thinkers also.” Reflecting on her time at St Michael’s, Vanessa looks back fondly on the encouragement that was provided to her to try new and different things. “I always felt that St Michael’s had encouraged us to explore our curiosity and there were a range of Extra-Curricular activities we were encouraged to join. I was involved in drama, music and debating competitions. It was a small school back then and no-one was at all precious about how good we were – it was all about having a go. I think that persistent encouragement to try new things prepared me well for an adaptable professional life and a commitment to lifelong learning.” Vanessa sees the correlation between St Michael’s and Cranlana’s values as something that’s important for the next generation of leaders to take with them and understand. “Care and Compassion are now essential in leadership roles, and very much at the heart of Cranlana’s values too. The old leadership style of ‘control and command’ is now considered very outdated and out of touch with how the next generation of professionals want to work. I think another core value we share is a commitment to considering diverse perspectives before fixing your opinion. Staying open-minded and curious.” Thinking about her time at the School and what mattered most, Vanessa believes that St Michael’s strong connection to the arts is something that sets it apart from other schools. “What has always struck me about St Michael’s is the way that the arts are respected as being pivotal to personal development and learning, and that they are not sidelined as a hobby activity only. Standout memories for me are the annual trip to Camp Kangaroobie, the school play in the Assembly Hall (no fancy theatre for us back then!), and always coming last in Inter-School Athletics competitions.” As for favourite teachers: “There were a few that meant a lot to me, including Mr and Mrs Ormiston-Smith (Maths and Physics) Mademoiselle Facteur (French, of course), Mr Henderson (Chemistry) and Barbara Venn who was the quintessential bohemian art teacher.” For those students going through VCE Studies and onto future pathways this year, Vanessa finished with some sage advice. “It’s best to tackle the workload consistently rather than in intense bursts. It’s also so important to have some kind of physical outlet to keep you sane and balanced. No matter how well you do or don’t do, that ATAR score won’t mean much to anyone in a few years’ time. But what will set you in good stead is a curious mindset and following whatever path gives you a sense of purpose. You’ll have many careers over the next 30 years – I hope you make them adventurous, purposeful and creative.” We thank Vanessa for her time and the work she does for the future generations of leaders through the Cranlana Centre.

Jaffar Changazi (OM 2013)

Jaffar Changazi (OM 2013) started at St Michael’s during the last Term of 2010, having arrived in Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan in December 2009. Jaffar reflects back on his first days with happy memories, especially when it came to the students and staff who showed him around the School at the very beginning.

“I met with a lot of good people at School that supported me from day one, especially when it came to my mindset. They were really helpful in terms of showing me around and then helping me to fit into the culture of the School – I'm still friends with them to this day.” Jaffar’s journey to Australia, and then St Michael’s, started after barrister and human rights activist, Jessie Taylor, travelled to Indonesia to visit refugee detention centres in the country. It was there that she met Jaffar, scrawling her number down on a piece of paper, and telling him to call her if he ever made it to Australia. After a long and arduous journey to Australia by boat, Jaffar called Jessie from Christmas Island, starting the process of Jessie becoming Jaffar’s foster parent and organising to get Jaffar to Melbourne. Jessie recalls what made her think about enrolling Jaffar at St Michael’s: “The first thing that put St Michael’s on my radar was after I had spoken at an assembly for Human Rights Day. I was invited to speak about various issues around human rights, and I found the attitude of the School and the students to be fascinating. There was a kind of culture that I felt was unusual and I thought it was a place where there was not just lip service paid to issues around equity, equality, and progressive values, but it actually seemed to be quite embodied in the School, and I appreciated that a lot.” After speaking with a colleague who already had children enrolled at the School, Jessie got in touch with Mr Simon Gipson, Head of the School, at the time. Jaffar was granted a bursary for his entire time at the School. Jaffar started off his education with a strong determination and willingness to succeed in what he put his mind to. After less than a year at the School, Jaffar was awarded the Paul and James White award for the outstanding leadership and teamwork he showed on Exodus. “I remember we went on a trip to Lake Eildon and we had to do a lot of walking. I just helped out when it came to preparing meals and small things like that, and I was selected to be one of the leaders. I also remember cycling around Tassie for Year 11 Exodus, that was a real highlight for me.” In a thankful turn of events, Jaffar’s mother, father, and two younger brothers managed to emigrate from Afghanistan, arriving at a very busy time for Jaffar. “We found out my family was going to be arriving during my Year 12 exams! It all happened very quickly. After starting the process back in 2009, it took until 2013 to be approved, but once it was approved, they had their flights booked in about 2-3 days. It was so nice to see them, but also sad that I had to leave Jessie as my foster carer. We still keep a strong connection, and we will forever.” After graduating from St Michael’s in 2013, Jaffar had his mind set on getting into the construction industry. A small roadblock didn’t stop Jaffar’s determination and willingness to work for his goal. “I tried to get into Construction Management, but my ATAR didn't match the intake as I needed over 87, which I didn't get. But – there's always a pathway, which I took. I studied Building and Construction at RMIT for 2 years and then…I did pretty well. That led me to do Construction Management, finishing with an Honours degree. On the plight of Afghanistan, Jessie reminds us of the tragedies and human rights issues that continue to affect the country. “This is one out of thousands of stories that do not have that same happy ending and I don't think we can see one without being aware and cognizant of the other. It’s important to keep this dialogue going, and to realise what a privileged position we are in. We need to do as much as we can to get people experiencing conflict out of that conflict, and into living life as freely and safely as possible.” To current students of St Michael’s, Jaffar had the following advice to offer to try and get people to see things from a different perspective and empathise with people outside the circles they move in. “Be positive and ask for help. Share with people. Share your stories with people. A small story can change people's minds and their perspectives. For me, it was talking about where I came from and what I had done, and that made a lot of people interested in not only learning more about me, but also about my family and Afghanistan in general.” We thank Jaffar and Jessie for their time and passion and look forward to watching Jaffar’s progress in the construction industry. For more information on how to support the plight of Afghanistan, head to: https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/