Diary of Progression Week 3

My blog seemed a success so much so that when I showed a friend of mine, Linda (OT from MDA) she had booked her flight to Cairns the very next day! I found that because of the picture a blog could make, it excited people and then in turn re-excited me! Talking to Tamara (friend from Cairns Aboriginal contemporary dancer) and a family member who originally jumped on board, they suggested to phone Police Beat (next to the community centre) and I got lots of help from Judy (resident police officer and member of community and past liaison and advocacy officer for families within the area). Judy filled in the gaps about the history of the Community from the time I left since. She told me of all the family and different cultural shifts. She spoke of turning point incidences that made stake holders take a stand and facilitate action to relieve social problems in the community. She revealed to me that much had been done inc movement of families, transfer and balance of racial families, closing up dark ally ways, increasing the facilities in Park, removing the houses that backed onto the park, having two resident police officers in the community and building a police beat next door to the community. Most of the Domestic Violence, parties and gang fights had toned down a lot and the only real problems in the area were Truancy and Gambling. This then changed my plan dramatically as so much work had been done to this community since I left I almost felt like the community didn't need me because there were support structures there already and I felt stuck. Also I was getting confused about Top down bottom up. I arranged with Judy for me to meet the elders. Also she was having a meeting with the Tribal leaders to ask how they would like to run my project. Lynda's writing on Top Dow Bottom Up has helped my frustration with how I, as a facilitator can be a catalyst and that is OK. But also to take into consideration the journey of the project and community you're working with. It is OK to intervene or join other projects that are already running and reinspire them or try new things or merely just support what structures are already there. This is when I was invited to the communities Belated Xmas Party on the Thursday and suggested that I make it my festival at the same time, at first I said to myself no I can't, in my project it has to be something I made up, my work. I kept trying to make things work to my agenda. That does not work (Re: Complexity theory. I also found myself trying too hard to be specific with the people who would come on board with the project. I said "they have to be "living in the community and marginalised". This limited me from trying expert dancers who once lived there, or were family members of the people living there or even the resident police officer, an Aboriginal and TI Liaison officer from the Social Work Department at the Cairns Base Hospital (family member of community residents and old friend of mine who was also a professional ATSI and HIP Hop dancer), and future employers who are of a particular tribe but not living in that specific community. When I read complexity theory I realised The importance of being inclusive, and that the process was from moving from micro to macro and part of this included building connections. The larger community is the whole of Cairns, and my project could include increasing the good name and reputation of Mooroobool within the Cairns region. Judy and her sister Saga in my mind, unexpectedly became part of my team, without them even knowing.

In terms of my project, by this time I was relieved that other people were not only interested but extremely excited and helpful and inspirational themselves. I realised I just had to find the right people. Watching how my project excited so many people started having an affect on me and I started to get excited.