Hello To All Community Builders Out There!
My name is Vanessa Van der Werff and I am a Masters in Social Work Student here at UQ in Brisbane. As part of my course from "Community Engagement, Participation and Governance" I am required as my piece of assessment to: propose, plan and implement a Community Project of my choosing. I have chosen to travel back to my home town of Cairns to Implement this project. Following are my thoughts, proposals and plans of my project.
My project will be implemented in Mooroobool, a suburb in Cairns. The community structure and bonds are not as strong as they could be. There is strong potential to create stronger bonds and build on the strengths of cultural diversity. By using the different experiences, skills and resources of the community and its members, together they can transform the community to a more supportive, constructive, sustainable environment.
Change Agenda
My agenda is to aid, support and facilitate certain community members to use dance, expression and festival activities to build connections throughout their communities. It is starting with 3 weeks preparation from now till the 9th of June, then ending with a Multicultural Gathering oganised by the group members. This Multicultural Gathering/Festival will be on Saturday 10th April. Each cultural dance team can teach different members of other dance teams and community members and spectators their style of dance. The team has expressed their interest in also facilitating a collaborative creative workshop which includes contemporary body movements and participants own choreography. A celebrity guest (Last season's finalist of TV show "So You Think You Can Dance" - Gianne Abbott, will come on board for the day to facilitate with these creative workshops, learn different cultural dance styles from members of the community, and hang out with the kids. All of these activities will be show cased at the end of the day, with performances and handing out of certificates of participation (optional - perhaps just for the young participants).
Evaluation
I held an information day back in Brisbane for all those who could not attend the Cairns project, to thank and honour the ones who did, and to inform all of my friends and family who were interested in how the project went. I went through my blog as you can see with the photos my blog is projected onto the wall. I explained briefly my plan. Then I went through the implementation process, and evaluation and reflection. The following is a letter I showed this group as part of an evaluation indicator.
Hi Vanessa,
Just sending you some feedback on the Kulcha Konnect Dance Workshops which were held at the Mooroobool Community Centre on the 8th and 10th April.
The Cairns-based members of Kulcha Konnect (Tamara Pearson and Shelly Bingarap) have indicated that they are interested in continuing to host similar events on a regular basis, perhaps monthly.
I have spoken to Saga (the Manager of the Mooroobool Community Centre) about the prospects of this and she has indicated that she is willing to make the Hall available (fee exempt) for such future Community Development Projects.
I have gotten feedback from many Mooroobool Housing residents and they have indicated that their support for such future events.
I have also spoken with Lorraine Armour from Probation and Parole (Queensland Corrective Services) and she has indicated that although they mainly deal with adult offenders, they also have set up joint projects for juvenile offenders with the Cairns Regional Council such as involving young Graffiti Artists doing Murals on designated Council property such as skate ramps.
Lorraine has indicated that her department would be interested in helping promote future dance projects of a similar nature to the Kulcha Konnect Dance Workshops held in Mooroobool.
She also suggested we link up with the Police and Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) in Manunda, because they are also involved with many Community Development Projects particularly involving Youth.
Many Regards,
Reggie Van Der Werff
Kulcha Konnect Team Member
I attended the evualation day wow what an experience. Was great to see the amazing work Vanessa had done & to meet others involved in her project who were with her in Cairns. It was obvious that others who attended this day were also very impressed with the community building work she has done & like me hope she continues to link her project with the local community in Cairns. I also hope Vanessa does similar work here there is certainly a need to link others & dance is such a wonderful medium to do this through. Who knows maybe Vanessa & I could join our projects & use dance as a medium with my African group to break down barriers & soical isolation.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic project and even better result. I especially liked the way you involved all the community members from children to parents in the project and
ReplyDeletedid it in such a successful manner that the community members have now taken ownership of it!! All in one project! I think this project was a great catalyst for future community driven positive ventures and i hope you can implement similar projects in other communities.
Congratulations Vanessa, this is such a worthwhile project and great work for the community. From the videos it looks like the children had an absolute blast! Fingers crossed this work will continue as planned on a regular basis and everyone will surely benefit from this. Keep up the exceptional work!!!
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ReplyDeleteTo Chris,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your thoughtful comments and encouragement. I may actually do something in the North Side at Jabiru Community Centre. I'm doing my next placement there. They saw the flyer and were really imrpressed. They even wanted me to design some dance therapy modules (I havent' even graduated or started my dance therapy course yet). But that is all very exciting.
So yeah, lets join hands.
Vaness
To Raj,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your continued encouragement and belief in me. You yourself have contributed in numerous occasions to the needy and socially marginalised and I brought with me inthis project, your strength and inspration. So thank you.
Vanessa
Simon,
ReplyDeleteThe benefits come from new job opportunities from the dancers in KulchaKonnect in other avenues, similar future projects like this one about to be facilitated in the North Side, future workshops and multicultural festivals in Mooroobool, and my learning experience. Many thanks to you for your endless nights of working out my speccie flyer that everyone comments about, and for many of my IT needs. That's what community is all about, acknowledging that we couldn't have done projects like this without each other. So thank you.
Vaness