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Resisting Calling-Out Culture: “Leaning in” with respect and dignity by Vikki Reynolds
In this presentation, Vikki discusses strategies from activist movements to resist calling-out culture, where we cut off, exile and attack fellow workers, and instead find ways to offer critique which is different from attack. Structuring safety and creating cultures of critique requires that we create relationships of respect and dignity as a frame for our solidarity. We then acknowledge the ethics of the other and “Lean In” to offer a critique that brings us all more in line with our collective ethics for justice-doing in community work. The heart ache, betrayals and hardship caused by attack of other workers in our movements is the stuff that drives...
Read MoreThe bystander project
We want to stand with you: A bystander action project When we witness discrimination or harassment how can we respond? To the young women of the Muslim Women’s Association, Hi. We’re a group of young women – friends and workmates. A few months ago, we heard your story, ‘We try not to take people’s hate into our hearts’ and your words challenged and inspired us. Not only did you make us realise that discrimination is happening on our local streets, buses and trains on a daily basis, but the way you handle these scenarios, with humour and kindness, really moved us. In fact, your words have moved us to action and to start a small project which aims...
Read MoreHow we are trying to avoid misgendering others
We would like to invite narrative practitioners into a project of sharing stories of how we are trying to avoid misgendering others. Misgendering — referring to someone by the pronouns or honorifics of a gender that is not theirs — is a daily event for most trans people. How are we — as practitioners, as organisations, as friends, partners, siblings — trying to avoid misgendering others? No doubt this will be really different depending on our contexts. We would love to hear the stories of the initiatives that you are taking, no matter how small. Please send your stories to Rosie and over time we will include the stories of such initiatives...
Read MoreProtected: Starting out as a tutor? Some ideas and stories
Hi everyone! Poh has kindly put together these two videos about some of her learnings from being a tutor in the Masters. We hope this will be helpful to other tutors. Could you please also add any of your key learnings/tips in the comments section below? Thanks!
Read MorePart 8: two songs
Spirit of pride Here is a song, ‘Spirit of Pride’ that represents the journey of making a new life in a new land: Spirit of the sea Part 9: Primary school knowledge— how we tackle...
Read MoreConformity pressures: Deconstructing social discourses in the Korean context by Eunjoo Lee
This video shows how social discourses surrounding conformity pressures are deconstructed in a Korean context, illustrated by the Korean proverb, ‘the pointy stone meets the chisel’. This video demonstrates how Sunnie – who felt anxious communicating with colleagues – and Eunjoo explored ways to revise her approach to conformity pressures. The conversation with Sunnie proceeds with a map, which consists of three stages: starting with the presented problem; deconstructing social discourses; and exploring alternative stories. The second stage is the process of externalising discourses, which has five steps: making the discourse visible and naming it (‘should...
Read MoreExhibiting hope and creating social inclusion in our own ways— an art exhibition by the Afghan Youth of South Australia
Click the thumbnails to see a large version of the images and a description: About the exhibition: A while ago, we heard a document created by young women at the Muslim Women’s Association of South Australia. It was called, ‘We try not to take people’s hate into our hearts’. When we heard these young women’s stories we said: “It’s amazing! Fantastic! We loved it. Thank you for sharing your words! We are a group of young Afghanis, both young women and young men. Your words made a good contact with our lives. The experiences were really familiar. Some of us are artists and photographers. We talked about how some of your stories could be turned into art or paintings...
Read MorePart 10: Primary school knowledge— trying not to fight with friends
In this video, Stay Strong Football Club offers some ideas about ways to come together after a fight, try not to fight with friends, and how to work towards good behaviour at any place. We hope these ideas are helpful to others! Part 11: Looking to the future and not giving up on our goals...
Read MoreReferences
Denborough, D. (Ed.). (2006). Trauma: Narrative responses to traumatic experience. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications. Denborough, D. (2008). Collective narrative practice: Responding to individuals, groups, and communities who have experienced trauma. Adelaide, Australia: Dulwich Centre Publications. Denborough, D. (2014). Retelling the stories of our lives: Everyday narrative therapy to draw inspiration and transform experience. New York, NY: W.W.Norton. Epston, D. (1992). A proposal for a re-authoring therapy: Rose’s revisioning of her life, and a commentary by Kevin Murray. In S. McNamee & K.J. Gergen (Eds.), Therapy as a social construction....
Read MoreAbout narrative approaches
This project is based on narrative approaches to therapy, group work and community work. These approaches were initially developed by Australian, Michael White, and New Zealander, David Epston. Narrative therapy centres people as the experts in their own lives and views problems as separate from people. Narrative therapy assumes that people have many skills, competencies, beliefs, values, commitments and abilities that will assist them to reduce the influence of problems in their lives. The word ‘narrative’ refers to the emphasis that is placed upon the stories of people’s lives and the differences that can be made through particular tellings and re-tellings of these...
Read MoreAcknowledgements
The following people and organisations made this project possible! All the young people whose ideas, skills, knowledge and stories are contained in these pages … and especially their determination to share what they know in order to assist others. Muslim Women’s Association of South Australia. Thanks to Shaista Kalaniya. Afghan Youth of South Australia and Lutheran Community Care (Adelaide). Special thanks to Mohammed Hamidi and Sayed Musa Zakizada. Aboriginal AFL Academy at Port Adelaide Football Club Feast Queer Youth Drop-in Space, with special thanks to Indi Wishart, Natrydd Sigurthur, Margie Fischer and Edwin Kemp. Australian Psychologists and...
Read MoreHow this encyclopedia was created and how you can use it
The knowledge, ideas and stories of young people included in this encyclopedia were generated from small group discussions, often sparked by first sharing the ‘survival skills’ of another group of young people and asking for a response. In this way, there was always a particular reason for speaking, and young people were positioned from the beginning as making a contribution to others. There was never any pressure, or expectation, for young people to speak directly, in the first person, about hardships they may have experienced. Instead, the focus was on their ‘survival skills’. The following questions were used as a guide: What do you turn to in order to get through...
Read MoreThis encyclopedia keeps growing online – like Wikipedia!
This collection of stories and knowledge is still growing. We’ve only included a small sample here. There is an online site where you can read further stories from young people, see a virtual exhibit of artwork, watch video clips and listen to two exquisitely beautiful songs. What’s more, like Wikipedia, you can also contribute to this online site. You can send messages to any of the young people whose stories you have read here (and we will pass them on) and you can also share the special skills and knowledge that you use to get through hard times and to face hostility. We would love to hear from you! How this encyclopedia was created and how you can use...
Read MorePart 11: Looking to the future: Not giving up on our goals
It seems appropriate to end this collection of stories and knowledge by looking to the future Not giving up on our goals by Chrakhan Fardi I was born in the cold of the snowy winter in Kurdistan, where there was no electricity; therefore we relied on oil lamps. When I was younger I was very quiet and shy. When we first arrived in Australia there were less than ten Kurdish families in Adelaide. My brother was the outgoing one in the family, he could talk to and make friends with anyone. As a girl, however, I enjoyed my own company. When you are new to a country, it does not feel like home, but the key is you can make it like home. In doing so, I have learnt to be...
Read MorePart 6: Philosophies that carry young people with disabilities through hard times
We are a group of young people living with disability who are passionate about making changes. Like anyone, sometimes we go through some pretty rough times. We’ve all had experiences of when people have said thoughtless or discriminatory things, or when they have been patronising. While at school When I was in year 7 I was the best in spelling but I was put in the ‘special class’. They said that they wanted to make the class smaller. It made no sense. I was asked if I wanted to attend the sex ed class or if I wanted to attend something else. What’s going on with that? Out on the town I was out with my sister at the theatre and they had to remove a...
Read MoreA message from Syrian mothers
When a group of Syrian mothers heard these young people’s welcoming tips, they sent the following message: Hello, We are a group of Syrian mothers meeting at the Muslim Women’s Association here in Adelaide. Today we heard the letter that you wrote at Adelaide Secondary School of English. Some of you are our children! There were 15 of us mothers listening today and also 5 small children. We think your letter says it all. Some parts were very moving to us. Even though you are young, it is like you are speaking for us. Home will always be home. We also miss our friends. The person who was translating for us today was very moved when you said that you miss speaking Arabic....
Read MorePart 7: Tips for those making a new life in Adelaide— from young Syrians
We are a group of young Syrians who arrived in Adelaide 4-6 months ago. Some of us have already made many new friends here. Some of us are still looking for friends. And some of us are really missing our friends back home. We have put together some of our ideas to share with other young people who might be arriving here soon. Here are our tips and our ideas about how we wish to welcome you. We hope these ideas are helpful: When you first arrive, I would like to take you on a tour of this school and particularly show you the classrooms. I’d like to show you the library – it’s an important place for me here. I will introduce you to all the other Syrian students here. We...
Read MorePart 5: LGBTQA journeys
We are young people from the Feast Queer Youth Drop In Space. We know quite a bit about journeys and migrations. There are some journeys we’ve already completed. Others that we are still on. Some we are just beginning … An ethical and philosophical journey Some of us are on ethical journeys. My mum has stage 4 terminal breast cancer. She’s in hospital right now and I don’t know whether to come out to her or not. I don’t know if I should tell her I am queer. She is about to undergo surgery that will be life-threatening. Earlier in the year she was facing a similar situation and I decided then that I wouldn’t come out to her at that time because I didn’t want it to...
Read MorePart 4: When other people make a difference
Stories from young members of the Muslim Women’s Association of South Australia Sometimes other people make a difference. When they do, we remember. Friends as backup At school, my friends back me up. They say to me, ‘If anyone says something or hurts you, I’m here. I can get someone or call the Police’. I say ‘Don’t worry, I’m Muslim, I’m Arab, no one is going to mess with me!’ (laughter). I live at Henley Beach and there aren’t many other Muslims around. If we are walking on the beach and someone is really staring at me, my non-Muslim friends might say, ‘What are you looking at?’ I’ve got my friends as backup. It felt so good not to be alone ...
Read MoreWe’ve got to work together: A message back to young Muslim women from young LGBTQ+ folks
G’day, Tonight at the Feast Queer Youth Drop-in Space we heard some of the ways you try not to take people’s hate into your hearts. Thanks for sharing your stories with us. One of us smiled when we heard you had expected to be riding kangaroos to school in Australia 🙂 I thought that too! I came from England and had all these misconceptions about Australia. Apart from riding kangaroos, I thought it would be hot all year round. I was worried about Drop Bears and I thought vegemite was something you put in your drink! We were all really sorry to hear what you have to face sometimes with people staring, or shouting abuse. Some of us also have to deal with abusive...
Read MorePart 4: We try not to take people’s hate into our hearts
Hi. We’re a group of young Muslim women who live here in Adelaide. We’re interested in exchanging ideas and stories about ways of dealing with weird experiences like being stared at, being yelled at by random strangers driving by in their cars, or other strange stuff that happens here and other places. We’ve included here some of our stories and skills we’ve developed. We’d been keen to hear your ideas! There are a few different ways that we try not to take people’s hate into our hearts. Keep yourself upright, smile back and remember you are special to someone “I remember when a friend who is Asian came to us one day because...
Read MorePart 3: Eight survival tips for when life is full of drama
There are 15 students at our small community school in Adelaide. Many of us have attended quite a few other schools before coming here. Some of us have moved homes a lot which means we change schools too, but most of us were kicked out of our former schools. Sometimes it’s hard to see the point in anything when things at home are full of dramas. There is always so much going on. There may be drugs, violence, living apart from parents … all this stuff affects us in different ways. We know other kids, other families, are going through this shit too. So here are our 8 survival tips … we hope they might be helpful to you 1. Sleeping at school We...
Read MorePart 2: Surviving the ocean of depression
Hi. We are young people living here in Adelaide, who came to Australia as refugees. Many of us have known times of great sorrow, or worry. Times when we have lost hope. Some of us have nearly drowned in the ocean of depression. We want to share with you some of the ways we have survived. Water can bring you fresh ideas It’s very hard to start your life again from zero. There are a lot of problems that can make you worried, anxious and depressed about your future and about your family. I was missing so much my extended family and friends back in my home country. I heard from elders in our society quite a while ago that water can mentally bring you fresh ideas and...
Read MorePart 1: How we overcome bullying
In this section, young people share stories about the ways they got through some of the hardest times in their lives. We begin this section with tips on how young people have been able to overcome bullying, then we move into tips for surviving depression, and eight survival tips for when life is full of drama. How we overcome bullying Hi. Some of us have had to deal with terrible bullying. Sometimes people who were once our friends then become really cruel. Sometimes it is physical, they hit you. Sometimes it is words, like ‘You are a terrorist’. It can be really frightening. They find you wherever you go. When it goes on for a long time it feels like...
Read MoreA message from the Aboriginal AFL Academy at Port Adelaide Football Club
Dear LeRoy, Tamzyn, Lakiesha, Isaac, Shakira, Kent, Allira, Jaliyah, Sophie and Tyrick, We are the Aboriginal AFL Academy at Port Adelaide Football Club. Thank you for writing to us! It was kind. Some of us read it three times. And thank you for your drawings! They are great. Here is a photograph of all of us (and Aunty Barbara Wingard). You asked what we do when we get injured. And do we have to have ice baths even when it is cold? YES WE DO! We get in ice baths right up to our neck – even when it is VERY cold. We also put ice on the injury sometimes up to 24 hours or even 48 hours! And we go and see our trainer and get strapping put on. When we have...
Read MorePart 9: Primary school knowledge— how we tackle problems
We begin with the youngest voices – primary school students who have some fantastic ideas about ways of tackling problems and how not to fight with friends. First let’s hear from Aboriginal primary school students, followed by a message back to them from the Aboriginal AFL Academy at Port Adelaide Football Club. And then watch a video about ‘Trying not to fight with friends’. Ninna Marni, This is LeRoy, Tamzyn, Lakiesha, Isaac, Shakira, Kent, Allira, Jaliyah, Sophie and Tyrick. We are primary school students at Ocean View College. We’re doing lots of stuff here. We’re learning about Aboriginal culture. We’re doing basketball...
Read MoreAn encyclopedia of young people’s knowledge and life-saving tips
How we overcome bullying, survive the ocean of depression, try not to take people’s hate into our hearts, and much more! This ‘book of knowledge’ brings together important tips from young people about ways of tackling problems, overcoming bullying, surviving the ocean of depression, and much more! You will find in these pages survival strategies for when life is full of dramas, special skills in not taking people’s hate into your heart, and stories about what young people have learnt from journeys they have undertaken. This encyclopedia contains knowledge and philosophies of students from primary schools, high schools and universities. It includes...
Read MoreTest
There are 15 students at our small community school in Adelaide. Many of us have attended quite a few other schools before coming here. Some of us have moved homes a lot which means we change schools too, but most of us were kicked out of our former schools. Sometimes it’s hard to see the point in anything when things at home are full of dramas. There is always so much going on. There may be drugs, violence, living apart from parents … all this stuff affects us in different ways. We know other kids, other families, are going through this shit too. So here are our 8 survival tips … we hope they might be helpful to you 1. Sleeping at school We...
Read MoreAnthem
Join the campaign to update the lyrics of our national anthem … Would you like this revised anthem to become our Australian official anthem? If so, we welcome your involvement in having this version sung and performed in your local community. No matter how small your action we’d then like to hear about it. In the comments section below, please tell us the story of how you talked about this with friends, in your workplace, had it sung in your child’s school, at your sporting event and so on. Thanks! About this revised anthem The lyrics for this revised anthem were written by Judith Durham, Kutcha Edwards, Lou Bennett, Camilla...
Read MoreRecipes for Life: A collective narrative methodology in responding to gender violence by Meizi Tan
This project explores the double story development of women’s responses to gender violence through the use of collective narrative methodology. This project describes the use of Recipes for Life in a two-days-one-night group work retreat organized for women who have experienced gender violence in their intimate relationships. Two forms of outsider witness practices are further introduced to promote the acknowledgement of their alternative stories of resilience and resistance towards gender violence. Other narrative practices of collective documentation, externalizing and de-constructing social discourses that support gender violence are further incorporated through the...
Read MoreWe’ll be working on the 26 January … And we’re open to hearing from you
Talking about Australia/Invasion/Survival Day
G’day Since 1994, ‘Australia Day’ has been a public holiday across the country, but this year Dulwich Centre will remain open. As we’ll be working on the day, if you get stuck for something to do you can send us an email or give us a call! In Australia, the 26th January is a date that means very different things to different people: joy and pride to some, sorrow to others. For some it is associated with the Triple J Hottest 100, cricket and family barbeques. For some, it’s the day they attain Australian citizenship and so has profound significance. While for others, particularly those whose people have lived here for millennia, it is a day of mourning. Some...
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