The aim for 2011 was to enter into a process of “active listening”—this is the essence of our vision and something which we believe will ensure we are working in the “gap”, meeting real needs with an appropriate and innovative approach. This kind of listening involves a lot of research, asking generative questions, and spending time with people. It is not something that can be rushed—in fact for over 12 months now I have spent an average of 3 days a week just meeting with people, discussing ideas and strategies, building networks and learning about the realities on the ground. This took place primarily in Sydney as well as throughout three trips to Alice Springs and via skype meetings across the country and beyond. We also held a “Strategy Night” in September to give those who were interested an opportunity to hear more about the joiningthedots vision and to engage with us on designing the way forward. It turned out to be a great night, with plenty of inspiration coming forth.

Get to the point!

One of the fun challenges of starting a non-profit is working on your “elevator pitch”—that 30 second statement capturing what you are on about! I’m still working on it but here’s the latest version—let me know what you think:

For now…joiningthedots is focused on addressing the issues of injustice faced by many Indigenous people and strengthening cross-cultural relationships within Australia. Our immediate vision is to amplify the voice of Indigenous wisdom, creating platforms for authentic sharing of story, culture, current challenges and future vision, while simultaneously opening spaces for all Australians to connect in ways which deepen our understandings and inspire appropriate action.    

official launch of joiningthedots

Our Generation Film Screening & Panel: In October this year, joiningthedots hosted our first official event – a screening of Our Generation, the ground breaking documentary on Aboriginal rights, which has ignited a people-power movement across Australia. It’s a film we believe every Australian should see. Following the film screening, we had the rare opportunity to host a Q&A panel with Richard Trudgen (author of Why Warriors Lie Down and Die), Dianne Gondarra (daughter of Rev Dr Djiniyini Gondarra), Witiyana Marika (Yothu Yindi) and Rebecca Harcourt (ASB Indigenous Program Coordinator at UNSW; Director of Red Cockatoo Australia and Founder of Reignite the Fire). It was such a great night, the audience was really engaged and it felt like we had successfully created a space for “active listening”. Unexpectedly, a group of young people from Guatemala and El Salvador turned up (they were in Australia to take part in an OzGreen program), which really topped off the night—the universal connections were confirmed!

We were fortunate to have the NSW Teachers Federation sponsor the venue and Food Connect donate the lucky door prize, enabling us to give the proceeds of $400 to AHED, a project in NE Arnhem Land, enabling Yolgnu entrepreneurs to realise their visions.

A Year of Learning

The other focus for 2011 was on skill development and deepening our understanding of social and environmental justice issues (particularly those faced in Australia). In order to become more educated and skilled in these areas, I took part in several phenomenal programs, some of the highlights are as follows:

Centre for Sustainability Leadership Fellowship Program: In 2009, when I met Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Marta Benavides in El Salvador, her advice to me was key. She said, “If you are passionate about all of these global issues, you must learn about sustainability, which is at the centre of it all.” Marta has become a guide in my life and following her advice, I successfully applied to the Centre for Sustainability Leadership and took part in the 2011 Fellowship Program in Sydney. Throughout the 7 months of this intensive program, I was continually inspired by some of Australia’s most prominent sustainability leaders, which we were privileged to meet and hear from each week. I also gained skills and knowledge relevant to leading the joiningthedots movement – including media training, exposure to a vast array of approaches to leadership, tonnes of tools and techniques for engaging people and communities in social change and of course, exponential learnings in regard to sustainability issues and the solutions. The best part was the people! My 25 colleagues continue to inspire me and have become a strong support base—the journey is not over, we now enter the Alumni program and remain always part of the CSL family.

Permaculture Design Certificate: Permaculture is the use of ecology as the basis of designing integrated systems of food production, land and water management, but it is also used to design more abstract systems such as housing, appropriate technology and community development.

Although the term permaculture was coined by two Australians David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in the 1970s and now described as one of Australia’s most important cultural exports, I discovered the concept while in South America. I became intrigued by the possibilities of permaculture more and more as I encountered communities facing great struggles with food production and use of resources in general. These experiences deepened my desire to discover the formula for living simply and creatively, so that there is a fair share for everyone. I made a commitment to study the concept when I returned to Australia and fortunately this dream came true when Jason and I were ‘gifted’ with the Milkwood PDC as a wedding present in March this year.

The 14 week course set us both on a great learning curve, somewhat expanding the brain space but thankfully mixed in with plenty of turning the compost and checking in on the worm farm along the way!

For me, permaculture is a philosophy of living. It is something that informs our everyday choices, yet the design elements also influence the way we envision things on a grand scheme. The joiningthedots vision aligns beautifully with the principles of permaculture and we are continuing to explore how we can expose and integrate the principles as well as evolve our own interpretation of them in relation to cross-cultural engagement—lots of potential here!

Cross-cultural Training Bridge the Gap Seminar: I was privileged to attend the 2-day Seminar at the Australian Museum in Sydney and hear first-hand the learning’s of Richard Trudgen in his 30 years working with the Yolgnu people of NE Arnhem Land. Richard uses clear story-telling and visual images to portray what he has discovered to be “best practice” in relation to effective cross-cultural communication and community development. I was impressed with the authenticity of the Presentation, with Yolgnu leaders present to speak for themselves and to witness to the teaching. I came away feeling stretched in my thinking and with some great tools for deepening my own understandings and approach.

Iga Warta Cultural Awareness Program: In September I had the opportunity to go to the most ancient place on earth, the Flinders Ranges in Sth Australia, to take part in a cultural awareness program led by members of the Coulthard family on their traditional land. Living, sharing and learning in an Adnyamathanha community setting was a rich experience. There seems no better way to undergo the personal transformation required for social change than being able to take in knowledge while walking country and visiting traditional sacred sites with those whose people have belonged there for countless generations. I highly recommend a visit to Iga Warta, the hospitality of the people and the land herself will be your teacher.

Training for Transformation: Another commitment I made while overseas was to learn more about Friere’s theories of Popular Education and his model for community engagement—having seen some of the processes in action and being convinced it is still one of the cutting-edge approaches for our time. Earlier this year I stumbled across The Grail Movement…and the rest is history as they say! The Grail is an International Women’s Movement, and one of their focuses is on promoting a contemporary application of Friere’s teachings (and they put it into action in communities all over the world!) I have attended several of their “Training for Transformation” workshops and look forward to being more involved as a co-facilitator and animator in 2012—more information about how you can take part will be in the next newsletter.    

What’s ahead in 2012?

The most exciting news is that we have a new logo and website on the way, to be launched at the end of January! (Thanks to an amazingly generous graphic designer who is donating his time and creative energy). A new blog and social media plan is around the corner too—so stay tuned!

2012 is time to move into the next part of our action phase – moving from “active listening” to “action learning” (of course the listening will continue too). As a result of this years research, we have decided to host small-scale monthly events in Sydney (starting in February) as well as several events in Alice Springs spaced throughout the year. We will use these gatherings as opportunities to promote deeper understandings around cross-cultural engagement as well as fostering collaboration between organisations/communities as means of amplifying efforts towards a just and sustainable world. These events will provide a taste of what joiningthedots has to offer, with the view of hosting a National Gathering in 2013 if the momentum is there. More details of these events will be available once the new website is launched.

Thanks:

Thanks to everyone who has contributed throughout the year, your ongoing interest in this evolution of a movement is the energy that keeps it moving forward. Lots of gratitude goes to our Board Director, Mark O’Neil, who has been handling all the accounting and legal stuff for another year, it’s a big job! Special thanks also goes to our official volunteers: Andrew Tovey, Randall Williams, Catherine Ellis and all those who have given their time, ideas and energy along the way, especially the 2011 Fellows at the Centre for Sustainability Leadership. I want to acknowledge my mentor, Megan Seneque, whom I met this year through the CSL Program and who has played an increasingly monumental role in guiding the joining of the dots! I also want to acknowledge the Presentation Sisters who so generously sponsored my participation in the CSL Fellowship Program. Finally, to my partner, Jason Nicholas, thanks for joining with me in adopting joiningthedots as a lifestyle, with all its challenges but also extraordinary encounters. It’s a joy to work with you on the projects as well as share the daily stories.

I look forward to all that 2012 has in store. Please support in any way you can, especially by passing this onto your friends and growing the movement for a more connected world. With a deep awareness of our interdependence, I wish you a Happy New Year. May 2012 be a time of simplifying our living while simultaneously enjoying more of the richness of life!

Penny (on behalf of all the joiningthedots team)