GEHA Health’s Post

Today's P&O Australia memory comes from a 2012 video that describes their partnership with Save the Children. I've spent many hours pondering travel privilege and the role that colonialism has played (and continues to play) in our world. During lockdowns, my colleagues in the Australian Society of Travel Writers held a webinar with the ChildSafe Movement that spoke of the risks to children through some tourism practices and what we can do as writers, communicators and travellers to help stop this exploitation. Voluntourism and other well-intentioned actions from visitors, without a deep, nuanced, in-Country understanding of true local needs and issues can, unfortunately, do more damage than good. Now, watching this video again, I am even more acutely aware of the value of P&O's decision to work with Save the Children (and the Vanuatu Ministry of Health) and the very necessary and appropriate hoops my crew stepped through to make it happen. There is a lot in the background of this video. Filming or photographing anyone, anywhere, without permission can be an invasion of privacy, and in travel, can so often become exploitative and unethical. Every child who appeared in this video had signed approvals from their parent or guardian and my crew went through strict background checks and completed training with Save the Children before leaving Australia and prior to filming in Vanuatu. Ann Sherry AO's interest in medical clinics and kindergartens on remote islands (without white-saviour P&O branding all over them) and her acknowledgement of trying to help practically and appropriately, is a testament to just some of her leadership style, which I am proud to have witnessed. #POAustralia David Jones Ainsley Pope Brett Royston Annable Michael Mihajlov Greg Dehn Sandy Olsen Simon Cheng Neridah Hoawerth Alun John Sullivan David Klum TW: P&O Staff crew member https://lnkd.in/gzUGUV26 https://lnkd.in/gMYUkqEj

As A Nation, We Must Act Now! Having worked with over 68000 children across the UK since 2007 and having dedicated my life working with children and young people, I have never been so so worried for the future prospects of our #youth. This is the Elephant in the room to which we appear to be ignoring as nation. Children should be our top priority as a nation, we need to fight back against the negative influences, high levels of parental neglect and passive learning situations that are causing so much apathy and self indulgence in our children and young people. #getoutside #getfit #healthyminds #resilience #charactereducation #character #wellbeing #inclusion #children #sport We have to do more to help, support and guide our young people NOW! This is not a joke, this is what we are hearing from teachers and witnessing within our schools and communities! Teachers are leaving our schools, because the children and the parents do not #respect them! Some parents want to be thier childrens friends rather than facing up to the tough decisions and responsibilities of being a parent. 1/ Now more than ever, children and young people need to understand values and boundaries. 2/ Teachers are calling for more respect and focus in the classroom. 3/ Children are being over exposed to the wrong kind of influencers on-line and within social media channels whom remain unchecked and unchallenged. 4/ Children and young people are collectively more anxious than they have ever been, low confidence and poor self esteem. With a feeling that they cannot live up to the over beautified expectations of thier peers on social media. 5/ Over 45% of children come from broken homes and there are more children than ever being moved in to care. 6/ Children are more vulnerable than ever before to external influences and to exploitation by county lines and the increasing level of local control by gangs. 7/ There is a real lack of mental and physical resilience in children who have not been learning to deal with managing risk, learning to be confident and to step out of thier comfort zone. 8/ levels of obesity at KS2 are a national disgrace, with over 26% of children in year eleven now obese. 9/ There are poor levels of Oral health and hygiene, leading to children have to have more dental and medical interventions (no wonder the NHS is stretched). 10/ Children do not participate in enough physically challenging and demanding sport and #outdoor #activities, it's all in the too difficult box. All of which will lead to premature poor health and Illness in later life.

🔻The moment we've all been waiting for is here! ▶Our Annual Report, showcases the work of every young person, volunteer, staff, and friend of the YMCA, bringing communities together, advocating for a more sustainable future, peace-working, and inspiring action. 🙌This is the testimony of who we are, and what we as a movement can achieve together. Aligned towards YMCA Vision 2030 - Stronger together: https://lnkd.in/e3JW8Umk

It's Global Intergenerational Week! At Marmalade Trust, we've seen first-hand how encouraging intergenerational relationships can: ✅ build meaningful intergenerational connections that have long-term mutual benefits ✅ help us feel less lonely. Let's look at why it’s so important to connect with people of different generations… #GIW24

At Fostering Great Ideas, we annually increase the number of children served and the levels of support provided each child. How? We operate from core values that haven't changed (children matter; relationships are key; communities can respond together). We are also real big into stating our vision clearly and focusing on the strategic plan. Here is our end year piece: https://lnkd.in/e736-x-t

For decades Corio has been a Labor-voting electorate - both State and Federal. It is to the great shame of both levels of government and the local representatives from the ALP and the LNP that Corio and Norlane have missed out on investments that would and should build the much-deserving community. It’s deemed to be too safe an electorate to be fussed with spending money when less secure seats need ‘attention’. Northern Futures had a 78% success rate in getting participants into work in 2022 - an astounding achievement that other employment programs would give their eye teeth for. Yet Corio and Norlane are Victoria’s most disadvantaged suburb and no-one is putting their hands in the taxpayers’ pockets to fund Northern Futures next year and into the future. Richard Marles - as Deputy Prime Minister - and Ella George, Lara MP - please do something to fix this! It is YOUR electorate and these are YOUR constituents.

I've been reflecting the past few days on the Race Table Talks session I attended on Saturday facilitated by Laurabel Mba Consulting. Most of us didn't know each other. We came together, as a group of white women, nervous yet eager to participate in a conversation that challenged our inner biases and opened our minds to the racism that persists within ourselves and our communities. Although uncomfortable at times, it was an incredible experience and I strongly recommend all white folx attend. I'm committed to continuing the work to make myself a better ally to the racialized people in my community. We are each born color blind, our stereotypes and biases are learned and deeply engrained. We cannot call ourselves DEI advocates, if we are not intentional about interrupting the cycle in ourselves, our workplaces and most importantly our children. Laurabel will tell you that her son is what inspired her to take on this work, she has inspired me to do better for my son. How do I react when a family member says something racist? I learned the questions to ask myself on if, when and how I should address this with them. What pre-conceived assumptions do I carry that are incorrect? I learned that being racist is not the worst thing. It is an opportunity for acknowledgment and learning, so that tomorrow I will do better. As a business leader, how do I ensure I am fostering a safe an inclusive workplace for our racialized team members? It requires intentional, consistent and continuous effort to make DEI an expected and demonstrable value of our organization. As the mother a Inuk child, I think often about the racism my child will face throughout his life. I will never fully understand his experience or be able to protect him from the injustices he will face. He is a different color than me, when people learn he is adopted, people most commonly say, "He is so lucky". They carry preconceived assumptions and biases about the life he might have had in his Inuit community. I carried them too before his adoption. I know now how wrong they are and am committed to advocating for the empowerment, fair treatment and reconciliation of Indigenous peoples. Follow Laurabel Mba Consulting for enlightenment, education and updates on future events.

I am beyond thrilled to share that last month, AmeriCorps kicked off its Cultural Learning Community -- a monthly course offering for AmeriCorps members, grantees, senior volunteers, staff -- and the general public -- with the aim to identify and invest in foundational DEIA education for internal/external stakeholders.   From last month, here are a few AmeriCorps wins: ·      Almost 800 people attended; ·      92% of attendees were mostly AmeriCorps members, Senior volunteers, and grantees. Members of the public to include other Federal agencies also partnered with us; and ·      95% of attendees polled would recommend the session to others.   We are gearing up now for Round 2 in our monthly installment. This session is "Cultural Competence: Serving with Care and Awareness". Please join us and register by using this link: http://bit.ly/CLCFeb And feel free to check out our 2024 calendar and pre-register for additional sessions using this link: https://lnkd.in/gBMS87tU #deia #diversity #equity #inclusion #accessibilty #grantees #members #volunteers #AmeriCorps30 #americorps #culture #education #belonging #engagement #experience #gettingthingsdone #service #volunteerism #EEO #civilrights

ICYMI: We celebrated Juneteenth with a conversation on Black Men's Health with Collin Mays and LaRon Evans, MS, MHC, LLPC who highlighted our YMCA's Boys & Young Men of Color Strategy! Watch. Share. Discuss.

At QTS, we are purpose driven, moving communities forward in an intentional and thoughtful way. Join us for a year unlike anything we've ever seen: https://bit.ly/48E3xLe