Category / Lessons Learnt

by Champions for Change

Understanding Conversation: The Difference Between Dialogue and Debate

“Dialogue is like teamwork in conversation where everyone feels heard and valued, while debate is like a friendly competition in speaking where each side wants to show their idea is the best.”

Today we are going to talk about how we talk to each other! Sometimes we have a friendly chat to understand someone better, and sometimes we might argue to show our point. We call these two styles dialogue and debate. Let’s discover what they are and when we use them!

What is Dialogue?

Imagine you are sharing a story or a problem with your friend. You both listen to each other, share your thoughts, and nobody is trying to win the talk. This is called a dialogue. It’s like teamwork in conversation where everyone feels heard and valued.

In dialogue, we:

  • Listen carefully because we care about what the other person feels and thinks.
  • Talk openly about our thoughts without trying to win.
  • Are ready to think differently based on what we learn from each other.
  • Ask questions to understand more, not to challenge.

What is Debate?

Now think about a time when you were in a class discussion where you had to prove your point. This is called a debate. It’s like a friendly competition in speaking where each side wants to show their idea is the best.

In debate, we:

  • Listen to find ways to make our argument stronger.
  • Speak to convince others that our idea is right.
  • Stick to our opinion and try to defend it.
  • Focus on winning the argument.

Why is this Important?

Knowing if we are having a dialogue or a debate can make our talks more interesting and helpful. Dialogues are great for making friends and solving problems together. Debates help us become better at supporting our ideas and understanding different opinions.

When to Use Dialogue and When to Use Debate?

  • Use dialogue when you want to understand someone or need help solving a problem together.
  • Use debate when you need to show why your idea is good in a class project or a competition.

Curriculum Links:

This lesson aligns with the Australian Curriculum:

  • English (Year 3-4) – ACELY1699: Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas, developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information, experiences and opinions.
  • English (Year 3-4) – ACELY1700: Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical sequence.

For Teachers: Reference Texts

Here are some helpful Australian books for teachers to use:

These books can help you create interesting lessons on dialogue and debate, fitting perfectly with our curriculum goals.

Understanding the difference between dialogue and debate is crucial for fostering healthier and more productive conversations. Dialogue involves open, respectful exchanges where the goal is mutual understanding, while debate is more about persuading others and defending one’s point of view. By recognising the context and choosing the appropriate method of communication, we can improve how we interact with others in both personal and professional settings. Employing dialogue can lead to deeper relationships and better problem-solving, whereas debate can sharpen our argumentative skills and help us clearly define our positions on various issues.

So, let’s start chatting and debating, everyone! What will you choose to do today?

See our post on Using Social Media for Good here 

You can find all our resources on Digital Literacy here 

#DialogueVsDebate #EffectiveCommunication #HealthyConversations #UnderstandingNotArguing #CommunicationSkills #PersonalDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth

by Champions for Change

How Can Social Media Be a Force for Good?

Lets all think about how we can use social media to make the world a nicer place to chat and share ideas! What do you think you can do to make your online conversations more positive?

Today we’re going to talk about how we can use social media in a positive way!

Social media lets people from all over the world share their ideas, feelings, and experiences. It’s like a giant schoolyard where everyone gets to talk. But sometimes, people use it to say unkind things instead of discussing their ideas properly.

Understanding Social Media

Social media is like a powerful tool that gives everyone a voice. People can talk about things that matter to them and share their achievements with a big audience. But it’s also important to use it responsibly.

Turning Negatives into Positives

Sometimes, instead of having nice chats, people might start arguing and say mean things. We can change this by learning how to talk about problems without being mean. Here are some ways to make our social media conversations better:

  1. Educational Campaigns: Schools and websites can teach us how to talk nicely and respectfully on social media. We can learn how to explain our ideas without being hurtful.
  2. Rules on Social Media: The places where we chat online, like social media platforms, can make rules to stop people from being mean. They can help show the good conversations more and hide the mean ones.
  3. Role Models: Some people are really good at having nice conversations online. Social media can show us more from these people, so we can learn to be like them!
  4. Group Discussions: Sometimes, special talks are set up where everyone sticks to the topic and discusses it nicely. This helps us learn how to chat without arguing.
  5. Tools for Users: Social media can give us tools to block mean comments or to not see them at all. This helps us focus on having good chats.

By learning to use social media this way, it becomes a place where we can learn, share, and grow, not argue and fight.

Curriculum Alignment

Here’s how this topic connects to our school lessons:

Subject Area Alignment Number Descriptors
English ACELY1699 Participate in discussions, sharing and evaluating information.
English ACELY1700 Plan and deliver short presentations in logical sequence.

For Teachers: Reference Texts

Teachers can use these books to help us learn more about how to communicate better:

These books offer great ideas on how to use social media in educational and positive ways.

#PositiveSocialMedia #DigitalCitizenship #RespectfulConversations #SocialMediaForGood #StudentEngagement #OnlineEtiquette #Champions4Change

See our blog post on Understanding the Difference between Dialogue and Debate here 

You can find all our resources on Digital Literacy here 

by Lynne Strong

Balancing Act: Navigating the Shifting Educational and Political Terrain with Action4Agriculture

As Action4Agriculture marks its 20th anniversary, we stand at a pivotal crossroads, reflecting on a journey rich in achievements and lessons learned. This milestone presents an opportune moment to deliberate on our future trajectory in an ever-evolving educational landscape. The critical question facing us is whether to continue forging our path independently, ensuring that our educational programs are tailored to the needs of 21st-century learners and workplaces, or to join forces with like-minded organisations. Collaborating could amplify our impact and enable resource sharing, thereby allocating more funds directly to program delivery. This series of articles aims to explore these options, weighing the benefits of maintaining our distinct identity and autonomy against the potential for greater reach and efficacy through partnerships. In doing so, we seek to chart a course that not only honours our two-decade legacy but also optimally positions us to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

 

Navigating the educational terrain for an organisation like Action4Agriculture is particularly challenging amidst the fluctuating political landscape in Australia. When the political spectrum swings from conservative (Liberal) to more progressive (Labor) governments, especially mid-way through funding grants, it poses a complex array of challenges and opportunities for such organisations.

Conservative governments often lean towards traditional educational models, directing resources to support these approaches. Their policies might focus on fundamental academic skills and subjects, advocating for a structured and standardised educational approach. In this context, organisations like Action4Agriculture must adapt their programs to resonate with these priorities to secure funding and support. This adaptation might limit their capacity for innovation or to concentrate on broader, holistic educational objectives.

Conversely, when progressive governments take office, there’s generally a shift towards more inclusive and innovative educational policies. These governments may prioritise critical thinking, creativity, and skills pertinent to the contemporary world, including environmental awareness and sustainability, which align closely with Action4Agriculture’s ethos. While this shift can unveil new opportunities and funding for innovative programmes, it also necessitates a swift strategic realignment to meet the new government’s criteria.

The challenge for Action4Agriculture lies in maintaining equilibrium between these shifting political priorities while steadfastly adhering to its core mission. This balancing act involves being sufficiently adaptable to align with the current government’s policies for securing necessary funding, while also endeavouring to sustain a consistent, long-term vision that transcends political cycles.

Moreover, the inconsistency in funding and policy direction can impede long-term planning and the development of enduring programs. This necessitates strategic foresight, adaptability, and a proactive stance to adjust to changing conditions without compromising the organisation’s fundamental objectives.

For Action4Agriculture, it’s crucial to construct a robust, evidence-based argument for our programs, showcasing their efficacy and alignment with wide-ranging educational goals that hold value across political ideologies. Cultivating partnerships with a diverse array of stakeholders, including those in the private sector and community organisations, can also offer more stability and backing, diminishing reliance on government funding and lessening the impact of political shifts.

#EducationEvolution #FutureReadyLearning #InnovativeTeaching #DigitalLiteracy #CriticalThinking #HolisticEducation #GlobalJobMarket #EducationalChange #StudentCenteredLearning #21stCenturySkills #LearningForTomorrow #AustralianEducation #TeachingTransformation #AdaptiveEducation #ModernVsTraditional #BalancedLearningApproach #EducationReformAustralia #RethinkingEducation #NurturingTalent #EducationalEquity

by Lynne Strong

Educational Crossroads: Balancing Tradition and Innovation in the Australian School System

As Action4Agriculture marks its 20th anniversary, we stand at a pivotal crossroads, reflecting on a journey rich in achievements and lessons learned. This milestone presents an opportune moment to deliberate on our future trajectory in an ever-evolving educational landscape. The critical question facing us is whether to continue forging our path independently, ensuring that our educational programs are tailored to the needs of 21st-century learners and workplaces, or to join forces with like-minded organisations. Collaborating could amplify our impact and enable resource sharing, thereby allocating more funds directly to program delivery. This series of articles aims to explore these options, weighing the benefits of maintaining our distinct identity and autonomy against the potential for greater reach and efficacy through partnerships. In doing so, we seek to chart a course that not only honours our two-decade legacy but also optimally positions us to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

 

The contemporary educational landscape in Australia is at a pivotal juncture, characterised by a tension between adhering to traditional models and adopting progressive approaches that prepare young people for the realities of the modern world.
Traditionalists often champion a structured, content-focused curriculum that emphasises rote memorisation, standardised testing, and foundational subjects like maths, science, and English. This approach, steeped in historical practice, is perceived as a reliable method for instilling discipline, a strong work ethic, and a comprehensive knowledge base in students.
However, the swift pace of technological change and the evolving demands of the global job market necessitate a rethinking of these traditional methods. Modern educational paradigms advocate for a more holistic approach, integrating skills like critical thinking, creativity, digital literacy, and emotional intelligence. This shift recognises that education should not only provide knowledge but also equip students with the capabilities to navigate a complex, interconnected world, where adaptability and problem-solving are crucial.
Traditionalists’ fears centre around the potential weakening of foundational learning and academic rigour. There’s apprehension that deviating from established methods could lead to a dilution of educational standards and insufficient preparation in core academic areas. Traditionalists often view newer educational methods as too unstructured, lacking the stringent assessments and benchmarks that have historically signified academic success.
Conversely, advocates of modern education emphasise the necessity of preparing students for a future that is markedly different from the past. They argue that clinging to traditional educational models is akin to preparing students for a world that no longer exists. Skills such as digital proficiency, collaboration, and adaptability are increasingly vital. Furthermore, this group promotes an education system that is inclusive, student-centred, and capable of nurturing individual talents and interests, aspects often neglected in traditional models.
The key challenge lies in achieving a balance. An ideal educational system should integrate the merits of traditional learning with contemporary skills and teaching methods. This blend aims to create well-rounded, future-ready individuals while maintaining academic depth and integrity. Achieving this balance requires open-mindedness, innovation, and adaptability from educators, policymakers, and the broader community.
#EducationEvolution #FutureReadyLearning #InnovativeTeaching #DigitalLiteracy #CriticalThinking #HolisticEducation #GlobalJobMarket #EducationalChange #StudentCenteredLearning #21stCenturySkills #LearningForTomorrow #AustralianEducation #TeachingTransformation #AdaptiveEducation #ModernVsTraditional #BalancedLearningApproach #EducationReformAustralia #RethinkingEducation #NurturingTalent #EducationalEquity
by Lynne Strong

🌱📚 A Journey to Regeneration with Belltrees Public School 🚀

At Action4Agriculture we believe tomorrow’s problems can be solved today, if we can break down silo thinking and move beyond self interest to a collaborative model that sees people and organisations working together for the greater good.

Today we celebrate Belltrees Public School and their collaborators – a beacon of hope showing others it can be done

 

“Go to the experts and then bring the experts back”

Belltrees Public is a small school with big ambitions. Located east of Scone in the Upper Hunter Valley, this school, which in 2023 has only 3 students, is on a mission to become the greenest little school in Australia.

Students engage in a range of sustainability-based programs, led by a Youth Environmental Council, including carbon-emission reduction, waste minimisation and slow food but it is their award-winning (National Sustainable Communities – Young Legend award) journey to agricultural regeneration that truly showcases the power of entrusting our future to the young.

The catalyst for this remarkable journey was a barren school paddock. While standing around this area, void of life in 2019’s challenging drought, a question was asked to local farmer, Rob Scott:

“How do we prepare these students for the challenges they’ll face with changing climatic conditions?”

Rob replied: “Have you heard of regenerative farming?”

Rob’s response prompted a school visit to the Mulloon Institute at Bungendore in NSW, but this was more than a simple excursion.

“Belltrees Public School wanted to support the community in the midst of the worst drought in a century. So, in discussion with Rob, we set the task of hosting an excursion for local farmers to come with the school to learn about regenerative agriculture principles. We secured funding to ensure no farmers were financially restricted from attending, organised our experts and opened it up to students, families and local farmers to attend,” Belltrees principal Shane Roberts says.

Following their adopted motto of “go to the experts and then bring the experts back”, in 2021 the school community hosted a field day on their grounds. Special guest was Martin Royds, who took the opportunity to meet with local farmers outside the school environment. Also involved with the field day were the Warrambungles National Park Environmental Education Centre, the Sydney Royal Botanical Gardens, Hunter Local Land Services and Murrurundi and Ellerston Public Schools.

The journey continued in 2022 with another excursion, this time to Armidale to visit five regenerative farms, and again the experts were brought back to the Upper Hunter where 80 farmers attended a field day. In conjunction, Belltrees organised a tree planting day enlisting Costa Georgiadis, Upper Hunter Landcare and Wallabadah and Martindale Public Schools to help celebrate their success.

In the process the once barren paddock has been transformed. A groundswell of interest in regenerative practices from the students, staff and parents now sees chickens and sheep sharing space with an orchard and vegetable plots. Neighbouring schools have taken an active interest in this real-world model for learning about sustainability and beyond the revived school plot countless hectares in the community are benefitting from regenerative agriculture as local farmers ride the wave with the students.

Byron and Fiona Hubbard from Balarang Station in the Upper Hunter are two of those farmers.

“We have been involved with the Belltrees Public School regenerative journey for the past four years and have really enjoyed watching the whole community get behind it and learn from the experiences we have all had together …. To share this with fellow members of our farming community made it all too easy to benefit from the experience. We have all gone on to implement some of these practices into our farm and this has influenced others to try the same,” Byron says.

The Belltrees community has come together to support this journey. Fund-raising enabled participants beyond the school to attend and contribute and this has been re-paid as farmers and other experts have ensured students are maximising their educational opportunities.

“At the core of our efforts has been collaboration. Reaching out to experts in the field to support our next generation better understand the challenges and opportunities that the future holds is key to our planning. We have focused on addressing the Sustainable Development Goals through our schools Youth Environment Council. Each project we have embarked on has led our small school to forming strong relationships with individuals, organisations and collaborators who have guided, supported and mentored us through our efforts,” Shane says.

The journey to regeneration continues. In October the school will host a Paddock to Plate Day and in November will run a Journey to Regeneration field day incorporating the screening of “Rachel’s Farm”, a documentary looking at actor Rachel Ward’s own regenerative journey.

Rachel Ward may have the clout that comes from a life in film-making. Belltrees Public School has the clout of their community and an unwavering commitment to harness a far greater audience – our young people.

#YoungClimateChampions #BelltreesPublicSchool #EnvironmentalHeroes #SustainableSchools #YouthEnvironmentalCouncil #EcoWarriors #GreenGeneration #ClimateAction #FutureLeaders #EcoInnovation

 

 

by Lynne Strong

From The Archibull Prize to Young Farming Champion – how Action4Agriculture works for Danielle Fordham

Traditionally agriculture has not conducted longitudinal studies following the journey of participants in its agricultural awareness programs. We look forward to that changing.

Today’s story is very rewarding for our organisation. Our journalist the wonderful Mandy McKeesick interviewed Danielle Fordham who we first met over 12 years ago when she participated in The Archibull Prize during secondary school

 

Young Farming Champion Danielle Fordham (centre front row ) inspiring the next generation of agriculturalists to follow in her footsteps 

Background

Action4Agriculture offers a holistic suite of programs designed to inspire and empower agricultural advocates and leaders. We realise this is not a sprint but a marathon that requires long-term commitment from ourselves, our partners and, most of all, the young people we want to inspire and cultivate.

Danielle Fordham is the perfect example of how the programs and training come together. She was first exposed to Action4Agiculture through The Archibull Prize at Caroline Chisholm College and in 2022 became a Young Farming Champion sponsored by Hunter Local Land Services. As our new program, Action4Youth, readies for roll-out in 2023, Danielle has already been involved – sharing her agricultural journey with students as part of a pilot program at Lake Illawarra High School.

This is Danielle’s Action4Agriculture story ……

Danielle, you were part of the team from Caroline Chisholm College that was named Grand Champion Archibull in 2011 with the wonderful Rubick’s Cube inspired creation “Moobix Cube”. Can you tell us about your Archibull experience?

I was part of The Archibull Prize in 2011 and 2012 and the experience was incredible. It connected my learnings in the classroom to the real world. As a cohort, my friends and I loved participating, bonding and getting to meet like-minded people our own age who shared the same passions.

I enjoyed researching issues such as how to feed a growing population, learning more about cow by-products (did you know cow parts are used in cosmetics and medicine?) and showcasing the trophy-worthy dairy and red-meat industries. It was great to come up with creative ideas to communicate these issues and showcase agriculture in a new light to the wider public.

The experience opened my eyes to the endless opportunities in agriculture and it cemented my interest and career ambitions in the agricultural field. Most importantly The Archibull Prize connected me with the brilliant organisation that is Action4Agriculture (previously Art4Agriculture) and the opportunities it has provided me.

 

Since high school you’ve become a poster girl for the diversity of Australian agriculture, undertaking a business traineeship, attending Tocal Agricultural College (Double Dux!!), working in agribusiness, studying an environmental university degree and working as the Alumni Officer at Tocal. How did it feel to add Young Farming Champion (YFC) to your resume in 2022?

 

It was deeply empowering to be selected as a Young Farming Champion. I was struggling to find my connection back to the agricultural industry as I had moved into the environmental science sector and the YFC program provided the best opportunity to combine the two.

The experiences and workshops provided by Action4Agriculutre as a YFC have strengthened my confidence and ability to a stand as a clear, trusted voice in agriculture. I want to make a positive impact on agriculture and support the community, and YFC has enabled me to do this and more. YFC has broadened my horizons and I feel I can go further with my career than I ever imagined.

 

And, specifically, what skills has the YFC program given you?

The YFC program has taught me essential skills such as how to be an effective communicator, how to be an inspirational speaker and presenter and how to efficiently manage my time. The program has given me a network of peers and industry and community contacts.

Through YFC I have converted my passion for agriculture into a vehicle to empower other young people, such as my students at Tocal Agricultural College.

 

In 2023 we are launching Action4Youth, which aims to introduce disadvantaged young people to career pathways in agriculture. You participated in a pilot program at Lake Illawarra High School last year. What was that like?

It felt incredibly rewarding to be able to connect with students who were like me: interested in agriculture but who didn’t grow up on a farm or have the money to study agriculture straight out of school.

I was able to share my story and empower the students to think outside the square. I could assure them there are plenty of opportunities out there after school and, as a living example, that you are not limited by your HSC or ATAR results. If you are passionate about a career or lifestyle, there is nothing stopping you. You have just got to keep looking for your next step and embrace the skills and lessons you learn along the way.

Additionally, I was equally inspired by the Lake Illawarra students and their tenacity and enthusiasm. It was great to learn from each other and feel connected to the future of agriculture and our communities.

Young Farming Champions Lachie White and Danii Fordham were a big hit with students and teachers at Lake Illawarra High School  

Overall, how do you feel the Action4Agriculture programs align with your aspirations for your own career?

The Action4Agriculture programs align with my aspirations of being a clear, trusted and influential leader in the sustainable agriculture field in two particular arenas: marrying agriculture and science, and promoting women.

The environmental world is in turmoil with global issues of climate change, ocean acidification, food and resource insecurity, habitat destruction, and contamination. These issues threaten all our livelihoods and existence; and this make creating a future we all want to be part of a shared responsibility.  Agriculture is a key industry in combating and controlling these issues with opportunities in technological innovation, sustainable and regenerative practices, environment restoration, carbon capture and rehabilitation integration. The opportunities for agriculture to be part of the solution are endless.

To create these solutions it is vital to strengthen the connection and relationship between agriculture and science and I plan to do this by promoting sustainable agriculture.

Championing women in agriculture and science is also a passion of mine and in 2022 I organised an event to recognise 50 years of female students at Tocal College. By telling my own story and connecting with like-minded women we can overcome social challenges and promote equality.

Action4Agriculture’s ethos and opportunities to connect directly with the next generation and particularly the training and networking received as a Young Farming Champion enables me to effectively communicate these challenges and find the solutions we all need.

 

 

by Lynne Strong

Who can you BECOME – Why some of the coolest jobs exist near the wickedest problems.

Using an Explore-Connect-Support model Action4Youth has a vision to help young people thrive in a career in agriculture. This includes working with primary and secondary schools to increase awareness of the diversity of agricultural careers and showcase various pathways that can create and shape a dream working life.

Become Education CEO and co-founder Liv Pennie Picture Credit Troy Snook

As part of the Explore phase, students and teachers have access to BECOME. This teacher-led program encourages students from upper primary onwards to explore, design and navigate their future, while building independence and agency over that future.

Beginning in primary school is critical. Research by the OECD, Monash University and BECOME Education each independently found that about half of all students intend to work on just ten career areas out of the many thousands of careers available. Even more alarmingly, research from Monash University showed that 55% of the female students they focused on, chose careers to please someone else, not their own strengths and interests.

About the BECOME program:

  • Purpose built for years 5 – 12, it fuses technology with research
  • Ready-to-go lessons inspire confidence and help students develop the skills to shape their own future
  • Flexible Year or Stage scope and sequence plans integrate and align with Learning Areas across the Australian Curriculum, General Capabilities and the Australian Blueprint for Career Development (ABCD) skills framework
  • The dynamic student web app actively engages students and opens their minds to the broader possibilities of career areas, rather than narrowing them down to a decision
  • Incorporates facilitated, professional development for educators, including non-careers specialist teachers
  • Insights dashboard enables a personalised and proactive approach to student career conversations and gives teachers real insight into students’ emerging aspirations.

Holly Paster is the Careers and Transition Adviser at Bomaderry High School who have chosen the BECOME program, including the app and lessons. We spoke to Holly about her experience:

“The app was appealing to us for a number of reasons. Firstly, the platform works well with our iPad-centred school – our students use them in class and at home. Secondly the program is evidence-based, which we, as a school collective, value. Thirdly, we can embed activities that support the transition to high school, which allows us to increase our engagement in career planning and career development from an early age, and then maintain that consistency throughout the high school years. And fourthly, it provides professional development and trains staff how to use it effectively in their classes.”

BECOME allows students to design careers from the inside out and to practice 21st century skills through the implementation of experiments to explore, test and refine their career aspirations. As research from the Institute for the Future (IFTF) shows, 85% of jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t been invented yet. In the changing world of work, it’s much more effective to have students create their own unique career direction for the future rather than picking a job. As they engage with the program and learn more about themselves, what motivates and inspires them, BECOME data shows that 50% of students change their career aspirations, as they refine and become more educated about the type of work, workplaces and careers that best suit what they now know about themselves.

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Having parents involved in careers education is another feature of BECOME that excites Holly. She says,

“I think parents want to support their children and they’re looking for information to do that, which is really quite difficult because there’s just so much out there. It’s the opposite of how it used to be, where they couldn’t get the information; now there’s just so much that it’s overwhelming. Having one central area [such as BECOME] where they can access quality advice and evidence-based careers education, is what we think is critical. Opening both student and parent eyes to different career pathways is a goal of ours.”

Using Awareness (of your unique self and of the world of work), Aspiration (articulating directions and researching pathways) and Agency (taking charge of their own lives) the BECOME program, and Action4Youth will help students answer questions beyond the scope of traditional careers education. For example:

  • How agriculture provides us with clues about the future of work and the world’s “To Do List”.
  • Why some of the coolest jobs exist near the wickedest problems.
  • The pressure to ‘follow your passion’, and why that can be complicated.
  • Purpose and fulfilment – why does it matter?
  • Who defines success in your community? What is your own personal definition of success?

Creating awareness, aspiration and agency around agricultural careers is a powerful and affirming way to help our young people thrive.

Further food for thought

Why talking to your kids about their futures should start earlier than you think

Young Women Choosing Careers – Who decides 

by Lynne Strong

Supporting disadvantaged youth to successfully transition into the workplace – with BackTrack

 

Imagine you’ve grown up in a world of intergenerational unemployment; where no-one in your family has ever held a job. Imagine a world where family life is marred by domestic violence, homelessness, poverty, drug and alcohol abuse. Imagine then how hard it would be to stay at school with no support, and then how much harder again it must be to find and retain a job. Can a career in agriculture be a way forward?

 

 

Action4Agriculture’s newest program Action4Youth supports young people from all backgrounds and experiences to thrive in a career in agriculture and those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds face challenges well beyond the technical aspects of a career. Today we speak with Marcus Watson from BackTrack to understand the challenges involved and learn how wraparound support is required if vulnerable young people are to successfully transition into the workplace.

BackTrack is a youth organisation with three jobs: keeping kids alive, out of jail and chasing their hopes and dreams. It achieves this through a unique combination of educational, training and diversionary activities, supported employment, residential accommodation and wraparound youth work.

Marcus believes one of the foundational roles of third-party organisations such as BackTrack is to transition young people to traineeships and jobs by teaching basic employability skills, those unwritten rules of the workplace that most employers assume people will know.

“For example, I grew up with the unwritten rule that if you turned up at 8 for an 8am start, then you were already late. On time means 7.45am. But these expectations aren’t something our young people are familiar with because they haven’t experienced a real-life workplace before and often come from families experiencing intergenerational unemployment.”  Marcus says.

This means that a huge focus for BackTrack is developing a young person’s 21st century skills through immersing them in practical, hands-on training opportunities that give them a real insight into the workforce but also ensure that they are well-supported as they learn.

“Employability skills is a really big ball of string to untangle but it is one of those things that can de-rail an opportunity very quickly if it’s not done right. An employer will often let someone go based on the soft skills rather than the technical skills. We make sure that our young people can roll up their sleeves on genuine work projects, out in the paddock or the fabrication shed, and benefit from intensive coaching and support as they do it. This is how we tackle challenges that arise in real time and gradually build their confidence and awareness of employer expectations.”

As with any relationship, the one between employee and employer often revolves around conversation and communication and, again, BackTrack provides its young people with training.

“We help young people with conflict resolution, self-advocacy and negotiation, and if an employer still has concerns they should be able to reach out to a third-party (such as BackTrack) for the extra support and insight needed to continue the conversation with them. We are skilled and funded to facilitate this.”

Giving young people the frames of reference to understand and conquer 21st century skills in the workplace is a cornerstone of BackTrack’s work and ultimately means that their participants can transition into meaningful external employment when the time is right for them. With a unique understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable young people, BackTrack can offer employees and employers alike the support they need to make these transitions as successful and sustainable as possible.

by Lynne Strong

Agriculture – supporting A Great Place to Work culture

In their recent paper The employer of choice or a sector without a workforce? Pratley et al listed 27 barriers and challenges agriculture needs to address including:  

Many employers over a long period of time, both on-farm and off-farm, have had an expectation that it is the government’s role to provide appropriately trained labour to their industries free of charge. That is flawed thinking: other sectors seem to engage at all levels of education.

They recommend greater industry investment in education.

At Action4Agriculture we have a secret weapon – our Young Farming Champions. Everyone who meets them wants to work in agriculture

As impressive as our Young Farming Champions are at raising AWARENESS in careers in agriculture, as  McDonald, N et al. (2022), point out in their paper Career development and agriculture: we don’t need a marketing campaign the challenge is to translate AWARENESS into

… initiatives that influence people‘s career explorations, decision-making, choices and actions. Generating public awareness and knowledge about agriculture is one thing but affecting individuals career decisions is an entirely different matter. To design effective interventions to attract and retain staff requires a thorough understanding of how individuals build their careers and the different factors that influence people‘s careers decisions, choices and actions and their job satisfaction and intentions to remain in a job or industry. We need to move beyond simply campaigning for a greater public awareness of an appreciation for the types of work in agriculture.

The Action4Agriculture team are super excited to be given the opportunity through National Careers Institute funding to see what steps are required to turn AWARENESS into ATTRACTION. Visit our website here 

And we all know ATTRACTION in one thing RETENTION is another.

This is where our SUPPORT package comes in for EVERYONE involved including careers advisors, students, mentors and employers

Supporting the students ( NextGen Employees ) and careers advisors will be Liv Pennie and team from Become Education 

Our Young Farming Champions will play a pivotal role in every phase and this week we are supporting them with a workshop with Annie Simpson from Modern People 

In this workshop Annie will explore

● The power of Values & what matters most

● Exploring leading Values frameworks in positive psychology

● Understanding your own Values, and connecting them to your work and life

● Values at work, and finding the role, industry and culture for YOU

● Australia’s topic values, and values through the COVID pandemic

● 7 Traits of Change Readiness & how they show up

● How to embrace change, and grow for the better

We look forward to sharing with you the package we have put together for employers.

#CreatingABetterWorldTogether

by Lynne Strong

Agriculture workforce attraction is a marathon not a sprint

As Pratley et al highlight in their excellent paper in 2022 Winter Australian Farm Journal

Australian agriculture is at the crossroads. It is charging
ahead towards its goal of $100 billion gross value
of production (GVP) by 2030 but is compromised in
that endeavour by its limited ability to find a suitable
workforce.

Our Young Farming Champions know its important to engage the next generation in conversations about careers in agriculture as soon as possible

Today Wool Young Farming Champion Katherine Bain had those conversations with 110 Kindergarten students at  Sydney Primary School as part of our Paddock Pen Pals program

Armed with a list of questions provided to teachers by the students, Katherine settled in to share her story of her farm in Victoria

Students wanted to know

  • How big was Katherine’s farm which she explained in comparison to football fields and netball courts
  • How many paddocks and what do all the colours mean. Katherine explained the difference between improved, perennial and native pastures

  • what sort of sheep do you have on your farm? Katherine explained that her farm was very rocky as it was on the site of a former volcano so they had two types of sheep on their farm
    1. Coopworth Sheep from NZ which are bred for their meat and highly suited to rocky terrain
    2. Merino Sheep highly valued for their wool quality

  • the students asked her what she did every day and she talked about how no two days were the same and the variety of jobs on farm. She talked about how she loved working with and learning from her dad. And how she loved being able to take her dogs to work

Meet Lenny, Zip and Carly 

There were lots and lots of questions about Zip

  • The students wanted to know about the difference between human hair and wool

Katherine is very proud that her family has dedicated an area of their farm to protecting endangered native grasslands

“On my farm specifically we do a lot of work in conserving the native grasslands that remain on the property. These grasslands are part of the 1% of the volcanic grasslands that once stretched from Melbourne to near the SA border. We are very lucky to have these grasslands remaining – so we work with botanists and biologists to work out the best ways of preserving and improving these grasslands”

And the questions and answers continued

It was fascinating to be a fly on the wall watching 50 students queue up to ask Katherine questions

  • How do sheep sleep?
  • Is it muddy at your farm?
  • How long does wool grow?
  • Why does wool keep you both cool and warm?
  • Do sheep often get lost?
  • How many steps do sheep walk in one day?
  • How much water do sheep drink in one day?
  • How much grass do sheep eat in one day?
  • Are some sheep naughty?
  • Does wool grow as fast as hair?
  • How heavy do rams get?

Over the past two months our Young Farming Champions have spoken at science conferences across the world, they have presented to students across the Asia Pacific and over the next two weeks they will be talking to kindergarten students.

To have the confidence and capacity to reach such diverse audiences they have had a minimum of two years of intensive training. As Katherine found out its equally rewarding talking to six year olds as it it sharing scientific research.

As the below graphic and statistics show having role models like Katherine engaging with the next generation are pivotal to raising awareness that there is a career for them in agriculture.

As Pratley et al highlight employment offerings on-farm show no signs of declining or levelling off. (See above graphic) Rather, they have intensified. On-farm over the period of 2015 to 2021 inclusive, the demand for management personnel, based on internet advertisements, increased by over 160%
and for non-management staff by around 77%.

The increase for on-farm staff overall increased by 53% in 2021 over that for 2020. In agribusiness, i.e. off-farm professional employment, the demand increased by 44% over the six-year period and by 70% in 2021
over 2020.

These increases seem extraordinary.

The question we ask is are we leveraging all the opportunities we have at our disposal to engage with the next generation from K to 12 and beyond?

Are we ready to see it as a marathon not a sprint?

Are we ready for best practice?

You can read Katherine’s story in Graziher magazine here