WEBVTT - Orange Sky

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<v Speaker 1>Appogia production. Hi everyone, thank you for tuning back into

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<v Speaker 1>Tenantus for Nurses. I suspect Woodbine here this season. I

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<v Speaker 1>am so excited to announce that the podcast as being

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<v Speaker 1>supported by Nutritia, which is a global leader in medical nutrition.

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<v Speaker 1>They understand the needs of nurses in the nutrition space

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<v Speaker 1>and for over one hundred and twenty five years have

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<v Speaker 1>provided products to support child health. Some of Nutrita's pediatric

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<v Speaker 1>brands include Neo Kate Junior for children who have food

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<v Speaker 1>allergies and app to Grow for those fussy eaters. And

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<v Speaker 1>those of us who have children know many kids who

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<v Speaker 1>go through the phases of definite fussiness. For more information

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<v Speaker 1>and resources, visit the nutritiona Pediatrics hub at nutritia dot

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<v Speaker 1>com dot au forward slash Pediatrics. I just want to

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<v Speaker 1>say a huge thank you to Nutritia. Their desire to

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<v Speaker 1>support nurses is truly appreciated, and they are allowing me

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<v Speaker 1>to continue this podcast so that we could all grow

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<v Speaker 1>as nurses. This season, we have some amazing speakers in

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<v Speaker 1>the pediatric space which I cannot wait to share with

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<v Speaker 1>you all. Hi, my name's beck Woodbine and welcome to

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<v Speaker 1>Tenderness for nurses.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm grateful for the person that I have the opportunity to.

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<v Speaker 1>Be, so I hit it and parked it for Nelly

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<v Speaker 1>four years.

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<v Speaker 2>We always have free will, We always get to choose.

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<v Speaker 1>We are autonomous. Hi everyone, thank you for tuning back

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<v Speaker 1>into tenderness for nurses. It's been a few weeks since

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<v Speaker 1>I actually recorded a podcast because, as you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>had to have major back surgery and I just want

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<v Speaker 1>to give a really big shout out to the nursing

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<v Speaker 1>staff and the medical staff at Brisbane Private and Spine Plus.

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<v Speaker 1>Their care for me was just remarkable and as a

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<v Speaker 1>nurse being in hospital it is a very different experience

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<v Speaker 1>and I have to say I was very great to

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<v Speaker 1>everyone who cared for me and took the time to

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<v Speaker 1>check on me. We are so blessed to have the

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<v Speaker 1>healthcare system we have here in Australia. It really hit

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<v Speaker 1>home for me when I was in there for actually

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<v Speaker 1>for a week. So thank you for everyone that reached

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<v Speaker 1>out and sent well meaning messages. I really appreciated it.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'm back on the wagon. So I have the

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<v Speaker 1>fabulous Nick and I'm going to say wrong now, Mikezi

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<v Speaker 1>smash it from Orange Sky with me today. I've been

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<v Speaker 1>following Orange Sky for quite a while and I have

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<v Speaker 1>some friends that have done volunteer work with these guys.

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<v Speaker 1>They provide laundry and showers for people that are having

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<v Speaker 1>issues with homelessness. It's such an amazing need that is

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<v Speaker 1>being fulfilled and one you just don't think about when

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<v Speaker 1>it comes to basic necessities. Interestingly enough, I saw you

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<v Speaker 1>guys when I was looking out of the hospital. Put

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<v Speaker 1>a smile on my face every day to see all

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<v Speaker 1>these people there and getting a system and help and

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<v Speaker 1>people chatting with them. So how about you give us

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<v Speaker 1>a little bit of an overview of what Orange Sky

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<v Speaker 1>does and what it means to you.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah. So Orange Sky started in October twenty fourteenth, but

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<v Speaker 2>probably the story starts a little bit before that, where

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<v Speaker 2>Lucas and I went to school together and our school

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<v Speaker 2>had a food van that went out to that park

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<v Speaker 2>and fed people. And I can remember my mum taking

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<v Speaker 2>me to participate on that school food van one morning,

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<v Speaker 2>and at that point in time, I never met a

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<v Speaker 2>homeless person, and my perspective of life was that that

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<v Speaker 2>was something that I just didn't want to engage with,

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<v Speaker 2>and Mum actively gave back to the community and that

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<v Speaker 2>was a big part of her life, and Mom had

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<v Speaker 2>to bring me. And you know, that morning changed my

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<v Speaker 2>life because of a couple of reasons. One is I

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<v Speaker 2>met this guy by the name a Harry, and Harry

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<v Speaker 2>knew everything about me and my family, and you know,

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<v Speaker 2>he reminded me of my granddad or my uncle. But

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<v Speaker 2>at that point in time, Harry was sleeping rough and

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<v Speaker 2>I can remember going to school a day and just

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<v Speaker 2>thinking about Harry, because that morning opened my eyes to

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<v Speaker 2>a whole cohort of people that were in my own

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<v Speaker 2>backyard that I wasn't aware of. And I guess that

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<v Speaker 2>balance of having access to give back through the school van,

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<v Speaker 2>that amazing gift that my parents gave us in having

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<v Speaker 2>some perspective, Yeah, it was foundational an orange sky. But

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<v Speaker 2>two years later, Lucas and I were then more actively

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<v Speaker 2>volunteering on that school food van. We both then finished

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<v Speaker 2>high school. Lucas was at the top of the class,

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<v Speaker 2>I was at the bottom of the class. And then

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<v Speaker 2>Lucas came back from traveling overseas and we caught up

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<v Speaker 2>in a cafe. We were talking about ideas, and the

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<v Speaker 2>idea of this mobile laundry had come up again a

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<v Speaker 2>very selfish thing to continue what we enjoyed doing, which

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<v Speaker 2>was giving back to the community. So I had this

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<v Speaker 2>idea of building a free mobile laundry. New you needed

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<v Speaker 2>some serious washing machines, so we jumped on Google and

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<v Speaker 2>we started looking up serious washing machines and this company

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<v Speaker 2>comes up in Brisbane that sells washing machines. So we

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<v Speaker 2>sent some emails and convinced this company to a meeting.

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<v Speaker 2>And the night prior I came home from work, I

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<v Speaker 2>was working in a different job and I said, you know, mom, Dad,

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<v Speaker 2>Lucas and I are going to start a free mobile laundry.

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<v Speaker 2>And my mum looked up and she said, how about

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<v Speaker 2>you start washing your own clothes. So we knew very

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<v Speaker 2>little about starting a charity, but we had this vision

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<v Speaker 2>of building this van. So the company told us that

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<v Speaker 2>no one would ever wash and drive their clothes in

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<v Speaker 2>a park and you never get washing machines to work

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<v Speaker 2>in a van. But we sort of invited them to

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<v Speaker 2>be a part of this crazy idea and we said,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, well, if it does work, how cool would

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<v Speaker 2>it be. So you know, they gave us some washing machines.

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<v Speaker 2>We took the van out to their workshop, It was

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<v Speaker 2>a bit of a standoff because they were like, no, no,

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<v Speaker 2>we're not having any part of building this.

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<v Speaker 1>This is your thing.

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<v Speaker 2>So we took the van and the washing machines back

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<v Speaker 2>to our garage and built our first van Sudsey and

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<v Speaker 2>took that van outside our old school food van in

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<v Speaker 2>that park and Wickham Street and Orange Sky was born.

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<v Speaker 2>Why the name so Orange Sky's song by a British

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<v Speaker 2>singer songwriter called Alexi Murdock, and the song talks about

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<v Speaker 2>everyone being under an orange sky and helping out your

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<v Speaker 2>brothers and sisters and you know, the same kitchen table

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<v Speaker 2>that I told my parents about the starting this mobile

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<v Speaker 2>laundry was the founding place of Orange Sky. And I

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<v Speaker 2>were debating it was either a Brisbane laundry van or

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<v Speaker 2>mobile washing van, or why don't we just call it

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<v Speaker 2>Orange Sky? And if it was called Brisbane laundry van

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<v Speaker 2>right now, it'd be a bit awkward because we're a

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<v Speaker 2>bit far from Brisbane and a lot of our spots.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Absolutely. I was going through your website and looking

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<v Speaker 1>at different things, and you're trying to develop further initiatives.

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<v Speaker 1>Obviously you're seeing gaps and one of them was women

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<v Speaker 1>for women. How did that come about?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so I think maybe coming back to our missions

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<v Speaker 2>is always important. So our mission at Orange s Guy

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<v Speaker 2>is to positively connect communities, and that wasn't our mission

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<v Speaker 2>we started with. Our first mission statement was to improve

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<v Speaker 2>the hygiene standards of the homeless. And so we had

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<v Speaker 2>that first van alongside our old school food van. We

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<v Speaker 2>set the van up that first morning in October twenty fourteen.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, we started stealing water from the council. We

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<v Speaker 2>convinced this guy up and I said, hey, I know

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<v Speaker 2>this sounds a bit crazy, but I can you know,

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<v Speaker 2>wash and drayer clothes over there. And a few minutes

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<v Speaker 2>later he walked over with potentially his only possessions in

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<v Speaker 2>his life, and he introduced himself. His name was Jordan,

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<v Speaker 2>and we put Jordan's washing in that left washing machine

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<v Speaker 2>and we pressed the top button and the bottom button

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<v Speaker 2>and there was a massive bang, and we're like, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know if washing machines did to make that sound.

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<v Speaker 2>Caught up the washing machine company and they told us

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<v Speaker 2>we'd broken both the washing machines. So we apologized to Jordan.

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<v Speaker 2>We went back out to the workshop. You know, sorry,

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<v Speaker 2>this really angry laundry technician. We broke both the machines.

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<v Speaker 2>They gave us some new ones. Out the next morning

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<v Speaker 2>there was Jordan. Jordan trusted us with his only possessions.

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<v Speaker 1>We put it in the van and the van broke again.

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<v Speaker 2>But what we realized that morning is that Orange Sky

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<v Speaker 2>was something that really needed to work, because we'd let

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<v Speaker 2>Jordan down and it was sort of two days and

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<v Speaker 2>he was keen to trust these two idiots to wash

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<v Speaker 2>and dry his clothes. So we went out the third morning,

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<v Speaker 2>made some few changes to the van, and we put

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<v Speaker 2>Jordan's washing in and the van worked perfectly, and we

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<v Speaker 2>sort of reached that finish line to what we thought

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<v Speaker 2>was Orange Sky's mission. We were improving hygiene, we had

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<v Speaker 2>the van going. But what we realized and what we

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<v Speaker 2>never thought about, is like, what do we do now?

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<v Speaker 2>Because Jordan was his only possessions in his life were

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<v Speaker 2>trapped in our van and we were tethered to the

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<v Speaker 2>park because we were stealing water, and so I was like, well,

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<v Speaker 2>what should we do? And it was really simple. We

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<v Speaker 2>just had a conversation, and that conversation, without a doubt,

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<v Speaker 2>changed my life and change the trajectory of Orange Sky

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<v Speaker 2>because we realized that we had this really sacred special

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<v Speaker 2>opportunity to connect with the people, so we rewrote our

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<v Speaker 2>mission to positively connecting communities and Orange Skuy's grown a

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<v Speaker 2>lot in the last ten years and it's overwhelming to

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<v Speaker 2>see how much Orange Skuy can impact communities that don't

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<v Speaker 2>have access to what we provide. But now that Orange

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<v Speaker 2>Sky is in a privileged position to be able to

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<v Speaker 2>have that trust of the friends and the volunteers and

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<v Speaker 2>the donors and the broader community, we're really always looking

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<v Speaker 2>at how can Orange Sky help more people? And that's

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<v Speaker 2>where the women's only shift came from, is that homelessness

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<v Speaker 2>in Australia. You know, fifty six percent a male, forty

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<v Speaker 2>four percent of female from the last census, and we

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<v Speaker 2>know that the census isn't perfect, but a place like

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<v Speaker 2>we can park in Brisbane isn't a safe place for

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<v Speaker 2>a vulnerable female to be accessing our service. And a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of Orange Skuy services operate in parks in very rough,

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<v Speaker 2>sleeping communities, and what we acknowledged is that Orange Sky

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<v Speaker 2>could be helped being women in a more tailored and

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<v Speaker 2>appropriate service delivery model, and that's where the idea of

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<v Speaker 2>running women's only shifts operate, so you know, that's a

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<v Speaker 2>newer thing to obscud and something that we're really proud of,

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<v Speaker 2>but also you know, humbled that that is required, and

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<v Speaker 2>also you know, looking at services that aren't even on

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<v Speaker 2>our website to provide a really safe and dignified way

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<v Speaker 2>for people to access our service.

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<v Speaker 1>It really piqued my interest because the fastest growing demographic

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<v Speaker 1>is older women. The homelessness it must be terrifying being

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<v Speaker 1>a female and vulnerable, and it really makes me feel

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<v Speaker 1>sick that these women are sleeping in cars or sleeping

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<v Speaker 1>rough because they've just got nowhere else to go. I

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<v Speaker 1>feel the same way for men, but I think women

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<v Speaker 1>are so vulnerable, but I think everyone is in those situations,

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<v Speaker 1>aren't they.

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<v Speaker 2>One of the biggest things I've learned in the last

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<v Speaker 2>ten years is that my stereotype about homelessness was completely

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<v Speaker 2>wrong and there are so many stereotypes and stigmas around homelessness.

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<v Speaker 2>In Australia, one and two hundred people are classified as

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<v Speaker 2>homeless and only six percent of that population are sleeping rough.

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<v Speaker 2>We see so many people who work multiple jobs who

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<v Speaker 2>are sleeping in their cars, and to realize the incredible

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<v Speaker 2>challenge it is to be a parent and be homeless.

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<v Speaker 2>Just blows my mind. And in particular women's space. If

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<v Speaker 2>you have teenage children and those children aren't female, you're

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<v Speaker 2>not able to go to some shelters because you know,

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<v Speaker 2>males aren't allowed at those those shelters. So you know,

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<v Speaker 2>if I think about my mum, she was in a

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<v Speaker 2>vulnerable spot. The first priority for her is looking after me,

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<v Speaker 2>and so that shelter is foregone by that, whether it

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<v Speaker 2>be you can't have you children or you can't have

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<v Speaker 2>certain people. And I've got a dog, Gambino, and in

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<v Speaker 2>most shelters you're not allowed pets and that so there

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<v Speaker 2>is access potentially to shelter, and then that might be

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<v Speaker 2>at for some people, but also acknowledging that we have

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<v Speaker 2>our different needs and desires. Some people want to be

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<v Speaker 2>in extroverted, vibrant communities, some people want to be by themselves.

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<v Speaker 2>And how do we actually tailor the services that are

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<v Speaker 2>available to what the end user wants And that's a

0:12:21.481 --> 0:12:23.281
<v Speaker 2>big way the sector needs to improve.

0:12:24.401 --> 0:12:26.521
<v Speaker 1>At the end of last year, there was a young

0:12:26.561 --> 0:12:29.161
<v Speaker 1>guy sleeping rough down at the park and I was

0:12:29.241 --> 0:12:32.361
<v Speaker 1>quite concerned. Couldn't see him moving or breathing. So I

0:12:32.401 --> 0:12:34.161
<v Speaker 1>went and checked on him, and a couple of us

0:12:34.161 --> 0:12:37.881
<v Speaker 1>got him some food and blankets and pillow and when

0:12:38.321 --> 0:12:40.161
<v Speaker 1>he was able to talk, you know, I had a

0:12:40.161 --> 0:12:41.801
<v Speaker 1>bit of a chat with him. And he was there

0:12:41.841 --> 0:12:44.161
<v Speaker 1>for a few days, and saw him around a couple

0:12:44.201 --> 0:12:46.441
<v Speaker 1>of times, and you know, he went out of his

0:12:46.601 --> 0:12:50.961
<v Speaker 1>way to say thank you to me. And I haven't

0:12:50.961 --> 0:12:53.841
<v Speaker 1>seen him since, but he was telling me he had

0:12:53.841 --> 0:12:58.001
<v Speaker 1>a job, he was in a terrible accident, became addicted

0:12:58.081 --> 0:13:02.241
<v Speaker 1>to pain medications and then his life spiraled and he

0:13:02.281 --> 0:13:05.041
<v Speaker 1>moved up to Queensland. And it just breaks your heart,

0:13:05.081 --> 0:13:08.001
<v Speaker 1>but a little bit, doesn't it mean it wasn't through

0:13:08.001 --> 0:13:10.681
<v Speaker 1>any fault of his own really that he ended up

0:13:10.681 --> 0:13:13.321
<v Speaker 1>in this position. And what do they say, We're two

0:13:13.321 --> 0:13:18.241
<v Speaker 1>paychecks away from being homeless most Australians. I mean, that's

0:13:18.241 --> 0:13:19.081
<v Speaker 1>scary stuff.

0:13:19.521 --> 0:13:22.481
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, absolutely, And my partner always talks about this quote.

0:13:22.721 --> 0:13:25.161
<v Speaker 2>We get sick alone and we heal together and the

0:13:25.201 --> 0:13:27.721
<v Speaker 2>power of a community. I know, some of the toughest

0:13:27.761 --> 0:13:31.481
<v Speaker 2>times in my life, my friends or family have rallied

0:13:31.681 --> 0:13:35.401
<v Speaker 2>around me. Life is not linear, and life can change

0:13:35.401 --> 0:13:37.601
<v Speaker 2>in a blink of an eye. You know, you injure yourself,

0:13:37.761 --> 0:13:40.441
<v Speaker 2>you lose your job, and then you're in a position

0:13:40.521 --> 0:13:44.801
<v Speaker 2>where maybe you're too a shamed to ask your support network.

0:13:45.161 --> 0:13:48.801
<v Speaker 2>So then this spiraling effect happens where you might run

0:13:48.841 --> 0:13:53.521
<v Speaker 2>away and then your community is completely disappears. So that's

0:13:53.521 --> 0:13:56.481
<v Speaker 2>why we are so passionate about that mission of positively

0:13:56.521 --> 0:13:59.521
<v Speaker 2>connecting communities. And you know, we're not naive enough to

0:13:59.521 --> 0:14:04.081
<v Speaker 2>think that we are substituting family or deep relational connections,

0:14:04.121 --> 0:14:08.321
<v Speaker 2>but what we are provide is consistent, genuine friendship to people.

0:14:08.401 --> 0:14:10.641
<v Speaker 2>And to see that grow over the last ten years

0:14:10.641 --> 0:14:14.561
<v Speaker 2>has been tremendous. Seeing friends who are in a tough

0:14:14.601 --> 0:14:18.121
<v Speaker 2>position come together and help each other, or to see

0:14:18.201 --> 0:14:22.521
<v Speaker 2>volunteers who also go through our life's trials and tribulations

0:14:22.841 --> 0:14:26.201
<v Speaker 2>come together and rally is really beautiful. And I'm constantly

0:14:26.241 --> 0:14:29.321
<v Speaker 2>reminded that the community that Orange s Guy helps. We

0:14:29.401 --> 0:14:31.841
<v Speaker 2>might be able to label people like a volunteer or

0:14:31.881 --> 0:14:34.121
<v Speaker 2>a don or a friend, but most of the time

0:14:34.161 --> 0:14:37.681
<v Speaker 2>it's actually impossible to because we have humans that are

0:14:37.681 --> 0:14:41.161
<v Speaker 2>complex but very simple come together and connect. And I

0:14:41.161 --> 0:14:44.321
<v Speaker 2>guess that's the beauty is that's where the magic happens.

0:14:44.521 --> 0:14:48.281
<v Speaker 2>Humans want connection. That's imperative to our well being.

0:14:48.801 --> 0:14:51.521
<v Speaker 1>That's one of the things in our saying with Alzheimer's

0:14:51.721 --> 0:14:55.201
<v Speaker 1>is that if you don't have that community and feeling

0:14:55.281 --> 0:14:59.561
<v Speaker 1>of belonging, that can actually exacerbate dementia other autoimmune conditions.

0:14:59.561 --> 0:15:04.041
<v Speaker 1>It's really quite fascinating what loneliness can do. You would

0:15:04.041 --> 0:15:08.881
<v Speaker 1>have seen huge growth in this space since covid.

0:15:09.361 --> 0:15:11.801
<v Speaker 2>You know, since Orange Guys started, we've grown about twenty

0:15:11.841 --> 0:15:15.161
<v Speaker 2>five percent each year because of the need and because

0:15:15.201 --> 0:15:17.441
<v Speaker 2>of yeah, I guess one one of the factors is need,

0:15:17.481 --> 0:15:20.321
<v Speaker 2>but also our growth. So you know now Orange Skuy's

0:15:20.361 --> 0:15:23.961
<v Speaker 2>got sixty eight services in forty seven locations in Australia

0:15:24.401 --> 0:15:26.881
<v Speaker 2>and six services and five locations over in our to

0:15:27.001 --> 0:15:29.881
<v Speaker 2>Row and New Zealand. Those vans go out over four

0:15:29.961 --> 0:15:33.161
<v Speaker 2>hundred and fifty times a week alongside service providers like

0:15:33.201 --> 0:15:35.881
<v Speaker 2>our old school food vans. So we've added a lot

0:15:35.881 --> 0:15:38.441
<v Speaker 2>of services and that's sort of fueled our growth. But

0:15:38.561 --> 0:15:42.201
<v Speaker 2>also here in Brisbane we're always adding new shifts, whether

0:15:42.241 --> 0:15:44.641
<v Speaker 2>that be a women's only shift taking our vans to

0:15:44.681 --> 0:15:47.721
<v Speaker 2>a motel to help people who are an emergency accommodation

0:15:48.521 --> 0:15:50.521
<v Speaker 2>have access to it, or a big part of Orange

0:15:50.521 --> 0:15:53.881
<v Speaker 2>Skuy's growth at the moment is into remote communities, first

0:15:53.961 --> 0:15:57.641
<v Speaker 2>nations communities providing basic health hardware, but also you know,

0:15:57.681 --> 0:16:00.161
<v Speaker 2>we're looking at having laundry and schools at the moment

0:16:00.161 --> 0:16:02.961
<v Speaker 2>because we know a big barrier to people having access

0:16:02.961 --> 0:16:06.961
<v Speaker 2>to good quality education and safe community is also laundry.

0:16:07.081 --> 0:16:09.121
<v Speaker 2>So you know, a lot of the graphs at Orange

0:16:09.121 --> 0:16:11.801
<v Speaker 2>Skuy just show a trend that is always going up,

0:16:11.881 --> 0:16:14.281
<v Speaker 2>and COVID was a big part of that. We had

0:16:14.321 --> 0:16:16.441
<v Speaker 2>to make a really tough decision at the peak of

0:16:16.481 --> 0:16:18.761
<v Speaker 2>COVID to press pause on a lot of our services

0:16:18.841 --> 0:16:22.441
<v Speaker 2>because of the frameworks that we're making decisions, and that

0:16:22.561 --> 0:16:24.521
<v Speaker 2>was only for a couple of week period that we

0:16:24.601 --> 0:16:26.881
<v Speaker 2>had all of our services shut down, and that was

0:16:26.921 --> 0:16:30.761
<v Speaker 2>an incredibly tough decision, knowing that you know, people potentially

0:16:30.841 --> 0:16:32.961
<v Speaker 2>only opportunity to talk to someone in a week was

0:16:33.001 --> 0:16:36.401
<v Speaker 2>an Orange Skuy shift. And then knowing that this bright

0:16:36.441 --> 0:16:38.641
<v Speaker 2>orange van wasn't going to be in a park and

0:16:38.801 --> 0:16:42.881
<v Speaker 2>wasn't going to be providing people who were already disconnected

0:16:43.041 --> 0:16:47.761
<v Speaker 2>and vulnerable and marginalized. They were even further disconnected, vulnerable

0:16:47.801 --> 0:16:50.361
<v Speaker 2>and marginalized through the pandemic, and so there was a

0:16:50.361 --> 0:16:53.521
<v Speaker 2>significant spike in our growth, going from you know, turning

0:16:53.521 --> 0:16:55.961
<v Speaker 2>those shifts off to back on. But I think what

0:16:56.041 --> 0:16:59.481
<v Speaker 2>the pandemic did is it reminded people of the importance

0:16:59.481 --> 0:17:02.441
<v Speaker 2>of hygiene and human connection. And we wouldn't wish that

0:17:02.561 --> 0:17:06.401
<v Speaker 2>upon anyone. But it's been really interesting that conversation since

0:17:06.401 --> 0:17:08.721
<v Speaker 2>where people being like, you know, it was really hard

0:17:08.840 --> 0:17:12.761
<v Speaker 2>not going and connecting with my community. Maybe the most

0:17:13.360 --> 0:17:16.080
<v Speaker 2>lonely they've been has been through the pandemic, and now

0:17:16.120 --> 0:17:18.640
<v Speaker 2>there is this relational point where they say, oh fuck,

0:17:19.360 --> 0:17:21.480
<v Speaker 2>I couldn't imagine what it's like, you know, living on

0:17:21.681 --> 0:17:23.840
<v Speaker 2>the streets and losing that community.

0:17:23.761 --> 0:17:28.960
<v Speaker 1>In your experience, what is the number one cause of

0:17:29.001 --> 0:17:30.961
<v Speaker 1>homelessness in our country.

0:17:31.481 --> 0:17:34.080
<v Speaker 2>I don't think there's one cause. I think that there

0:17:34.241 --> 0:17:37.761
<v Speaker 2>is one or two events that happen that then send

0:17:37.801 --> 0:17:42.440
<v Speaker 2>people on a trajectory very quickly in finding themselves in

0:17:42.481 --> 0:17:45.840
<v Speaker 2>a tough spot. Jordan, our first of a friend, you know,

0:17:45.880 --> 0:17:49.201
<v Speaker 2>we had these few interactions with, was our first ever wash.

0:17:49.241 --> 0:17:51.880
<v Speaker 2>He trusted us, he came and went. But then we

0:17:51.921 --> 0:17:54.681
<v Speaker 2>sort of started seeing all these other people use our service.

0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:58.240
<v Speaker 2>And we've told Jordan's story for ten years, but we

0:17:58.321 --> 0:18:02.041
<v Speaker 2>actually lost track of Jordan. You know, we heard along

0:18:02.080 --> 0:18:05.360
<v Speaker 2>the grapevine that Jordan might have access ourselves on the

0:18:05.360 --> 0:18:08.321
<v Speaker 2>Gold Coast and last year we got in touch with

0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:12.041
<v Speaker 2>Jordan and that was an incredibly special moment and we're

0:18:12.041 --> 0:18:15.681
<v Speaker 2>still in touch with Jordan. And Jordan went to school,

0:18:16.080 --> 0:18:19.481
<v Speaker 2>had a loving and incredibly supportive family, had a job

0:18:19.521 --> 0:18:22.840
<v Speaker 2>at Macquarie Bank working on the IT desk, and was

0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:26.400
<v Speaker 2>probably on the limit of his relationship with alcohol, but

0:18:26.521 --> 0:18:31.001
<v Speaker 2>that was in Australian context, probably a normal social all point.

0:18:31.160 --> 0:18:35.041
<v Speaker 2>And then Jordan's father passed away and his first night

0:18:35.241 --> 0:18:38.241
<v Speaker 2>of being homeless was a day after his dad's funeral,

0:18:38.481 --> 0:18:42.960
<v Speaker 2>and that then very quickly compounded and escalated. And I

0:18:43.001 --> 0:18:45.601
<v Speaker 2>think that I always remind myself that if you think

0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:48.921
<v Speaker 2>about our stereotypes of homelessness, Jordan had a very high

0:18:48.961 --> 0:18:53.441
<v Speaker 2>paying job, he's incredibly intelligent, incredibly loving, has an amazing

0:18:53.801 --> 0:18:56.961
<v Speaker 2>supportive family, but then in a process of a couple

0:18:57.001 --> 0:19:01.041
<v Speaker 2>of years, found himself accessing our services. So there is

0:19:01.281 --> 0:19:03.360
<v Speaker 2>you know, over one hundred and thirty Jordan's out there.

0:19:03.761 --> 0:19:07.520
<v Speaker 2>There's for every star around. You know, a mother who

0:19:07.840 --> 0:19:10.720
<v Speaker 2>comes home one day and is completely locked out of

0:19:10.761 --> 0:19:15.801
<v Speaker 2>their home and have no access to financial bank accounts

0:19:16.281 --> 0:19:19.641
<v Speaker 2>and those sorts of things, or is fleeing violence and

0:19:20.120 --> 0:19:22.281
<v Speaker 2>it might be the most costly thing you ever do,

0:19:22.360 --> 0:19:25.881
<v Speaker 2>but your safety is paramount. So I guess, yeah, there's

0:19:25.880 --> 0:19:28.520
<v Speaker 2>no one thing that we see. I think on the

0:19:28.640 --> 0:19:31.720
<v Speaker 2>back end, what we see is that everyone is looking

0:19:31.761 --> 0:19:35.720
<v Speaker 2>for a sense of human connection, dignity, and just to

0:19:35.761 --> 0:19:38.401
<v Speaker 2>be treated as a fellow human. And I think that's

0:19:38.400 --> 0:19:41.281
<v Speaker 2>the common thing we see. Is like the situation that

0:19:41.360 --> 0:19:44.041
<v Speaker 2>got someone to be around an Orange sky van is

0:19:44.080 --> 0:19:46.761
<v Speaker 2>different for everyone, but the commonality is that they're there

0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:48.481
<v Speaker 2>to hang out and connect.

0:19:48.880 --> 0:19:51.001
<v Speaker 1>A few years ago, which is one of the reasons

0:19:51.001 --> 0:19:54.481
<v Speaker 1>I started the podcast, I went through a really rough

0:19:54.521 --> 0:19:59.721
<v Speaker 1>patch and had severe depression. Always been fine, and when

0:19:59.721 --> 0:20:03.400
<v Speaker 1>I reflect on that now, and I'm very grateful at

0:20:03.441 --> 0:20:06.801
<v Speaker 1>that stage. I'd stop drinking before then because drinking, my

0:20:06.880 --> 0:20:09.801
<v Speaker 1>drinking was getting out of control. If I hadn't have

0:20:09.840 --> 0:20:12.761
<v Speaker 1>had the loving support of my husband and my kids

0:20:12.801 --> 0:20:15.400
<v Speaker 1>and my family, was quite obvious to me that I

0:20:15.521 --> 0:20:18.600
<v Speaker 1>could have ended up in that position. It can happen

0:20:18.640 --> 0:20:22.041
<v Speaker 1>to anybody. That's why I think kindness is so imperative,

0:20:22.041 --> 0:20:25.041
<v Speaker 1>because you don't know what anyone's going through. Everyone's got

0:20:25.041 --> 0:20:28.321
<v Speaker 1>a story. People not my choice want to be on

0:20:28.360 --> 0:20:30.321
<v Speaker 1>the streets, and often it might be safer to be

0:20:30.360 --> 0:20:31.840
<v Speaker 1>on the street than it is to be at home.

0:20:32.360 --> 0:20:36.001
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, and Orange Sky's now got over four thousand volunteers,

0:20:36.321 --> 0:20:40.440
<v Speaker 2>and that hardship and loneliness is also present in that community.

0:20:40.921 --> 0:20:45.561
<v Speaker 2>And you know, we have an extraordinary volunteer, Robin in Hobart,

0:20:45.600 --> 0:20:48.360
<v Speaker 2>who was one of our first volunteers in Hobart. You know,

0:20:48.441 --> 0:20:51.360
<v Speaker 2>she joined Orange Sky in sort of that next act

0:20:51.400 --> 0:20:54.280
<v Speaker 2>of her life in a sense that she'd retired and

0:20:54.400 --> 0:20:57.241
<v Speaker 2>was looking at giving back to the community. And Robin's

0:20:57.241 --> 0:21:00.041
<v Speaker 2>world very quickly changed in a period of time where

0:21:00.400 --> 0:21:03.640
<v Speaker 2>her son in law and her husband passed away. Robin

0:21:03.681 --> 0:21:07.321
<v Speaker 2>talked about how hard it was being disconnected from her

0:21:07.400 --> 0:21:11.520
<v Speaker 2>community and those challenges that she was facing through to grief,

0:21:11.681 --> 0:21:15.080
<v Speaker 2>but the friends at Orange Sky and having an opportunity

0:21:15.080 --> 0:21:17.241
<v Speaker 2>to go and give back to the community was so

0:21:17.281 --> 0:21:20.201
<v Speaker 2>significant in her life. And I think that's the thing

0:21:20.201 --> 0:21:22.920
<v Speaker 2>that I'm always reminded by is that the people that

0:21:22.961 --> 0:21:25.840
<v Speaker 2>come to Orange Sky all have their own hardships. We

0:21:25.921 --> 0:21:28.960
<v Speaker 2>also all have our own successes and highs and the

0:21:29.001 --> 0:21:32.240
<v Speaker 2>beauty of the community is that we're on that journey

0:21:32.281 --> 0:21:35.681
<v Speaker 2>together for that moment, and that might be for one

0:21:35.761 --> 0:21:38.681
<v Speaker 2>load of washing which takes an hour for one person,

0:21:38.761 --> 0:21:41.201
<v Speaker 2>and that might be their only interaction with Orange Sky,

0:21:41.441 --> 0:21:44.200
<v Speaker 2>or it might be one whole shift every week for

0:21:44.281 --> 0:21:46.360
<v Speaker 2>ten years that a volunteer has been going on or

0:21:46.360 --> 0:21:49.001
<v Speaker 2>a friend's been going to. That sort of space and

0:21:49.080 --> 0:21:51.441
<v Speaker 2>moment is really special and valued.

0:21:52.281 --> 0:21:55.201
<v Speaker 1>If your friends come in to use the laundry services,

0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:59.400
<v Speaker 1>if you perceive they've got a health issue or they're

0:21:59.441 --> 0:22:03.321
<v Speaker 1>going through a psychosis, how do you guys handle that?

0:22:03.801 --> 0:22:06.120
<v Speaker 1>Is there other services it's like one bridge that you

0:22:06.201 --> 0:22:09.080
<v Speaker 1>might refer them to, or how do you go about that?

0:22:09.681 --> 0:22:12.441
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So the core to that mission of positively connecting

0:22:12.441 --> 0:22:16.321
<v Speaker 2>communities is realizing that partnerships are integrals. So at every

0:22:16.360 --> 0:22:19.201
<v Speaker 2>location that we operate, we're working with others service providers

0:22:19.241 --> 0:22:21.680
<v Speaker 2>like one Bridge or street Side Medics New South Wales

0:22:21.921 --> 0:22:25.041
<v Speaker 2>and Victoria or the Frio Street Doctor or in Wa

0:22:25.160 --> 0:22:28.840
<v Speaker 2>or it might be a clinician that's inside a homelessness

0:22:28.921 --> 0:22:31.561
<v Speaker 2>hub that we're operating outside of. So you know, we

0:22:31.600 --> 0:22:34.640
<v Speaker 2>talk about our volunteers aren't trying to preach, teach or

0:22:34.640 --> 0:22:38.240
<v Speaker 2>fix anything. They're there to provide friendship and connection, but

0:22:38.761 --> 0:22:42.241
<v Speaker 2>their success is actually to be able to get someone

0:22:42.281 --> 0:22:45.680
<v Speaker 2>a service that they maybe weren't aware of or comfortable

0:22:45.721 --> 0:22:48.281
<v Speaker 2>to get to the past. And was talking to Lucas

0:22:48.281 --> 0:22:50.241
<v Speaker 2>about a shift out in Redcliffe the other week where

0:22:50.441 --> 0:22:53.080
<v Speaker 2>he was just talking to a friend who was worried

0:22:53.080 --> 0:22:57.120
<v Speaker 2>about an upcoming operation and their health literacy wasn't great,

0:22:57.241 --> 0:22:59.001
<v Speaker 2>you know, Lucas was able to connect them with another

0:22:59.041 --> 0:23:01.640
<v Speaker 2>service provider who then was able to call them and

0:23:01.681 --> 0:23:04.360
<v Speaker 2>talk to them about getting to their appointments on time.

0:23:04.721 --> 0:23:07.640
<v Speaker 2>And of that friendship is something that you probably had

0:23:07.640 --> 0:23:09.160
<v Speaker 2>the same journey of being like I'm about to go

0:23:09.241 --> 0:23:11.801
<v Speaker 2>in for this operation and friends being let me drop you.

0:23:11.880 --> 0:23:12.921
<v Speaker 1>And that's the thing.

0:23:13.041 --> 0:23:15.360
<v Speaker 2>And I think that that's actually the beauty of that

0:23:15.441 --> 0:23:19.400
<v Speaker 2>idea that we can be better through that sense of community.

0:23:19.441 --> 0:23:23.440
<v Speaker 2>And unfortunately, the people who need that most are in

0:23:23.481 --> 0:23:26.561
<v Speaker 2>the community that we service, and there is a big

0:23:26.600 --> 0:23:30.080
<v Speaker 2>gap of the people that are rallying behind and around them.

0:23:30.080 --> 0:23:33.200
<v Speaker 2>But I think if we can collaborate more and provide

0:23:33.241 --> 0:23:36.441
<v Speaker 2>access to those services is where we need to really focus.

0:23:36.640 --> 0:23:40.721
<v Speaker 1>Clean Slate Clinic has collaborated with one Bridge for those

0:23:40.761 --> 0:23:44.721
<v Speaker 1>people that have addiction issues, and I just thought, isn't

0:23:44.721 --> 0:23:49.080
<v Speaker 1>that just the best service to do? Those two working together.

0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:51.801
<v Speaker 1>When I heard that, I was so delighted because they're

0:23:51.840 --> 0:23:55.241
<v Speaker 1>both amazing services as well me being medical. That's where

0:23:55.241 --> 0:23:57.600
<v Speaker 1>I sort of lean towards how you can help people.

0:23:58.561 --> 0:24:01.681
<v Speaker 1>If someone wants to volunteer, how do they go about it?

0:24:02.041 --> 0:24:03.640
<v Speaker 2>Yep, So you don't need to be a washing expert

0:24:03.721 --> 0:24:05.481
<v Speaker 2>or a shower kind of sir. We do a lot

0:24:05.481 --> 0:24:09.161
<v Speaker 2>of healthcare professionals that volunteer with Orange Sky, a lot

0:24:09.201 --> 0:24:13.201
<v Speaker 2>of retired nurses and doctors, and they're usually the ones

0:24:13.201 --> 0:24:15.520
<v Speaker 2>that are like in there with like the best cleaning

0:24:15.561 --> 0:24:21.561
<v Speaker 2>procedure and very diligent, but also the most amazing connectors.

0:24:21.801 --> 0:24:27.401
<v Speaker 2>And for some people who leave a very care based industry,

0:24:27.840 --> 0:24:32.480
<v Speaker 2>who retire for their next chapter, you naturally do lose

0:24:32.561 --> 0:24:36.361
<v Speaker 2>this opportunity to give back, and that can be quite scary.

0:24:36.761 --> 0:24:39.960
<v Speaker 2>And so the cool thing about volunteering is that you

0:24:39.961 --> 0:24:43.801
<v Speaker 2>can fulfill that experience of caring, and I think that

0:24:43.801 --> 0:24:47.041
<v Speaker 2>that's why we attract so many amazing people. So yeah,

0:24:47.041 --> 0:24:49.281
<v Speaker 2>we always encourage people to jump onto our website orange

0:24:49.321 --> 0:24:51.400
<v Speaker 2>Sky dot org dot au. You can see all the

0:24:51.441 --> 0:24:55.241
<v Speaker 2>locations that we operate and the services that we're needing volunteers,

0:24:55.281 --> 0:24:58.680
<v Speaker 2>but also, you know, the great thing about our country

0:24:58.761 --> 0:25:01.680
<v Speaker 2>is that we see a problem and we want to

0:25:01.721 --> 0:25:04.281
<v Speaker 2>do something about it. And there's so many ways to

0:25:04.321 --> 0:25:07.000
<v Speaker 2>give back in a wather, be through volunteering as a

0:25:07.201 --> 0:25:10.961
<v Speaker 2>practicing nurse with one bridge, or whether it be actually

0:25:11.360 --> 0:25:14.081
<v Speaker 2>saying I don't want to be practicing, I just want

0:25:14.080 --> 0:25:16.641
<v Speaker 2>to come and chat to people and volunteer. I think

0:25:16.681 --> 0:25:18.360
<v Speaker 2>that's the cool thing is that there's so many ways

0:25:18.360 --> 0:25:20.400
<v Speaker 2>to give back to the community.

0:25:20.561 --> 0:25:24.321
<v Speaker 1>I would assume running Orange Sky with Lucas there are

0:25:24.321 --> 0:25:28.481
<v Speaker 1>things that would really impact you. How do you guys

0:25:28.721 --> 0:25:29.281
<v Speaker 1>cope with that?

0:25:29.880 --> 0:25:32.160
<v Speaker 2>You know, I think there's a mixture. One of our

0:25:32.201 --> 0:25:36.721
<v Speaker 2>first employees who was an organizational psychologist, Emily, she taught

0:25:36.761 --> 0:25:38.241
<v Speaker 2>us something very important.

0:25:38.281 --> 0:25:38.801
<v Speaker 1>Early on.

0:25:39.001 --> 0:25:41.801
<v Speaker 2>We used to use this idea around positive and genuine,

0:25:42.160 --> 0:25:46.681
<v Speaker 2>non judgmental relationships, and you know, we train our volunteers

0:25:47.080 --> 0:25:49.480
<v Speaker 2>in that and train them in the f word, use

0:25:49.481 --> 0:25:51.840
<v Speaker 2>the word friend. And then it was that second bit,

0:25:52.360 --> 0:25:55.801
<v Speaker 2>and you know, Emily came to us and said, you know, actually,

0:25:55.840 --> 0:25:59.801
<v Speaker 2>I think by Orange Sky labeling everything as positive and

0:25:59.880 --> 0:26:05.561
<v Speaker 2>non judgmental, you're actually excluding this very important part of life,

0:26:05.600 --> 0:26:10.161
<v Speaker 2>which is the darkness, and not everything in life is positive.

0:26:10.281 --> 0:26:13.601
<v Speaker 2>So if you actually just acknowledge that you're providing space

0:26:13.721 --> 0:26:17.640
<v Speaker 2>to really see people in that moment, and that was

0:26:17.681 --> 0:26:21.521
<v Speaker 2>an extraordinary insight and shaped the trajectory of Orange Sky.

0:26:21.761 --> 0:26:25.521
<v Speaker 2>So we deeply acknowledge that challenges a part of our community,

0:26:25.640 --> 0:26:28.641
<v Speaker 2>and challenge is probably the reason why people have come

0:26:28.681 --> 0:26:30.881
<v Speaker 2>to Orange Sky. They could be potentially the toughest time

0:26:30.880 --> 0:26:33.561
<v Speaker 2>of their life. We're also trying to get washing machines

0:26:33.561 --> 0:26:36.441
<v Speaker 2>to work in a vent. We're also trying to fundraise,

0:26:36.521 --> 0:26:38.080
<v Speaker 2>you know, we're also trying to deal with people that

0:26:38.120 --> 0:26:41.161
<v Speaker 2>are innately complex, and you know, we all have our

0:26:41.160 --> 0:26:44.521
<v Speaker 2>own challenges. So I think, you know, just acknowledging that

0:26:44.801 --> 0:26:48.241
<v Speaker 2>the stuff we're doing is challenging, I think then actually

0:26:48.281 --> 0:26:50.360
<v Speaker 2>gives us a space to then want to be able

0:26:50.400 --> 0:26:53.080
<v Speaker 2>to get support or help. Orange Skuys have got an

0:26:53.080 --> 0:26:57.041
<v Speaker 2>extraordinary team of staff and volunteers that deliver our servers

0:26:57.160 --> 0:27:00.080
<v Speaker 2>and Lucas and I are incredibly blessed that we've got

0:27:00.120 --> 0:27:02.200
<v Speaker 2>so many people around us that are supporting, you know,

0:27:02.241 --> 0:27:05.921
<v Speaker 2>whether that be our board, or our families or our friends.

0:27:06.561 --> 0:27:08.160
<v Speaker 2>So I think there's a couple pass thing. One is

0:27:08.441 --> 0:27:11.321
<v Speaker 2>acknowledging that, you know, the stuff that we're doing isn't easy,

0:27:11.360 --> 0:27:14.041
<v Speaker 2>but we enjoy the challenge and acknowledging that the challenge

0:27:14.080 --> 0:27:15.561
<v Speaker 2>is there and to be able to name it and

0:27:15.721 --> 0:27:18.241
<v Speaker 2>see it. The second is that you know, we're surrounded

0:27:18.241 --> 0:27:21.880
<v Speaker 2>by amazing people, you know, as we preach it Orange

0:27:21.921 --> 0:27:25.481
<v Speaker 2>Sky the power of community. We're very lucky with their community.

0:27:25.561 --> 0:27:29.840
<v Speaker 2>And I think also, you know, we have really beautiful friendship.

0:27:30.241 --> 0:27:33.200
<v Speaker 2>You know, Lucas now leads and runs Orange Sky is

0:27:33.241 --> 0:27:36.041
<v Speaker 2>our CEO and does an extraordinary job at that and

0:27:36.041 --> 0:27:39.200
<v Speaker 2>it's still the smartest guy I know. And you know,

0:27:39.521 --> 0:27:42.321
<v Speaker 2>I'm able to build a few things. And you know,

0:27:42.400 --> 0:27:47.080
<v Speaker 2>our complementary friendship is really important with your volunteers.

0:27:47.201 --> 0:27:50.880
<v Speaker 1>If they chat to someone one of their friends that

0:27:51.041 --> 0:27:54.880
<v Speaker 1>come into user services and you know what is shared

0:27:54.880 --> 0:27:58.160
<v Speaker 1>with them is a little bit traumatizing. How do you

0:27:58.201 --> 0:27:59.601
<v Speaker 1>care for the volunteers?

0:27:59.921 --> 0:28:02.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so a couple of different ways. One is we

0:28:02.521 --> 0:28:05.921
<v Speaker 2>really support our well. Our volunteers are work, so there's

0:28:05.921 --> 0:28:08.600
<v Speaker 2>no difference between being a volunteer and a worker. From

0:28:08.681 --> 0:28:14.000
<v Speaker 2>a legislative process, so our volunteers are treated as workers

0:28:14.160 --> 0:28:17.041
<v Speaker 2>and we take their safety incredibly seriously. You know, we

0:28:17.080 --> 0:28:20.400
<v Speaker 2>support our volunteers with training and onboarding around how to

0:28:20.481 --> 0:28:23.241
<v Speaker 2>have some of those difficult conversations, how to refer to

0:28:23.640 --> 0:28:27.641
<v Speaker 2>service providers. We also support our volunteers in a EAP

0:28:27.880 --> 0:28:31.921
<v Speaker 2>program where they can have access to counselors to debrief

0:28:31.961 --> 0:28:35.480
<v Speaker 2>and connect, but also acknowledging that we can always do

0:28:35.600 --> 0:28:38.321
<v Speaker 2>more in that space. So, you know, I'm proud of

0:28:38.321 --> 0:28:41.241
<v Speaker 2>what ourrange Guide provides for our volunteers and our community

0:28:41.441 --> 0:28:43.401
<v Speaker 2>at the moment, but I'm always interested in, you know,

0:28:43.401 --> 0:28:45.761
<v Speaker 2>how can we take that experience to the next level.

0:28:45.921 --> 0:28:48.601
<v Speaker 2>And that's something that we're always looking at as an organization.

0:28:49.201 --> 0:28:54.801
<v Speaker 1>People find homelessness really confronting. How should people treat or

0:28:55.241 --> 0:28:58.960
<v Speaker 1>address someone that's homeless? So I always say hello and

0:28:59.121 --> 0:29:01.440
<v Speaker 1>just go hey, how are you going? When I'm in

0:29:01.441 --> 0:29:03.721
<v Speaker 1>the States with my daughter, I probably spend more money

0:29:03.761 --> 0:29:07.081
<v Speaker 1>buying coffee for everyone else them myself, because the homelessness

0:29:07.121 --> 0:29:11.681
<v Speaker 1>there is out of control. It's tragic. But here in

0:29:11.721 --> 0:29:15.921
<v Speaker 1>a strait it is something we find very confronting us like, oh,

0:29:16.201 --> 0:29:18.601
<v Speaker 1>you know, I don't want to see that. How do

0:29:18.641 --> 0:29:21.641
<v Speaker 1>we change that dialogue? Yeah?

0:29:21.681 --> 0:29:23.681
<v Speaker 2>I think a couple things that one is acknowledging.

0:29:23.721 --> 0:29:24.121
<v Speaker 1>It's hard.

0:29:24.441 --> 0:29:28.721
<v Speaker 2>And the great thing about Orange Sky is that we

0:29:29.001 --> 0:29:32.841
<v Speaker 2>build very deep, almost immediate relationships because we have this

0:29:33.521 --> 0:29:35.321
<v Speaker 2>side thing which is, hey, do you have some washing

0:29:35.441 --> 0:29:38.281
<v Speaker 2>put in the machine, and then the conversation takes place.

0:29:38.321 --> 0:29:43.041
<v Speaker 2>So we are going into people's living rooms or homes,

0:29:43.201 --> 0:29:45.960
<v Speaker 2>whether that be a park or a drop in center,

0:29:46.001 --> 0:29:48.520
<v Speaker 2>that's their space. So we are going into a very

0:29:48.561 --> 0:29:51.601
<v Speaker 2>sacred space, and we are providing something that is very intimate,

0:29:51.721 --> 0:29:55.401
<v Speaker 2>which is laundry and showers. So we are fortunate that

0:29:55.441 --> 0:29:59.480
<v Speaker 2>we are able to form a connection quite quickly. But

0:29:59.561 --> 0:30:02.721
<v Speaker 2>I think, you know, for engaging with people out there

0:30:02.721 --> 0:30:04.801
<v Speaker 2>in the community when you're not at an Orange Sky

0:30:04.841 --> 0:30:07.641
<v Speaker 2>s us. You know, we love the F word, which

0:30:07.681 --> 0:30:12.440
<v Speaker 2>is friends. It's something that's incredibly respectful and inviting to

0:30:12.521 --> 0:30:15.721
<v Speaker 2>acknowledge someone as that and if you don't know their name,

0:30:15.921 --> 0:30:19.001
<v Speaker 2>and I think starting a conversation and you know, coming

0:30:19.041 --> 0:30:21.441
<v Speaker 2>back to not trying to fix anything or teach anything

0:30:21.881 --> 0:30:22.601
<v Speaker 2>or tell anything.

0:30:22.601 --> 0:30:23.681
<v Speaker 1>It's just to check in.

0:30:23.801 --> 0:30:26.240
<v Speaker 2>And you know, I think there's so many things that

0:30:26.281 --> 0:30:28.761
<v Speaker 2>we do with our own friends that has just applied

0:30:28.801 --> 0:30:32.641
<v Speaker 2>to that cohort of people. It may be introducing yourself

0:30:33.081 --> 0:30:36.281
<v Speaker 2>finding commonality. You know, one of my favorite conversation starters

0:30:36.441 --> 0:30:39.921
<v Speaker 2>is remembering something about a previous conversation. Hey, John, how

0:30:39.961 --> 0:30:42.881
<v Speaker 2>good was it that sporting team one? Hey Michelle, did

0:30:42.921 --> 0:30:46.441
<v Speaker 2>you see that tram arrived on time? You know, those

0:30:46.521 --> 0:30:50.001
<v Speaker 2>really simple things that you do with with your normal,

0:30:50.001 --> 0:30:54.001
<v Speaker 2>everyday friends, I think is so important. So I'm always

0:30:54.241 --> 0:31:00.200
<v Speaker 2>thinking about the weather and the impacts that the community has,

0:31:00.281 --> 0:31:02.841
<v Speaker 2>and I always find myself, you know, if there's a

0:31:02.841 --> 0:31:06.121
<v Speaker 2>big storm and I'm falling asleep hearing the rain on

0:31:06.121 --> 0:31:08.241
<v Speaker 2>a roof, thinking, you know, I hope friends out there

0:31:08.881 --> 0:31:11.201
<v Speaker 2>are okay, but actually knowing there's not much I can

0:31:11.241 --> 0:31:14.601
<v Speaker 2>do right now. But the next day you can open

0:31:14.641 --> 0:31:17.081
<v Speaker 2>that conversation with you know, how are you doing after

0:31:17.161 --> 0:31:17.641
<v Speaker 2>last night?

0:31:17.761 --> 0:31:18.121
<v Speaker 1>Yeah?

0:31:18.161 --> 0:31:20.321
<v Speaker 2>And I think that is a really simple way to

0:31:20.361 --> 0:31:23.521
<v Speaker 2>show that you care, because you're not sugarcoating. It's just

0:31:23.561 --> 0:31:25.841
<v Speaker 2>providing a little bit of space to acknowledge, like, hey,

0:31:25.881 --> 0:31:27.921
<v Speaker 2>I was thinking about you last night because that was

0:31:27.961 --> 0:31:30.641
<v Speaker 2>a really hectic storm. And the person might be like, oh,

0:31:30.641 --> 0:31:32.681
<v Speaker 2>a great sleep I was tucked away in here, or

0:31:32.681 --> 0:31:34.281
<v Speaker 2>some might be like, you know what it was?

0:31:34.321 --> 0:31:39.281
<v Speaker 1>Shit? Yeah, and thanks for seeing that that sucked. When

0:31:39.321 --> 0:31:42.001
<v Speaker 1>I first started with my business, I used to do

0:31:42.201 --> 0:31:44.001
<v Speaker 1>that same thing. I'd have a sheet of paper and

0:31:44.001 --> 0:31:47.481
<v Speaker 1>I'd be writing down order's name, spouse's name, has a dog.

0:31:47.961 --> 0:31:51.801
<v Speaker 1>And it's quite interesting how it builds a raport so

0:31:51.921 --> 0:31:55.361
<v Speaker 1>fast because you've taken the time to actually remember something

0:31:55.681 --> 0:31:58.601
<v Speaker 1>about them, and it makes them feel worthy and valuable

0:31:58.721 --> 0:32:01.041
<v Speaker 1>that they meant enough to you that you remembered something.

0:32:01.681 --> 0:32:06.681
<v Speaker 1>I'm sure people that are doing it tough really love

0:32:06.721 --> 0:32:09.521
<v Speaker 1>it that someone is actually thinking about them, just beyond

0:32:10.241 --> 0:32:14.921
<v Speaker 1>their situation. And I really struggle that homelessness is growing

0:32:14.961 --> 0:32:18.281
<v Speaker 1>so rapidly in our country, and when we are just

0:32:18.321 --> 0:32:21.641
<v Speaker 1>so blessed, and with my trips to the States where

0:32:21.761 --> 0:32:24.841
<v Speaker 1>my daughter lives when she first went over there before COVID,

0:32:25.601 --> 0:32:28.041
<v Speaker 1>from then to now, you know, the different places we've

0:32:28.081 --> 0:32:32.721
<v Speaker 1>been to and the huge demographic growth of people sleeping

0:32:33.001 --> 0:32:37.401
<v Speaker 1>rough has blown us away. And you know, I just

0:32:37.441 --> 0:32:39.601
<v Speaker 1>don't want Australia to be like that. We meant to

0:32:39.761 --> 0:32:42.761
<v Speaker 1>look after each other, and sometimes I think, is it happening?

0:32:43.121 --> 0:32:45.881
<v Speaker 1>Means people like you doing the right thing, But you

0:32:45.921 --> 0:32:47.721
<v Speaker 1>know what can the rest of us do? Yeah?

0:32:47.721 --> 0:32:50.440
<v Speaker 2>I think it's easy to get overwhelmed sometimes. But also

0:32:50.841 --> 0:32:53.480
<v Speaker 2>you know, I was in Sydney last week and I

0:32:53.561 --> 0:32:55.520
<v Speaker 2>was out for a run near Circular Key and had

0:32:55.521 --> 0:32:57.521
<v Speaker 2>this great run and then I was running down the

0:32:57.521 --> 0:33:00.321
<v Speaker 2>street and there's this bright orange van. You know, there's

0:33:00.561 --> 0:33:03.081
<v Speaker 2>volunteers sitting out and they're having an awesome chat and

0:33:03.401 --> 0:33:05.001
<v Speaker 2>you know, I go and introduce myself. They have no

0:33:05.121 --> 0:33:08.041
<v Speaker 2>idea who I am, and you know, hey, I'm near like,

0:33:08.041 --> 0:33:09.681
<v Speaker 2>oh God, do you want to wash your clothes? And

0:33:09.681 --> 0:33:11.281
<v Speaker 2>I'm like, nah, I'm just here to say, you know,

0:33:11.401 --> 0:33:14.921
<v Speaker 2>thanks for what you do. And so, you know, I

0:33:14.961 --> 0:33:19.521
<v Speaker 2>think kindness is in so many pockets. I think sometimes

0:33:19.561 --> 0:33:23.401
<v Speaker 2>we forget about the extraordinary people that you know, go

0:33:23.481 --> 0:33:26.001
<v Speaker 2>and do good. But I was just thinking about a

0:33:26.081 --> 0:33:29.041
<v Speaker 2>very good friend and mentor to us at Orange Sky

0:33:29.121 --> 0:33:32.761
<v Speaker 2>Camogra talked about in one of our first stories. It's

0:33:32.801 --> 0:33:35.761
<v Speaker 2>knowing that someone cares, and it's all about hope. And

0:33:35.801 --> 0:33:37.881
<v Speaker 2>you know, I think we can get more sophisticated in

0:33:38.481 --> 0:33:43.081
<v Speaker 2>policies and procedures and technology around you know, engaging with

0:33:43.201 --> 0:33:46.161
<v Speaker 2>people and whatnot. But I think it in a simplest form,

0:33:46.201 --> 0:33:48.961
<v Speaker 2>if you care, then all of that other stuff falls

0:33:49.001 --> 0:33:51.161
<v Speaker 2>into place. And if that means that you just care

0:33:51.361 --> 0:33:54.561
<v Speaker 2>or you're passionate about something, then I think that's going

0:33:54.601 --> 0:33:56.801
<v Speaker 2>to flow onto your relationships. Whereas like, if you care

0:33:56.841 --> 0:34:00.641
<v Speaker 2>deeply about nature and then you're talking to someone about nature,

0:34:00.681 --> 0:34:02.441
<v Speaker 2>that'll probably be the thing you talk about next time.

0:34:02.681 --> 0:34:06.121
<v Speaker 2>You actually don't need those prompts around asking questions about

0:34:06.121 --> 0:34:09.440
<v Speaker 2>people's interests and hobbies. But I sometimes get overwhelmed with

0:34:09.481 --> 0:34:13.321
<v Speaker 2>being like, oh fuck, I is this assignment sheet on someone.

0:34:13.361 --> 0:34:16.761
<v Speaker 2>But if you just start a genuine conversation and you care,

0:34:17.401 --> 0:34:21.641
<v Speaker 2>all of that mesh of tissue of relationship will form,

0:34:22.041 --> 0:34:24.161
<v Speaker 2>and then you might find this pattern where you know,

0:34:24.201 --> 0:34:27.481
<v Speaker 2>you both realize that you grew up in the same area,

0:34:27.641 --> 0:34:31.361
<v Speaker 2>or that you both like a certain artist, or you know,

0:34:31.441 --> 0:34:34.321
<v Speaker 2>like you could never predict that. And I think that's

0:34:34.361 --> 0:34:36.481
<v Speaker 2>the beauty of orange sky is like, you know, we

0:34:36.601 --> 0:34:39.001
<v Speaker 2>used to say, let's get one volunteer from this demographic

0:34:39.001 --> 0:34:41.361
<v Speaker 2>and one volunteer from this demographic, and then let's get

0:34:41.561 --> 0:34:43.401
<v Speaker 2>you know, let's put them on that shift because they

0:34:43.441 --> 0:34:46.161
<v Speaker 2>might be safer. And then you realize that you know,

0:34:46.201 --> 0:34:49.881
<v Speaker 2>a volunteer that you never thought would be appropriate for

0:34:49.921 --> 0:34:53.001
<v Speaker 2>a shift or would get on with another volunteer, they

0:34:53.041 --> 0:34:56.281
<v Speaker 2>become best friends, you know, and it's like, why is

0:34:56.361 --> 0:34:59.921
<v Speaker 2>a eighteen year old become best friends with the ninety

0:34:59.961 --> 0:35:02.721
<v Speaker 2>six year old who's volunteering, and why do they now

0:35:03.201 --> 0:35:05.961
<v Speaker 2>drive to shift together? And you can ever predict some

0:35:06.001 --> 0:35:08.241
<v Speaker 2>of these things. You know, both their families grew up

0:35:08.241 --> 0:35:11.201
<v Speaker 2>in a similar area and now they're hanging out outside

0:35:11.241 --> 0:35:13.761
<v Speaker 2>of Orange Sky and helping each other at the library

0:35:13.761 --> 0:35:15.721
<v Speaker 2>and this sort of stuff. So yeah, I think it

0:35:15.761 --> 0:35:20.361
<v Speaker 2>can get overwhelming seeing the rates of loneliness and isolation

0:35:20.801 --> 0:35:24.641
<v Speaker 2>and polarization grow in the world, and we shouldn't not

0:35:24.761 --> 0:35:28.601
<v Speaker 2>acknowledge that. But I also think that it's not too hard,

0:35:28.961 --> 0:35:34.161
<v Speaker 2>Like we know the fix. It's really basic. It's connecting

0:35:34.241 --> 0:35:37.801
<v Speaker 2>with people, it's treating people well. And I think that

0:35:37.801 --> 0:35:39.881
<v Speaker 2>that like we're not having to find a cure. This

0:35:40.241 --> 0:35:42.561
<v Speaker 2>is something that is really preventable.

0:35:42.881 --> 0:35:45.641
<v Speaker 1>And people know when you're being genuine you know, they

0:35:45.641 --> 0:35:50.041
<v Speaker 1>can tell when you're genuinely interested in them and what

0:35:50.161 --> 0:35:53.121
<v Speaker 1>they have to say, you know. So I mean, do

0:35:53.161 --> 0:35:58.681
<v Speaker 1>you find with your volunteers that they're looking for something

0:35:58.721 --> 0:36:00.961
<v Speaker 1>more or they really want to give back to the community,

0:36:01.561 --> 0:36:05.041
<v Speaker 1>Like is there a particular recipe around what your volunteer

0:36:05.241 --> 0:36:07.721
<v Speaker 1>is are looking for No.

0:36:07.801 --> 0:36:10.201
<v Speaker 2>It's the same as like why the friends rock up there? Right,

0:36:10.321 --> 0:36:12.641
<v Speaker 2>Like there's you know some volunteers that might have more

0:36:12.641 --> 0:36:14.961
<v Speaker 2>time they registered a volunteer. You know, one of my

0:36:14.961 --> 0:36:18.681
<v Speaker 2>favorite stories is there was an elderly volunteer who in

0:36:18.721 --> 0:36:21.561
<v Speaker 2>the early days signed up. I was out and ship

0:36:21.641 --> 0:36:24.881
<v Speaker 2>with them, and this volunteer like pulled me aside and

0:36:25.161 --> 0:36:28.161
<v Speaker 2>was like, this is the laziest volunteering I've ever seen.

0:36:28.361 --> 0:36:29.881
<v Speaker 2>And they're like, you know, you just set the van up,

0:36:29.921 --> 0:36:32.201
<v Speaker 2>you plug it in, You're just sitting around talking. What

0:36:32.281 --> 0:36:34.361
<v Speaker 2>an absolute joke. And I was like thinking to myself,

0:36:34.401 --> 0:36:35.881
<v Speaker 2>like pretty much all we do is like, you know,

0:36:36.001 --> 0:36:38.241
<v Speaker 2>like how did we get that wrong? But for that person,

0:36:38.281 --> 0:36:41.361
<v Speaker 2>you know, they're volunteering was painting a wall or building

0:36:41.401 --> 0:36:44.881
<v Speaker 2>a fence or reading someone a book, and Orange Skuy

0:36:45.001 --> 0:36:47.321
<v Speaker 2>just wasn't the right outlet for them to volunteer. And

0:36:47.361 --> 0:36:50.161
<v Speaker 2>that's totally fine. I actually feel bad that Orange Sky,

0:36:50.281 --> 0:36:53.041
<v Speaker 2>you know, didn't clearly articulate what we were doing. But

0:36:53.081 --> 0:36:54.801
<v Speaker 2>I think that's the great thing is, you know, some

0:36:54.881 --> 0:36:58.241
<v Speaker 2>volunteers really love setting the van up and putting the

0:36:58.361 --> 0:37:01.361
<v Speaker 2>washing in and cleaning after a shower where some volunteers

0:37:01.361 --> 0:37:03.961
<v Speaker 2>have like never touched, you know, anything to do with

0:37:04.001 --> 0:37:06.441
<v Speaker 2>the van. They just rock up and they sit on

0:37:06.481 --> 0:37:08.481
<v Speaker 2>a chair and they hang out with people, and I

0:37:08.481 --> 0:37:11.161
<v Speaker 2>think that that's the cool thing. But I think, you know,

0:37:11.241 --> 0:37:14.881
<v Speaker 2>there's so many ways to connect and give back, which

0:37:14.921 --> 0:37:16.801
<v Speaker 2>is sort of what we're all about.

0:37:17.041 --> 0:37:20.401
<v Speaker 1>Do you have lots of younger people volunteering.

0:37:20.321 --> 0:37:23.281
<v Speaker 2>We've got a whole Like our youngest volunteer is eighteen,

0:37:23.561 --> 0:37:26.561
<v Speaker 2>and you know, our oldest volunteers is ninety seven. So

0:37:27.281 --> 0:37:29.521
<v Speaker 2>you know, our most common age used to be twenty

0:37:29.561 --> 0:37:32.721
<v Speaker 2>four and fifty five. But you know, so many different

0:37:32.881 --> 0:37:36.361
<v Speaker 2>different reasons people volunteer, and that can change over time.

0:37:36.401 --> 0:37:39.041
<v Speaker 2>You know, for Robin in Hobart, she wanted to join,

0:37:39.201 --> 0:37:40.481
<v Speaker 2>she had a bit more time, and she wanted to

0:37:40.481 --> 0:37:44.321
<v Speaker 2>give back. But now she volunteers because that's her community

0:37:44.641 --> 0:37:48.961
<v Speaker 2>and that's her human connection and she couldn't see a

0:37:49.001 --> 0:37:51.961
<v Speaker 2>world without having a part of Orange Sky in it.

0:37:52.241 --> 0:37:55.161
<v Speaker 2>Whereas for some volunteers, you know, they might move to

0:37:55.241 --> 0:37:58.601
<v Speaker 2>a new area and not have any deep friends or

0:37:58.641 --> 0:38:02.281
<v Speaker 2>community in the area. They volunteer, form some friends and

0:38:02.521 --> 0:38:05.041
<v Speaker 2>their job might change and so then they don't volunteer

0:38:05.081 --> 0:38:07.721
<v Speaker 2>with Orange Sky. But you know, like it was moving

0:38:07.761 --> 0:38:09.521
<v Speaker 2>around all these sorts of things. You know, we have

0:38:09.561 --> 0:38:14.121
<v Speaker 2>volunteers that start when they're on paternity or maternity leave. Like,

0:38:14.161 --> 0:38:17.201
<v Speaker 2>there's so many different reasons why why people volunteer?

0:38:17.721 --> 0:38:20.281
<v Speaker 1>Do you have to be eighteen to volunteer? You can't

0:38:20.321 --> 0:38:22.881
<v Speaker 1>be younger? Or can you do it with a family member?

0:38:24.161 --> 0:38:26.521
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, so we made the call, which is a tough

0:38:26.521 --> 0:38:28.121
<v Speaker 2>call because, like I said, it was a big impact

0:38:28.201 --> 0:38:30.801
<v Speaker 2>on my life. But yeah, to volunteer at orange skuy

0:38:30.841 --> 0:38:33.561
<v Speaker 2>you have to be eighteen. But also all of orange

0:38:33.561 --> 0:38:36.081
<v Speaker 2>Sky shifts at public, So if a young person did

0:38:36.081 --> 0:38:38.641
<v Speaker 2>want to see an Orange Sky service, you know they could.

0:38:38.881 --> 0:38:41.601
<v Speaker 2>They're all in public locations where they're most welcome to

0:38:41.961 --> 0:38:43.361
<v Speaker 2>pop down and have a look.

0:38:44.121 --> 0:38:49.641
<v Speaker 1>What would be the biggest life lesson that you have

0:38:49.721 --> 0:38:52.520
<v Speaker 1>learned through running setting up Orange Sky?

0:38:53.401 --> 0:38:55.041
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it's like, you know, one of the things I'm

0:38:55.041 --> 0:38:58.161
<v Speaker 2>incredibly thankful for is Orange Sky's taught me so much.

0:38:58.441 --> 0:39:02.121
<v Speaker 2>And so it's hard to say one thing, but I think,

0:39:02.601 --> 0:39:04.801
<v Speaker 2>you know, the first thing that comes to mind is

0:39:05.721 --> 0:39:11.081
<v Speaker 2>the idea of this quote is dysfunction is the difference

0:39:11.121 --> 0:39:14.641
<v Speaker 2>between what you know and what you apply, and I think,

0:39:14.681 --> 0:39:17.241
<v Speaker 2>you know, we're always especially in this day and age,

0:39:17.281 --> 0:39:20.361
<v Speaker 2>like it's very easy to access knowledge or to know

0:39:20.401 --> 0:39:23.201
<v Speaker 2>that to be healthier we need to exercise, or to

0:39:23.321 --> 0:39:25.801
<v Speaker 2>know that volunteering is a good thing, so we should volunteer.

0:39:26.201 --> 0:39:28.521
<v Speaker 2>But then the gap being around well, you know, we

0:39:28.561 --> 0:39:31.201
<v Speaker 2>say we're busy or you know, something comes up, and

0:39:31.241 --> 0:39:34.121
<v Speaker 2>so if you apply it to Orange Sky's context, we

0:39:34.881 --> 0:39:39.201
<v Speaker 2>knew that people didn't have access to laundry, and you know,

0:39:39.241 --> 0:39:41.441
<v Speaker 2>we knew that there were ways to give back to

0:39:41.441 --> 0:39:43.601
<v Speaker 2>the community and charities and that sort of thing. But

0:39:44.001 --> 0:39:47.041
<v Speaker 2>the only difference to to why Orange Sky might have

0:39:47.281 --> 0:39:49.440
<v Speaker 2>worked is that we just did something about it and

0:39:49.801 --> 0:39:52.401
<v Speaker 2>now you know, Orange Sky is what it is today.

0:39:52.481 --> 0:39:55.841
<v Speaker 2>But I think acknowledging that we're all dysfunctional to some

0:39:56.401 --> 0:39:58.601
<v Speaker 2>level and that's a part of life. But I think,

0:39:58.641 --> 0:40:01.321
<v Speaker 2>you know, the biggest lesson is thinking about how do

0:40:01.401 --> 0:40:04.561
<v Speaker 2>we when we know something do something about it and

0:40:04.601 --> 0:40:07.681
<v Speaker 2>then what the learning from that? And I think, you know,

0:40:07.721 --> 0:40:10.241
<v Speaker 2>that's something that I really try and take into to

0:40:10.361 --> 0:40:12.401
<v Speaker 2>my life is thinking about, you know, what is something

0:40:12.481 --> 0:40:14.841
<v Speaker 2>that I know I should be doing that I'm not doing,

0:40:14.921 --> 0:40:17.041
<v Speaker 2>and then just give it a bit of energy and

0:40:17.081 --> 0:40:18.401
<v Speaker 2>then see what happens.

0:40:19.281 --> 0:40:22.761
<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much for coming in today. I have

0:40:22.841 --> 0:40:24.881
<v Speaker 1>been looking forward to this chat for a long time.

0:40:25.681 --> 0:40:29.161
<v Speaker 1>I actually was on there last night looking about more

0:40:29.161 --> 0:40:32.601
<v Speaker 1>of the volunteering side of things. So, guys, I will

0:40:32.601 --> 0:40:35.401
<v Speaker 1>put up all the information about Orange Sky in the

0:40:35.441 --> 0:40:38.481
<v Speaker 1>show notes so that if you decide do you want

0:40:38.521 --> 0:40:40.801
<v Speaker 1>to look into it a bit further, or you want

0:40:40.801 --> 0:40:43.441
<v Speaker 1>to volunteer or go on the board or all that

0:40:43.481 --> 0:40:46.801
<v Speaker 1>information will be there. I know you are super busy,

0:40:46.881 --> 0:40:51.041
<v Speaker 1>and I really appreciate you coming in and chatting about

0:40:51.241 --> 0:40:53.841
<v Speaker 1>the amazing work you do, so thank you so much.

0:40:54.121 --> 0:40:55.761
<v Speaker 2>Thank you. And it's probably a bit of hing pong,

0:40:55.761 --> 0:40:58.201
<v Speaker 2>but I always like reminding people that you actually don't

0:40:58.201 --> 0:41:01.161
<v Speaker 2>need an Orange Sky service to care or give back.

0:41:01.201 --> 0:41:04.161
<v Speaker 2>And the majority of people probably listening, if you've made

0:41:04.161 --> 0:41:08.721
<v Speaker 2>it this far, career in healthcare is innately caring. It's

0:41:08.801 --> 0:41:12.561
<v Speaker 2>very easy to get overwhelmed with the business or the

0:41:12.601 --> 0:41:16.601
<v Speaker 2>bureaucracy or the process, but reminding yourself that you can

0:41:16.641 --> 0:41:18.561
<v Speaker 2>deliver that hope and care, and you are delivering that

0:41:18.641 --> 0:41:20.561
<v Speaker 2>hope and care each and every day, and it's just

0:41:20.601 --> 0:41:24.281
<v Speaker 2>those little tweaks around what Orange Sky is doing is

0:41:24.321 --> 0:41:27.681
<v Speaker 2>no different to what a nurse is doing in seeing

0:41:27.681 --> 0:41:30.721
<v Speaker 2>someone and potentially the toughest time of their life, whether

0:41:30.841 --> 0:41:33.601
<v Speaker 2>the most scared and confused and vulnerable. One of our

0:41:33.721 --> 0:41:37.201
<v Speaker 2>volunteers here in Brisbane was a head of a pediatric

0:41:37.441 --> 0:41:40.401
<v Speaker 2>ICU for thirty or forty years or whatever, and I

0:41:40.441 --> 0:41:41.721
<v Speaker 2>sort of said to them, like, you know, what's the

0:41:41.721 --> 0:41:45.521
<v Speaker 2>biggest lesson that you learned in that whole time? And

0:41:45.641 --> 0:41:49.081
<v Speaker 2>they said, you know, the first thing that I teach

0:41:49.161 --> 0:41:52.681
<v Speaker 2>every one of our team in ICU is before we

0:41:52.721 --> 0:41:55.321
<v Speaker 2>even look at the patient or the young person is

0:41:55.361 --> 0:41:58.201
<v Speaker 2>we ask the parents, you know, what's the child's name

0:41:58.641 --> 0:42:01.401
<v Speaker 2>and why did you call them that? And in that

0:42:01.561 --> 0:42:04.520
<v Speaker 2>moment that was the most profound thing because we could

0:42:04.561 --> 0:42:08.241
<v Speaker 2>tell so much about their health, literacy, and their upbringing

0:42:08.321 --> 0:42:10.841
<v Speaker 2>and their values just by asking them their name. And

0:42:10.881 --> 0:42:12.721
<v Speaker 2>I was like, that's all we do at Orange guys,

0:42:12.721 --> 0:42:14.521
<v Speaker 2>we say hey, friend, what's your name? You know, and

0:42:14.561 --> 0:42:17.121
<v Speaker 2>it's just the simple ast thing that you know, they're

0:42:17.161 --> 0:42:21.001
<v Speaker 2>probably working in incredibly time precious and a bit of

0:42:21.001 --> 0:42:23.081
<v Speaker 2>a deviation at the end of him we're coming into land,

0:42:23.121 --> 0:42:25.921
<v Speaker 2>but I think just really want to acknowledge the extraordinary

0:42:25.921 --> 0:42:29.521
<v Speaker 2>impact that you know your audience and you you listening

0:42:30.081 --> 0:42:30.961
<v Speaker 2>is having on the communion.

0:42:31.041 --> 0:42:33.761
<v Speaker 1>Thank you for your service. Oh, thank you so much

0:42:33.801 --> 0:42:36.321
<v Speaker 1>for coming in. And like I say to people, kindness

0:42:36.321 --> 0:42:41.961
<v Speaker 1>cost you nothing, and it's okay to acknowledge someone. I

0:42:41.961 --> 0:42:44.481
<v Speaker 1>think it's worse when you walk past someone the's homeless

0:42:44.481 --> 0:42:46.761
<v Speaker 1>and try to pretend they're not there. You know, give

0:42:46.801 --> 0:42:49.721
<v Speaker 1>them a smile as if they want a coffee. That's

0:42:49.761 --> 0:42:52.841
<v Speaker 1>my go to just show some kindness. And I think

0:42:52.881 --> 0:42:57.641
<v Speaker 1>the world would be a better place this season. I

0:42:57.681 --> 0:43:00.960
<v Speaker 1>am so excited to announce it. The podcast is being

0:43:01.001 --> 0:43:04.841
<v Speaker 1>supported by Nutritia, which is a global leader in medical nutrition.

0:43:06.041 --> 0:43:08.841
<v Speaker 1>They understand the needs of nurses in the nutrition space

0:43:08.881 --> 0:43:11.321
<v Speaker 1>and for over one hundred and twenty five years have

0:43:11.401 --> 0:43:15.801
<v Speaker 1>provided products to support child health. Some of Nutrita's pediatric

0:43:15.881 --> 0:43:20.481
<v Speaker 1>brands include Neo Kate Junior for children who have food allergies,

0:43:20.521 --> 0:43:22.761
<v Speaker 1>and apt to Grow for those fussy eaters. And those

0:43:22.761 --> 0:43:26.481
<v Speaker 1>of us who have children know many kids who go

0:43:26.561 --> 0:43:31.121
<v Speaker 1>through the phases of definite fussiness. For more information and resources,

0:43:31.361 --> 0:43:35.161
<v Speaker 1>visit the Nutrita Pediatrics Hub at nutritia dot com dot

0:43:35.201 --> 0:43:38.441
<v Speaker 1>au forward slash pediatrics. I just want to say a

0:43:38.601 --> 0:43:41.881
<v Speaker 1>huge thank you to Nutritia. Their desire to support nurses

0:43:41.961 --> 0:43:45.161
<v Speaker 1>is truly appreciated and they are allowing me to continue

0:43:45.201 --> 0:43:48.081
<v Speaker 1>this podcast so that we can all grow as nurses.