WEBVTT - Talking Vision 735 Week Beginning 1st of July 2024 0:00:13.158 --> 0:00:18.948 From Vision Australia this is talking vision. And now here's 0:00:18.948 --> 0:00:20.928 your host, Sam Coley. 0:00:23.418 --> 0:00:26.598 Hello, everyone. It's great to be here with you. And 0:00:26.598 --> 0:00:29.568 for the next half hour, we talk matters of blindness 0:00:29.568 --> 0:00:30.648 and low vision. 0:00:30.678 --> 0:00:32.658 You know, when you think about if I, as a 0:00:32.658 --> 0:00:35.158 fully sighted person, I'm sitting in a room full of 0:00:35.158 --> 0:00:38.758 people in an aged care home. I'm listening to conversation. 0:00:38.758 --> 0:00:41.398 I can see people, and I can smile at them 0:00:41.398 --> 0:00:45.898 and connect with them, even at least visually. That does 0:00:45.898 --> 0:00:48.988 give me some opportunity to create friendships. But if you're 0:00:48.988 --> 0:00:51.958 sitting in the same room, you're living with vision loss. 0:00:51.958 --> 0:00:54.448 You're not able to connect with people that way. That 0:00:54.448 --> 0:00:56.968 increases your chances of isolation. 0:00:56.998 --> 0:01:01.978 Welcome to the program. This week we chat with Asis Tawfik, 0:01:01.978 --> 0:01:07.228 the CEO of aging with Grace and coordinator of the 0:01:07.228 --> 0:01:12.508 Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme in south eastern Australia. You'll 0:01:12.508 --> 0:01:17.398 hear from ASIS about her organisation plus the scheme in 0:01:17.398 --> 0:01:21.988 just a second. But after you hear from ASIS, I 0:01:22.018 --> 0:01:27.888 catch up with Verity Hunt-ballard, the creative producer from the 0:01:27.888 --> 0:01:32.688 Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, who's here to chat to 0:01:32.688 --> 0:01:37.638 me all about Story Sauce, a new story platform which 0:01:37.638 --> 0:01:43.188 is audio based for kids around Australia, to inspire them 0:01:43.188 --> 0:01:46.668 to create stories of their own and learn new things 0:01:46.668 --> 0:01:50.898 along the way. I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode 0:01:50.898 --> 0:02:00.078 of Talking Vision. Aces. Tawfik is the CEO of aging 0:02:00.078 --> 0:02:04.728 with Grace. In addition to being the state network member 0:02:04.728 --> 0:02:09.618 for the Aged Care Volunteer Visitor Scheme across the Act, 0:02:09.768 --> 0:02:14.268 New South Wales and Victoria. She's here to talk about 0:02:14.268 --> 0:02:18.228 the scheme today, as well as aging with grace itself. 0:02:18.228 --> 0:02:22.818 So without further ado, it's my great pleasure to welcome 0:02:22.818 --> 0:02:27.438 ASIS now. ASIS, welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you very 0:02:27.438 --> 0:02:28.488 much for your time. 0:02:28.488 --> 0:02:30.288 Thank you Sam, lovely to be here. 0:02:30.408 --> 0:02:35.538 Before we get into the Aged Care Volunteer visitors Visitors scheme, 0:02:35.538 --> 0:02:38.478 I'd love to hear a little bit more about the 0:02:38.478 --> 0:02:40.998 organization aging with Grace. 0:02:41.028 --> 0:02:43.668 Thank you. So I started aging with Grace back in 0:02:43.668 --> 0:02:48.288 August 2022, and it was in direct response to what 0:02:48.288 --> 0:02:50.298 I could see. I've been in the sector for about 0:02:50.298 --> 0:02:54.348 30 years and the in the volunteer community disability aged 0:02:54.348 --> 0:02:57.798 care sector. So all combined all different sectors. But basically 0:02:57.798 --> 0:03:00.918 I guess in the community services sector, and I could 0:03:00.918 --> 0:03:03.108 see that we had a gap in some of the 0:03:03.108 --> 0:03:06.858 support services that we have for older people, very much 0:03:06.858 --> 0:03:10.248 inspired by my mother, who was a very big, had 0:03:10.248 --> 0:03:13.848 a really high sense of social responsibility and has always 0:03:13.848 --> 0:03:19.188 been involved in charity personally and also through volunteering. You know, 0:03:19.188 --> 0:03:22.218 I'd come home sometimes and I'd say, mum, where's whatever, 0:03:22.218 --> 0:03:24.588 something I'd purchased and she would have given it away 0:03:24.588 --> 0:03:26.958 because she said, I just found someone needed it more 0:03:26.958 --> 0:03:29.628 than you did. So she'd give it away. And she 0:03:29.628 --> 0:03:32.508 instilled a very high sense of charity and that's, you know, 0:03:32.508 --> 0:03:37.158 financial so very much about giving money away often and 0:03:37.158 --> 0:03:40.998 also very big on the purpose of why we're on earth. 0:03:40.998 --> 0:03:44.178 So that has stayed and was very much ingrained in me, 0:03:44.178 --> 0:03:46.428 and hopefully I've passed that on to my children. So 0:03:46.428 --> 0:03:49.408 I loved working for different charities and worked for Vision 0:03:49.408 --> 0:03:52.408 Australia for 11 years and absolutely loved it. And Vision 0:03:52.408 --> 0:03:54.478 Australia has always stayed very dear to my heart. And 0:03:54.478 --> 0:03:57.388 then I worked for miss and then part of my 0:03:57.388 --> 0:04:00.898 job at miss, which is multiple sclerosis, was also supporting 0:04:00.898 --> 0:04:04.768 a service for older people and then went off and 0:04:04.768 --> 0:04:08.068 worked for other charities and then finally followed a dream, 0:04:08.068 --> 0:04:10.708 which was to start my own small charity. And the 0:04:10.708 --> 0:04:13.518 benefit of a small charity is the dollars are very 0:04:13.518 --> 0:04:17.148 much able to be focused on the the service delivery. 0:04:17.148 --> 0:04:19.638 Not that bigger charities don't do that, but it's much 0:04:19.638 --> 0:04:23.268 harder for them. And aging with Grace was born and 0:04:23.268 --> 0:04:25.188 I got the name. I came up with the name 0:04:25.188 --> 0:04:28.938 because as people age and watching people age, I thought 0:04:28.938 --> 0:04:32.298 it's really important for us to allow them the opportunity 0:04:32.298 --> 0:04:35.268 to age with grace. And to do that, we need 0:04:35.268 --> 0:04:39.268 to be thoughtful and mindful and still see them. I 0:04:39.268 --> 0:04:42.988 feel sometimes without meaning to. It's like we turn the 0:04:42.988 --> 0:04:46.108 mute button on a remote. We can see them, but 0:04:46.108 --> 0:04:50.038 we don't hear them. And aging with grace is just 0:04:50.038 --> 0:04:53.188 allowing them that respect and dignity to age the way 0:04:53.188 --> 0:04:55.918 they want to and live their best lives. And that 0:04:55.918 --> 0:04:56.968 was important to me. 0:04:56.968 --> 0:05:02.438 And that's where the Aged care volunteer visitor scheme comes in. 0:05:02.438 --> 0:05:07.358 And it's been around for quite a while in various iterations, 0:05:07.358 --> 0:05:11.168 but there have been a few changes recently with the 0:05:11.168 --> 0:05:14.138 name and a little bit of the structure. I'd love 0:05:14.138 --> 0:05:17.258 to hear a bit about the scheme itself. 0:05:17.288 --> 0:05:21.788 Oh fantastic. So it commenced in 92, you know, 93, 0:05:21.818 --> 0:05:25.898 formally known as the Community Visitor Scheme, funded by the 0:05:25.898 --> 0:05:31.388 Australian government. Very, very simple concept that through friendship, through 0:05:31.388 --> 0:05:35.378 matching a volunteer visitor with an older person, we can 0:05:35.378 --> 0:05:41.438 help alleviate loneliness and isolation. Human beings generally are not 0:05:41.438 --> 0:05:44.468 meant to be on their own. We like company. We 0:05:44.468 --> 0:05:47.978 like to engage with people. We like to make a social, 0:05:47.978 --> 0:05:52.688 an emotional and spiritual, I guess, connection with others. And 0:05:52.688 --> 0:05:56.588 as we age, just through life, things happen and we 0:05:56.588 --> 0:06:00.308 can find ourselves through no fault of our own. More 0:06:00.308 --> 0:06:05.168 isolated people pass away. Children, yes, grow up and have 0:06:05.168 --> 0:06:08.108 their own families and still love us, but they're busy 0:06:08.108 --> 0:06:10.628 raising those families. And when we think of an older 0:06:10.628 --> 0:06:14.268 person who may be in their 80s and 70s, their 0:06:14.268 --> 0:06:16.968 children are in their 50s, potentially. It's not that they're 0:06:16.968 --> 0:06:20.268 teenagers and they're busy helping their own children and living 0:06:20.268 --> 0:06:22.938 life and working full time and all sorts of things. 0:06:22.938 --> 0:06:26.058 So this terrific service has been around for a very 0:06:26.058 --> 0:06:29.448 long time. As I mentioned, funded by the Australian government, 0:06:29.448 --> 0:06:33.498 it's national, it's free. It's not cost free cost, a 0:06:33.498 --> 0:06:35.988 fair bit of money, but it's from taxpayer dollars. But 0:06:35.988 --> 0:06:39.698 it's a free service to access and it's very simple. 0:06:39.938 --> 0:06:43.538 We're friendship makers. Basically. We match volunteers to older people 0:06:43.538 --> 0:06:44.528 for friendship. 0:06:44.858 --> 0:06:47.708 Could you tell us a bit about the Aged Care 0:06:47.708 --> 0:06:52.838 volunteer visitor scheme, in particular regarding blindness and low vision, 0:06:52.838 --> 0:06:56.438 and how that can foster that connection and that friendship 0:06:56.438 --> 0:06:57.578 between people? 0:06:57.608 --> 0:07:00.728 Absolutely. I think that when you're living with any sort 0:07:00.728 --> 0:07:05.258 of diverse need or additional need like vision loss, hearing loss, 0:07:05.258 --> 0:07:09.158 if you're from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, if 0:07:09.158 --> 0:07:13.778 you're from the LGBTQ plus community. So anything that adds 0:07:13.778 --> 0:07:17.798 another layer, I guess, of either complexity or challenge, it 0:07:17.798 --> 0:07:21.578 can increase your chance of isolation even more. You know, 0:07:21.578 --> 0:07:24.398 when you think about if I, as a fully sighted person, 0:07:24.398 --> 0:07:26.378 I'm sitting in a room full of people in an 0:07:26.378 --> 0:07:30.488 aged care home. I'm listening to conversation. I can see people, 0:07:30.488 --> 0:07:33.488 and I can smile at them and and connect with them, 0:07:33.488 --> 0:07:38.108 even at least visually. That does give me some opportunity 0:07:38.108 --> 0:07:41.078 to create friendships. But if you're sitting in the same room, 0:07:41.078 --> 0:07:43.868 you're living with vision loss. You're not able to connect 0:07:43.868 --> 0:07:47.498 with people that way. That increases your chances of isolation. 0:07:47.498 --> 0:07:49.748 You're not able to read what's on the notice board. 0:07:49.748 --> 0:07:52.298 You're not even able to read what's being offered for 0:07:52.298 --> 0:07:54.878 the food for the day. The things that many of 0:07:54.878 --> 0:07:58.088 us sighted people can take for granted. Because I worked 0:07:58.088 --> 0:08:01.658 in this sector for quite a while and with other disabilities, 0:08:01.658 --> 0:08:05.858 I have a profound level of interest and desire to 0:08:05.858 --> 0:08:08.978 make a difference for people and to help them find 0:08:08.978 --> 0:08:12.488 and experience the joy, or find more joy and to 0:08:12.488 --> 0:08:15.158 live their absolute best lives. So if we can connect 0:08:15.158 --> 0:08:17.378 them to a friend who will take them out for 0:08:17.378 --> 0:08:19.718 a cuppa in a cafe, that some of the things 0:08:19.718 --> 0:08:22.448 that at my age, I still take for granted, that 0:08:22.448 --> 0:08:25.088 I can just do that on my own. To feel 0:08:25.088 --> 0:08:27.878 fresh air on my face and to sit and smell 0:08:27.878 --> 0:08:30.218 the ocean while I enjoy some fish and chips, or 0:08:30.218 --> 0:08:32.888 just an ice cream, or all the things that people go, 0:08:32.888 --> 0:08:35.138 oh yeah, I can go off and do that. That's 0:08:35.138 --> 0:08:38.528 what our visitors can do. And frankly, even if it's 0:08:38.528 --> 0:08:41.468 just sitting and going to visit and having a cuppa 0:08:41.468 --> 0:08:43.418 together and a bit of a laugh and listening to 0:08:43.418 --> 0:08:46.358 some music or even watching a TV show together, you 0:08:46.358 --> 0:08:49.268 can sit together, watching a show together and just the 0:08:49.268 --> 0:08:52.568 companionship of that, or talking about the characters or what 0:08:52.568 --> 0:08:55.148 happened on the show is so important and just gives 0:08:55.148 --> 0:08:59.918 you that sense of companionship. I think having friends is underrated, 0:08:59.918 --> 0:09:03.938 the value and the emotional and mental benefits it has, 0:09:03.938 --> 0:09:08.228 and it has proven to also improve physical wellbeing. Just 0:09:08.228 --> 0:09:11.708 looking forward to somebody coming to see you, getting up, 0:09:11.708 --> 0:09:14.648 brushing your teeth, getting ready, getting dressed. All of that 0:09:14.648 --> 0:09:18.518 is physicality that is important to keep using, and I 0:09:18.518 --> 0:09:22.268 just think it's a vital importance for people experiencing vision loss. 0:09:22.268 --> 0:09:25.598 For people that have, their eyesight is deteriorated through macular 0:09:25.598 --> 0:09:29.738 degeneration or glaucoma. I think that's even of more value 0:09:29.738 --> 0:09:33.158 because they it's something that they're experiencing and a grief 0:09:33.158 --> 0:09:35.468 they're also facing, and we can help them through the 0:09:35.468 --> 0:09:37.688 friendships that people have with them. 0:09:37.868 --> 0:09:41.498 Yes. You've also been involved, as you've mentioned earlier in 0:09:41.498 --> 0:09:45.638 the interview, in other ways, that you've kept the community 0:09:45.638 --> 0:09:50.048 connected with your work at Vision Australia Radio in Warragul 0:09:50.048 --> 0:09:54.338 and the vital service they provided at the time to 0:09:54.338 --> 0:09:59.138 the print disabled community in that region. So what was 0:09:59.138 --> 0:10:02.918 it like to be involved there with that and the 0:10:02.918 --> 0:10:06.398 positive response that it received at the time and kept 0:10:06.398 --> 0:10:07.868 people connected in that way? 0:10:07.868 --> 0:10:11.948 I felt so guilty earning a wage in that job 0:10:11.948 --> 0:10:15.098 because I just loved that job so much. I would 0:10:15.098 --> 0:10:18.338 literally jump out of bed every morning and go to work. 0:10:18.338 --> 0:10:21.098 I was involved right at the beginning, not at the 0:10:21.098 --> 0:10:23.948 inception of it, but very close to it. I worked 0:10:23.948 --> 0:10:27.308 with some terrific volunteers in Warragul, which is in Gippsland 0:10:27.308 --> 0:10:31.248 in Victoria. I started a second program. We had one 0:10:31.248 --> 0:10:34.058 hour on air and we, you know, then relayed Kooyong, 0:10:34.058 --> 0:10:36.608 and then I started another hour in the afternoon and 0:10:36.608 --> 0:10:41.148 we read another newspaper, and then I started an interview program. 0:10:41.148 --> 0:10:43.938 So we would hear from great people in the community 0:10:43.938 --> 0:10:47.568 who would be interviewed on Vision Australia radio. And it 0:10:47.568 --> 0:10:50.478 was just magnificent. I think it was such a great 0:10:50.478 --> 0:10:54.948 community service that we provided and I hope provided even 0:10:54.948 --> 0:10:57.228 power or, you know, or close to as much as 0:10:57.228 --> 0:11:00.168 possible for people who, for whatever reason, couldn't get to 0:11:00.168 --> 0:11:03.828 the print media themselves independently. It gave them that sense 0:11:03.828 --> 0:11:07.028 of involvement in the community, and we can't estimate the 0:11:07.028 --> 0:11:08.708 importance of that ever. 0:11:09.008 --> 0:11:12.728 That's very true. And if people would like to know 0:11:12.728 --> 0:11:15.968 a little bit more about the Acfas, what's the best 0:11:15.968 --> 0:11:18.698 way for them to do that? Where could they head to? 0:11:18.728 --> 0:11:22.058 Actually just contacting me. So if they contact me, they 0:11:22.058 --> 0:11:26.438 can call me or they can email me on info at. 0:11:26.438 --> 0:11:29.528 Aging with Grace and aging has an E in it. 0:11:29.828 --> 0:11:34.028 Org a u and my phone number is a mobile 0:11:34.028 --> 0:11:47.708 number 0491 272 417. So 0491 272 417. If they don't remember that, if 0:11:47.708 --> 0:11:50.138 they get someone to find for them the aged care 0:11:50.138 --> 0:11:53.348 volunteer visitor scheme, they'll find me because I'm listed on 0:11:53.348 --> 0:11:56.198 the Department of Health and Aged Care website, and we're 0:11:56.198 --> 0:12:00.518 actually currently we have funded placements available. They're free, as 0:12:00.518 --> 0:12:03.608 I mentioned. So we provide the service to anyone living 0:12:03.608 --> 0:12:06.428 in an aged care home or living in the community, 0:12:06.428 --> 0:12:09.728 receiving a home care package or approved and wait listed 0:12:09.728 --> 0:12:12.518 for one. So that's wonderful. So if they're approved and 0:12:12.518 --> 0:12:15.128 wait listed for a home care package or for a 0:12:15.128 --> 0:12:18.018 spot in an aged care home and they're still waiting. 0:12:18.018 --> 0:12:20.958 They are still eligible for this service and it is 0:12:20.958 --> 0:12:25.068 totally free. It's in addition to their packages, doesn't touch 0:12:25.068 --> 0:12:28.098 their packages, it doesn't touch their aged care funding, and 0:12:28.098 --> 0:12:31.338 we will find a volunteer suited to them living close 0:12:31.338 --> 0:12:34.278 by who will visit them on a weekly or fortnightly 0:12:34.278 --> 0:12:38.658 basis minimum. And they will have a friend for life. 0:12:38.658 --> 0:12:41.678 And it can be in any language they prefer, any 0:12:41.678 --> 0:12:44.588 sort of background. So we base it on the older 0:12:44.588 --> 0:12:47.738 person's preferences. If they want a male or a female 0:12:47.738 --> 0:12:51.368 or someone that's Greek or Italian or someone that was 0:12:51.368 --> 0:12:53.738 raised in the country, we will look for the right volunteer. 0:12:53.738 --> 0:12:55.868 And when I say we, I'm not talking about only 0:12:55.868 --> 0:12:59.408 aging with grace. I'm talking about the 40 or so 0:12:59.408 --> 0:13:03.278 organizations in Victoria, the same sort of numbers in New 0:13:03.278 --> 0:13:06.518 South Wales and across the country. This service is available. 0:13:06.518 --> 0:13:09.458 So if you're listening to this and you're in Western Australia, 0:13:09.458 --> 0:13:11.738 I'll connect you to my colleague in the West, in 0:13:11.738 --> 0:13:15.098 Western Australia, and we will. We are determined to get 0:13:15.098 --> 0:13:17.318 the service to you. We will keep looking until we 0:13:17.318 --> 0:13:19.988 find the right volunteer, because our volunteers, of course, need 0:13:19.988 --> 0:13:22.088 to go through a process. We don't just put anybody 0:13:22.088 --> 0:13:24.848 with an older person. They go through a national police 0:13:24.848 --> 0:13:27.458 check and a reference check and smidge of training just 0:13:27.458 --> 0:13:30.578 to make sure we've got good guidance for them. And 0:13:30.578 --> 0:13:33.668 we generally attend the first match visit as an introduction 0:13:33.668 --> 0:13:35.528 and then keep up with them and just see how 0:13:35.528 --> 0:13:38.378 the matches are going. We really want to provide this 0:13:38.378 --> 0:13:40.718 to as many older people as we can, and to 0:13:40.718 --> 0:13:43.328 make a difference and add that joy and spark back 0:13:43.328 --> 0:13:44.888 in their lives if we can. 0:13:44.888 --> 0:13:49.628 Well, I've been speaking today with Asis Tawfik, CEO of 0:13:49.628 --> 0:13:53.348 aging with Grace, who's here to talk to me all 0:13:53.348 --> 0:13:58.538 about the Aged Care Volunteer Visitor Scheme and the vital 0:13:58.538 --> 0:14:03.248 impact it can have on so many older Australians. SS 0:14:03.248 --> 0:14:05.528 thank you so much for your time today. It was 0:14:05.528 --> 0:14:08.258 a pleasure to catch up with you and hear all 0:14:08.258 --> 0:14:09.518 about the scheme. 0:14:09.518 --> 0:14:12.068 I'm really grateful to you, Sam, for giving me this time. 0:14:12.068 --> 0:14:12.758 Thank you. 0:14:19.528 --> 0:14:23.278 I'm Sam Culley and you're listening to Talking Vision on 0:14:23.278 --> 0:14:28.648 Vision Australia Radio. Associated stations of Reading Radio and the 0:14:28.648 --> 0:14:33.538 Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that conversation there 0:14:33.538 --> 0:14:37.798 with Asis Taufik from aging with Grace. If you missed 0:14:37.798 --> 0:14:41.638 any part of that interview with ASIS or you'd love 0:14:41.638 --> 0:14:45.488 to hear it again. Talking vision is available on the 0:14:45.488 --> 0:14:51.698 Vision Australia Radio website at VA radio.org. That's VA radio 0:14:51.698 --> 0:14:55.958 all one word.org. Or you can find the program on 0:14:55.958 --> 0:14:59.408 the podcast app of your choice or through the Vision 0:14:59.408 --> 0:15:04.778 Australia library. And now continuing on with the show, our 0:15:04.778 --> 0:15:08.458 next guest this week on Talking Vision is the creative 0:15:08.458 --> 0:15:14.638 producer from the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, who's here 0:15:14.638 --> 0:15:19.168 to tell me all about Story Source, an audio based 0:15:19.168 --> 0:15:24.358 story platform aimed at kids from 7 to 10 to 0:15:24.358 --> 0:15:29.038 inspire them to tell their own stories. Her name is 0:15:29.038 --> 0:15:34.558 Verity Hunt-ballard and she joins me now. Verity, welcome to 0:15:34.558 --> 0:15:37.438 Talking Vision. Thanks so much for your time. 0:15:37.828 --> 0:15:39.718 Thank you so much for having me, Sam. 0:15:39.808 --> 0:15:42.838 Could you tell us a little bit about the work 0:15:42.838 --> 0:15:47.458 of the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation and why a 0:15:47.458 --> 0:15:50.458 service is so valuable to the community? 0:15:50.488 --> 0:15:54.838 I can the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, or ANF, 0:15:54.868 --> 0:15:59.128 is a national charity assisting people in our most marginalised 0:15:59.128 --> 0:16:04.558 communities to gain vital language, literacy and communication skills. Our 0:16:04.558 --> 0:16:08.218 programs address the needs of a diverse range of individuals 0:16:08.218 --> 0:16:14.548 and communities, specifically targeting First Nations refugees and other vulnerable Australians. 0:16:14.668 --> 0:16:17.818 We believe that all Australians have the right to literacy, 0:16:17.818 --> 0:16:20.698 because being able to read and write is the key 0:16:20.698 --> 0:16:26.038 to accessing education and employment, and to participating fully in society. 0:16:26.068 --> 0:16:31.048 What services do you offer that specifically support the needs 0:16:31.048 --> 0:16:34.588 of the blind and low vision community? I know that's 0:16:34.588 --> 0:16:38.578 a journey that Ironfx is just starting off on, but 0:16:38.578 --> 0:16:41.578 what sort of ambitions do you have in that space? 0:16:41.608 --> 0:16:45.298 Well, we're incredibly excited, really, to be working with Amazon 0:16:45.298 --> 0:16:49.288 and Vision Australia. This is our first step in specifically 0:16:49.288 --> 0:16:52.438 supporting the needs of the blind and low vision community. 0:16:52.468 --> 0:16:55.228 So yeah, we're very excited to be able to partner 0:16:55.228 --> 0:16:58.828 with such a trusted organisation so that we can expand 0:16:58.828 --> 0:17:01.888 our support in this way. But I guess our charity 0:17:01.888 --> 0:17:07.228 is for children generally, so our programs are very much individualised, 0:17:07.228 --> 0:17:12.688 but also to support communities. And so that ranges from self-expression. 0:17:12.688 --> 0:17:16.138 And in the many, many ways that children express themselves 0:17:16.138 --> 0:17:23.278 through art, music, literacy, the ways that our programs are expanding, 0:17:23.278 --> 0:17:26.578 and also through partnering with people like yourselves so that 0:17:26.578 --> 0:17:31.768 we can keep progressing and keep learning and giving meaningful 0:17:31.768 --> 0:17:33.478 support that is needed. 0:17:33.508 --> 0:17:38.458 And speaking of collaborations, Verity, what's it been like collaborating 0:17:38.458 --> 0:17:43.648 with Amazon over recent times with the Alexa technology that's 0:17:43.648 --> 0:17:46.258 contributed to the Story Source project? 0:17:46.828 --> 0:17:50.428 Our partnership with Amazon really is an incredible one. This 0:17:50.428 --> 0:17:53.818 is one of the many collaborations that we have done 0:17:53.818 --> 0:17:57.268 with Amazon over the last little while, I think because 0:17:57.298 --> 0:18:00.898 Olaf and story source for Alexa is such a fun 0:18:00.898 --> 0:18:04.178 and engaging way for kids that are age 7 to 0:18:04.178 --> 0:18:08.668 10 to practice their comprehension skills, boost their vocabulary, and 0:18:08.668 --> 0:18:12.508 sharpen their focus. It's very rewarding for the team to 0:18:12.508 --> 0:18:16.318 be working on such a skill like this. Amazon's certainly 0:18:16.318 --> 0:18:19.768 supported us with the technical aspect of it, and we 0:18:19.768 --> 0:18:24.058 could probably at Olaf, bring the educational expertise from our 0:18:24.058 --> 0:18:27.988 team as well as the creative nous. Yeah, Amazon really 0:18:27.988 --> 0:18:30.808 has been incredible and we couldn't have done it without 0:18:30.808 --> 0:18:34.618 their support and their vision. And yeah, it's a it's 0:18:34.618 --> 0:18:37.078 a partnership. We're incredibly proud of Verity. 0:18:37.078 --> 0:18:40.708 On that point that you do mention there about your 0:18:40.708 --> 0:18:44.938 services for children. We've been hearing a bit about story 0:18:44.938 --> 0:18:48.688 source and how popular that's been. So how did that 0:18:48.688 --> 0:18:51.718 come about and why is that such an important project 0:18:51.718 --> 0:18:53.578 that ENF is so proud of? 0:18:53.698 --> 0:18:58.438 Well, we are incredibly proud of it. Collectively, Olaf and Amazon, 0:18:58.438 --> 0:19:02.398 we were very determined to create a piece of audio 0:19:02.398 --> 0:19:06.178 or an audio experience that was unique and meaningful and 0:19:06.178 --> 0:19:10.528 also Australian for the audio landscape for primary school aged kids, 0:19:10.528 --> 0:19:13.618 because in Australia we do listen to an incredible amount 0:19:13.618 --> 0:19:17.248 of American content that's available in the digital space, and 0:19:17.248 --> 0:19:21.208 we wanted to produce high quality audio stories that would 0:19:21.208 --> 0:19:25.588 allow children to enjoy our own diverse stories, rather than 0:19:25.588 --> 0:19:30.748 something imported from overseas. So we collaborated with Amazon and 0:19:30.748 --> 0:19:33.808 built a skill from scratch, which is quite a feat 0:19:34.168 --> 0:19:39.508 to build interactive skill. And we worked with the amazing 0:19:39.508 --> 0:19:43.768 sound designer Paul Rusk, who created an incredible sound design 0:19:43.768 --> 0:19:47.158 for these audio stories and then narrated by some of 0:19:47.158 --> 0:19:51.928 Australia's top actors. They were edited for the audio space, 0:19:51.928 --> 0:19:55.498 and then with Amazon, we were able to really do 0:19:55.498 --> 0:19:57.958 a lot of research in terms of what is it 0:19:57.958 --> 0:20:01.948 that is going to help kids orally with the comprehension, 0:20:01.948 --> 0:20:05.158 not just passively listening to a story, which is incredibly 0:20:05.158 --> 0:20:08.308 important to, but what is it that we can offer 0:20:08.308 --> 0:20:11.968 from Olaf in terms of our experience and skill base, 0:20:11.968 --> 0:20:17.788 to offer carefully crafted comprehension questions, so that the experience for, 0:20:17.788 --> 0:20:21.718 for listeners and for kids is that you're getting that 0:20:21.718 --> 0:20:26.638 kind of educational experience throughout listening to this story. So 0:20:26.638 --> 0:20:29.428 the way that it's crafted is that you can listen 0:20:29.428 --> 0:20:32.578 to half of this audio story, and then Alexa will 0:20:32.578 --> 0:20:35.758 stop you and say, and would you like to answer 0:20:35.758 --> 0:20:39.058 some questions about the story? And so children are able 0:20:39.058 --> 0:20:41.938 to answer the questions, and then the story goes on, 0:20:41.938 --> 0:20:44.548 and they can answer questions at the end. And you 0:20:44.548 --> 0:20:49.438 can through that experience, earn yourself a story sauce bottle. 0:20:49.438 --> 0:20:53.008 So if the story was a mystery story, say, you 0:20:53.008 --> 0:20:56.818 might earn yourself a mystery sauce bottle. And so it 0:20:56.818 --> 0:20:59.578 was amazing being part of a team that could build 0:20:59.578 --> 0:21:03.508 something from the ground up and really listen to teachers, 0:21:03.508 --> 0:21:07.918 to parents, to students aged between 7 and 10 years 0:21:07.918 --> 0:21:12.238 old about what is it that is an engaging and 0:21:12.238 --> 0:21:16.738 fun way to help literacy and to also inspire kids 0:21:16.738 --> 0:21:19.768 to write their own stories. Because I feel if you're 0:21:19.768 --> 0:21:24.148 just listening to content from overseas, somehow children think, well, 0:21:24.148 --> 0:21:27.838 maybe my own story isn't worth exploring or hearing. Yeah. 0:21:27.838 --> 0:21:30.178 So that was kind of how it started to create, 0:21:30.178 --> 0:21:32.638 and the response has been incredible. 0:21:32.638 --> 0:21:36.178 Well, speaking of that response, how has the feedback gone 0:21:36.178 --> 0:21:39.808 so far? What's been the response to story source and 0:21:39.808 --> 0:21:45.238 the program's ability to enable kids to build confidence in 0:21:45.238 --> 0:21:49.168 their own story, writing and listening to stories that matter and, 0:21:49.168 --> 0:21:51.598 you know, they can go away thinking, oh wow, this 0:21:51.598 --> 0:21:55.138 is really cool. I, you know, I'm full of ideas now. 0:21:55.138 --> 0:21:58.708 I'm really excited to put these ideas down on paper 0:21:58.708 --> 0:22:00.568 and start writing creatively. 0:22:00.598 --> 0:22:02.608 The response has been great. We put quite a bit 0:22:02.608 --> 0:22:07.468 of time into asking teachers, parents, kids whilst building this 0:22:07.468 --> 0:22:10.558 so that it was a meaningful product, that it wasn't 0:22:10.558 --> 0:22:12.988 just a bunch of adults going, well, this is what 0:22:12.988 --> 0:22:16.228 we feel kids need to be listening to it really. Um, 0:22:16.228 --> 0:22:18.058 we took a lot of time to, to listen to 0:22:18.058 --> 0:22:20.848 kids because kids between 7 and 10 years old now 0:22:20.848 --> 0:22:24.668 are so savvy in the digital space, and it's different 0:22:24.668 --> 0:22:26.588 to when we were kids. So we put a lot 0:22:26.588 --> 0:22:29.318 of time into that. And then since the product has 0:22:29.318 --> 0:22:33.458 been available, the response has been hugely positive in terms 0:22:33.458 --> 0:22:38.378 of families, especially being able to turn on story source 0:22:38.378 --> 0:22:42.368 and know that it's not only incredibly entertaining, but it's 0:22:42.368 --> 0:22:46.118 educational and it's safe. It's all completely moderated in terms 0:22:46.118 --> 0:22:49.808 of being a safe space, and we were really lucky 0:22:49.808 --> 0:22:53.738 to collaborate with Amazon in launching Story Source at the 0:22:53.738 --> 0:22:57.128 Cairns Tropical Writers Festival, where we were able to take 0:22:57.128 --> 0:23:01.118 some Olaf ambassadors to perform in front of 500 students 0:23:01.118 --> 0:23:05.918 from remote communities outside of Cairns. And the five ambassadors 0:23:05.918 --> 0:23:09.818 spoke about storytelling in their different ways. There were lots 0:23:09.818 --> 0:23:13.258 of children there from lots of diverse backgrounds, and we 0:23:13.258 --> 0:23:17.488 were able to kind of combine a live experience with 0:23:17.488 --> 0:23:21.028 offering the story source on Alexa, which which the students 0:23:21.028 --> 0:23:23.458 were able to take home. And that was a wonderful 0:23:23.458 --> 0:23:28.138 experience for kids to see a person or hear a person, 0:23:28.138 --> 0:23:32.368 or feel a person's journey as a storyteller and then go, hey, 0:23:32.368 --> 0:23:35.368 I might have a story to tell. And a lot 0:23:35.368 --> 0:23:37.888 of them said it inspired me to go home and 0:23:37.888 --> 0:23:41.068 create my own story, whether that's writing it, whether that's 0:23:41.068 --> 0:23:45.178 recording it, whether that's having someone else write it for them. 0:23:45.178 --> 0:23:48.568 I think technology is amazing, the way that it can 0:23:48.568 --> 0:23:53.398 support kids with loads of different challenges in the digital space. 0:23:53.398 --> 0:23:57.748 Yeah, that technology just absolutely does open up so many 0:23:57.748 --> 0:24:01.308 worlds to so many kids out there. And, um, in 0:24:01.308 --> 0:24:06.408 terms of story source itself, it is quite accessible, isn't it, Verity, 0:24:06.408 --> 0:24:10.098 in the way that it focuses on audio? So much 0:24:10.098 --> 0:24:14.088 so that also makes it quite accessible for kids who 0:24:14.088 --> 0:24:16.878 are blind or have low vision. But what sort of 0:24:16.878 --> 0:24:21.288 other components are there with story source that people can 0:24:21.288 --> 0:24:24.528 really take away and find out about, I suppose. 0:24:24.918 --> 0:24:28.158 Well, story source is accessible to to everyone that has 0:24:28.158 --> 0:24:31.938 an Alexa echo device, and there's great resources that you 0:24:31.938 --> 0:24:35.238 can access in terms of setting that up. But that 0:24:35.238 --> 0:24:38.448 was really taken into account in terms of it does 0:24:38.448 --> 0:24:42.708 feel like in the digital space, everything is so visual heavy, 0:24:42.708 --> 0:24:45.888 even in schools and things, and we wanted to create 0:24:45.888 --> 0:24:50.148 something where it wasn't so visual and also not over 0:24:50.148 --> 0:24:53.778 stimulating as well, the kind of over stimuli that kids 0:24:53.778 --> 0:24:57.558 can get through all the senses these days. I think 0:24:57.678 --> 0:25:01.278 we've really paced the stories so that it should be 0:25:01.278 --> 0:25:04.998 hopefully a relaxing experience rather than I know a lot 0:25:04.998 --> 0:25:08.268 of response from parents were in the entertainment space. I 0:25:08.268 --> 0:25:10.908 feel like my children are ramped up or kind of 0:25:10.908 --> 0:25:15.048 hyperactive after they've experienced a lot of digital offerings. And 0:25:15.048 --> 0:25:18.618 so we have paced the stories so that they are 0:25:18.618 --> 0:25:21.888 hopefully a kind of calm activity. Yeah. 0:25:22.158 --> 0:25:26.058 Yeah. For sure. You know, any entertainment I think can 0:25:26.058 --> 0:25:28.938 have that potential. So that's great to hear that that 0:25:28.938 --> 0:25:32.598 sort of also been taken into account to like keep 0:25:32.598 --> 0:25:37.548 the energy levels balanced and relaxed and make life easier 0:25:37.548 --> 0:25:40.368 for parents and all that sort of thing around Australia. 0:25:40.368 --> 0:25:44.238 But in terms of how people can find out a 0:25:44.238 --> 0:25:49.818 little bit more about Alf and story source Verity, where 0:25:49.818 --> 0:25:52.938 is the best place for people to head to? 0:25:53.298 --> 0:25:56.478 Well, you can go to Olaf. Org. Um, and there's 0:25:56.478 --> 0:26:00.018 a lot of information there about story source. Story source 0:26:00.048 --> 0:26:04.368 is available on Amazon Kids. And yeah, it's been such 0:26:04.368 --> 0:26:07.398 a pleasure for us to feel part of, you know, 0:26:07.398 --> 0:26:13.068 because Olaf works predominantly with disadvantage. So sometimes children feel 0:26:13.068 --> 0:26:16.968 that my story isn't worthy or my voice isn't worthy, 0:26:16.968 --> 0:26:20.388 or somebody else would create a story like that because 0:26:20.388 --> 0:26:23.778 they come from a different background, or they don't have 0:26:23.778 --> 0:26:26.628 the challenges or the disability that I have. And one 0:26:26.628 --> 0:26:29.508 of our main goals was to say that often, you know, 0:26:29.508 --> 0:26:33.318 imagination comes from so many different places, and if we 0:26:33.318 --> 0:26:36.018 can inspire kids to write their own stories, then that's 0:26:36.018 --> 0:26:36.978 our job done. 0:26:37.188 --> 0:26:42.318 Also, remember, we're giving away Amazon Echo prize packs thanks 0:26:42.318 --> 0:26:47.238 to Olaf, Amazon and our children's radio show Happy Pants 0:26:47.238 --> 0:26:53.148 so people can also visit VA radio.org to enter now. 0:26:53.508 --> 0:26:58.578 I've been speaking today with Verity Hunt-ballard from the Australian 0:26:58.578 --> 0:27:03.978 Literacy and Numeracy Foundation all about story, source and the 0:27:03.978 --> 0:27:07.608 work that Lnf has been doing over the past little 0:27:07.608 --> 0:27:13.458 while in collaboration with Amazon and Vision Australia. Verity, thank 0:27:13.458 --> 0:27:15.618 you so much for your time today. It was a 0:27:15.618 --> 0:27:18.888 pleasure to catch up and hear all about story source. 0:27:19.308 --> 0:27:22.008 Thank you so much, Sam. It's lovely to speak with you. 0:27:29.058 --> 0:27:32.148 And that's all the time we have for today. You've 0:27:32.148 --> 0:27:36.408 been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision 0:27:36.408 --> 0:27:40.588 Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the 0:27:40.588 --> 0:27:44.788 show together every week. And remember we love hearing from you. 0:27:44.788 --> 0:27:48.298 So please get in touch anytime on our email at 0:27:48.298 --> 0:27:53.668 Talking Vision at Vision australia.org. That's talking vision all. One 0:27:53.668 --> 0:27:58.468 word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's Sam 0:27:58.468 --> 0:28:00.388 Kerley saying bye for now. 0:28:04.198 --> 0:28:08.368 You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us anytime during 0:28:08.368 --> 0:28:17.728 business hours on 1300 847 406. That's one 308 474106 or by 0:28:17.728 --> 0:28:22.618 visiting Vision Australia. Org that's Vision australia.org.