Be inspired by amazing locals making a difference.
A day of – 40+ Exhibitors, 16 Uplifting speakers, Thought-provoking workshops, 8 Live Music & Dance Performances, Laughter, Connecting, Sharing, Displays, free face painting and activities for the kids. Fun for all ages!
Sunday 8th October 10am – 3pm
Deakin Waterfront, Geelong
Cafe open
Gold Coin Entry
The Humans in Geelong Expo is a celebration of a diverse range of locals who are taking action, making a difference locally, nationally and internationally, and creating a better world for our children.
Come along and win 2 Nights in Melb. (conditions apply) donated by Helloworld Travel Waurn Ponds. 100s of DOOR PRIZES.
Everyone welcome to attend, fun for all ages!
Studies indicate that the very act of giving back to the community boosts your happiness, health and sense of well-being. Promoting positive stories, spreads positivity!
Humans_in_Geelong_Festival_Program
10.30 – 12.00 Peter Doyle, Royal Geelong Yacht Club boat building with refugees in the garage at Deakin Uni in Gheringhap St.
PROGRAM:
Free Bookings can be made for speakers in the lecture theatre, there will be spaces for people to walk in on the day.
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=314867
D3.211 Lecture Theatre
11am Stephanie Woollard, Seven Women
Stephanie Woollard is a Melbourne-born social entrepreneur, she started her Seven Women project at only 22, after visiting Nepal and meeting seven disabled women making soaps and candles in a small tin shed. The women lived in dire poverty. Disturbed by the injustice and isolation these women were facing, she spent her last $200 of travel money to pay two trainers to help up-skill them and sell their products abroad. Since then Steph has devoted the past decade to changing the lives of disabled and marginalised women in Nepal.
12pm Roxie Bennett speaks on Geelong
Most people know Roxie Bennett through her on-air career at both Krock and Bay93.9 but her impact on our community extends well beyond her radio career. She has lent her name or support to hundreds of local groups including Geelong Relay For Life, the Salvation Army, Red Shield Appeal, Geelong Animal Welfare Society, Kids Plus, Give Where You Live and the Barwon Health Foundation. Roxie’s personal experience with breast cancer has given her a particular passion for cancer services in Geelong and sharing her story of survival. For Roxie, a healthy community is one where everyone contributes wherever they can.
1pm Peter Roberts, thanatologist
Peter Roberts will speak and run a meditation type session called ‘Time for Time Out’ where he plays the harp enabling listeners to relax. For the past 20 years Geelong’s Peter has been the only Music Thanatologist in Australia. He plays the harp, one to one, to people at the end of their lives. He also plays for premature babies and the ill. ‘I’d worked in the retail business for 31 years. Feeling dissatisfied and close to 50, I decided that if I was going to make a change in my life, it had to be soon. That was 20 years ago and I haven’t looked back. I founded the charity ‘The Institute of Music in Medicine’ to support this.’
2pm Sarah Kenworthy, 2016 Victorian Young Achiever Award for Volunteering.
In 2015 and 2017 Sarah Kenworthy volunteered in Mannya, Uganda for several months. One of this young girl’s roles was to help deliver babies. Mannya is St Bernard’s sister parish in Uganda. Sarah has raised $44,000 to purchase solar lights and panels to replace their dangerous kerosene lights. She has presented at many schools, rotary clubs, lions clubs etc to raise money for this life saving project.
D2.204 Classroom
10.45am Geelong Connected Communities, Pat Murnane
Pat Murnane is the recipient of the Committee for Geelong 2016 Leadership award for outstanding leadership. He specialises in providing advice and support to the Not For Profit sector, and is an active participate in philanthropic endeavours for the Geelong region. He is Executive board support for Geelong Connected Communities. This is a community company managed by volunteers for the benefit of every Geelong resident. In its first four years, the company supported 400 community projects throughout Geelong, injecting more than $1 million back into the community.
11.30am Geelong Sustainability, Vicki Perrett
Geelong Sustainability’s president Vicki Perrett’s mantra is that ‘less is more’ and she wants us to ‘be makers and doers not buyers and observers.’ Geelong born and bred, Vicki, joined the group in 2010 when she and her husband moved back to the area to make a Sea Change. She is passionate about sustainability and the environment. Vicki will be providing information about Sustainable House Day, Sunday 12th October and the One Planet Living principles.
12.15pm Marriage Equality, Sharyn Faulkner
Sharyn Faulkner has been fighting for Marriage Equality since her youngest son married three years ago. It was a happy occasion, but tinged with sadness because it struck her that her oldest son would never have this opportunity. She initially approached Rodney Croome of Australian Marriage Equality, in 2014. He suggested she start a local campaign for Corangamite. Among many initiatives Sharyn has taken the Marriage Equality fight to Parliament. It’s exciting times for Sharyn and all who are supporting this cause.
1.00pm Q&A Kiara, BumpUp led by Philippa Challis, Laugher Club
Kiara is a young Mum who is part of Raise’s BumpUp mentoring program. She will talk about Post Natal Depression and the challenges of being a young Mum. The BumpUp Geelong group are working on a resource that can be delivered to school to raise awareness of what it’s like to be a young Mum. Philippa Challis has selflessly run the Community Laugher Club Geelong since 2002. It takes place in front of the wading pool at Eastern Beach at 9am on Saturdays. It’s free and everyone is welcome. The bubbly, welcoming Phillipa, would put anyone at ease and is looking forward to talking with Kiara.
1.45pm Crest, Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith, has been volunteering with CREST for 36 years. CREST stands for Citizens Radio Emergency Service Teams, they support the community through communications. ‘We are all dedicated volunteers who assist the community through the use of two way radios. We provide a link between the scene of an emergency and the emergency services. I’m the Australian National Director and CEO for CREST Victoria. I do it because I love helping people, have done all my life. I was in the Police Force for 44 years. The team are a bunch of stirrers, we enjoy each other’s company. It’s the funny things that help keep you going.
2.30pm Bali Smiles, Jan Johannesen
Jan Johannesen has seen the two sides to Bali, the glitzy, polished tourism side and the abject poverty. She met a smiling, young Made who was selling wrist bands instead of attending school. This troubled her and let her to start an Education Sponsorship program for students from Munti Gunung village in N.E. Bali where it is very poor, dry and barren. Her love of the people and place led to building a health clinic and providing a rice program to feed the poorest of families.
D2.205 Classroom
10.45 Red Frogs, Gabriel Wenyika
Red Frogs support youths at Schoolies and Concerts. They are often University students, or like a big brother or sister. They stay sober and offer support. It is a World Wide Movement and the Victorian arm started in Geelong.
11.30am Fundraising from scratch, Emma McDonald EDUC-Nepal
Emma McDonald fell in love with the students and staff at a school in Katmandu, Nepal that educated children from the slums. She began by sponsoring children’s education then when the school was damaged beyond repair by the 2015 earthquake she vowed to raise the funds to rebuild the school, to an earthquake proof standard. This inspiring, young girl is not long out of Secondary School and achieving incredible aims. Join Emma, her of her passion and learn how to fundraise from scratch.
12.15am Creative Geelong, Jenn Cromarty
Jenn Cromarty is the dynamic, passionate force behind Creative Geelong. The group was formed two years ago to understand creative work of the future, to tell stories of Geelong’s creativity, to be a forum of local creative collaboration and to address needs within the community. They have recently taken over spaces in Centrepoint Mall to provide the Creative Geelong Makerspace and are revitalising central Geelong, opening it up to creativity.
1.00pm Clever Housing Design, Tim Adams
Tim Adams will explain how the benefits of building and living in an environmentally friendly home now far outweigh the costs. He has 40 years of building design experience and early adoption of energy rating tools making his company F2 Design a leader in the field of energy efficient housing and zero energy designs. In 2011 when President of the Building Designers Association of Victoria (BDAV), he instigated the highly successful BDAV 10 Star Sustainable Design Challenge. Currently he’s providing technical advice on thermal performance to various designers including the project architects developing the Cape Paterson eco village, which won the Premier’s Sustainability Prize in 2012.
1.45pm Decluttering, Marion Ivermee-Villarosa
Marion Ivermee-Villarosa is passionate about helping others declutter. Join Marion for a fun session on how to let go, prioritise and declutter your home which leads to the feeling of having a weight lifted off one’s shoulders. ‘I’ve walked into places where the kitchen benches and stove are covered with packaged food, rubbish, and dirty dishes. Scenes like this are unhygienic and may present as a fire hazard for the client however, I know not to be judgemental, I’m there to help. It is such an amazing journey as each person and situation is different.’
2.30pm Hero Town, Sylvia Gray
‘Training everyday heroes.’ Hero Town Geelong believes every ordinary person has the power to do extraordinary things. Be a hero, not a bystander! ‘Too often knowledge sits in publications, practically unused. Hero Town delivers workshops based on psychology research, most notably that of Social Psychology ‘Rockstar’, Dr Philip Zimbardo.’ We hear from its Founder and President, Sylvia Gray. Among a number of exciting initiatives, Hero Town are currently presenting courses on the all-important, Mental Health First Aid.
Foyer
10.45am Pop Up Tango performed by Pam and Richard Jarvis of Community Tango Geelong
Learn Tango in Geelong. On hearing Astor Piazzolla’s ‘Zero Hour’ album in 1989, Pam & Richard Jarvis’s world changed. They were inspired to visit Buenos Aires, before the flood of tango tourism, returning frequently to study with chosen ‘maestros’, and dance with ‘milongueros’, tango’s traditional custodians. They now share their knowledge and passion back in Geelong, teaching Community Tango in the unassuming Christ Church Hall. Hundreds of locals have learned to dance the authentic Argentine tango in their classes.
11.45 Laughter Yoga session led by Phillipa Challis from Live Life Laughing
Laughter is the best medicine! We hear from ‘the laughter lady’ Phillipa Challis who has been running the community @Laughter Club Geelong since 2002. It takes place in front of the wading pool at Eastern Beach at 9am on Saturdays. It’s free and everyone is welcome! The sessions appeal to all ages and all abilities, male and female. You come away energised as it’s a chance to let the inner child out. Children laugh naturally so many times a day. It’s our chance to be playful, clap to a rhythm, do some deep stretching and have big belly laughs.
Courtyard
10am Welcome to Country, Corrina Eccles and Norm Stanley
Corrina, 2017 First Nations Women in Community Life Award Winner “In our culture we do it because it’s in our heart, it’s in our spirituality and it’s in our souls to be true leaders and be connected to our young people…” Corrina is a proud Wadawurrung Woman with a deadly, strong and beautiful spirit. Her story is an amazing one of survival and strength, of which she is more than happy to share to teach and empower other young women across our community. Corrina will be accompanied by the amazingly talented Norm Stanley on the didgeridoo. Norm is a teacher, story teller and acclaimed didgeridoo player. His part in a ‘Welcome to Country’ sends tingles up and down your spine.
10.10 Deakin Vice Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander
10.15 Student Writing Competition Winners Announced and Prizes presented.
10.20 Barwon Health, Mental Health Awards will be presented to the two winners.
This marks the start of Mental Health Week which is from the 8th to the 14th October
10.30-11am Dazzling Dan
Much loved Dazzling Dan is affectionately known as the Magic Man who has the ability to create magical entertainment that engages children and adults. He performs first class magic shows, combining cheeky comedy with unexpected surprises. Children know Dazzling Dan for his colourful storytelling and enchanted show, while adults know Dan for his quick wit and sleight of hand. Based in his home town of Geelong, Dazzling Dan performs full time, travelling all over Victoria. We are thrilled to have him performing at our Humans in Geelong Expo.
11am Imogen Brough
Geelong’s own Imogen Brough: Ethereal melodies surrounded by ambient landscapes combine together creating a world of music and emotion. Powerfully haunting vocals entwined and harmonies with strings, guitar, piano, bass and tribal drums expressing the passion Imogen has for world and Celtic music. Her music is enough to carve a niche in the current folk and pop landscapes. Channel 9’s The Voice was a great outlet for Imogen in 2013, allowing her desire to be involved in the music industry to cultivate. She thanks her community for their support.
12pm Which which is which, Irish Band
Tony Strain is one amazing individual who works tirelessly for the Geelong Irish Society Inc. to the point where others can’t help but feel inspired by the passion that he puts into his work. Helping at all of their events both on the day and during the lead up to them, and every month at Aldi in Corio he can be found holding a BBQ sausage sizzle raising money for the Geelong Irish Society. He also contributes greatly to the wider Geelong community. Tony and the lads are Which, which is which and will have you performing an Irish jig.
1pm With One Voice Choir, Kym Dillon
Listening to Kym Dillon and the With One Voice Choir makes you feel closer to music, draws you into its space, so that you feel if you listen carefully enough some of music’s mysteries might be revealed. The choir has members from all walks of life, many with varying degrees of disability, most with little musical experience and all who play their part in the choir’s four-part harmonies. A performance that promises to be a treat for all.
1.30pm Rach Brennan
Rach Brennan is a musician, an artist, so true to herself that there is no other way she could be. No trying or pretension involved. Just her immersed in the music, presenting her inner self through her art. She is mesmerizing. She loves playing locally in Geelong and the Surf Coast and finds it’s an incredibly supportive community with a lot of opportunity to practice the necessary stagecraft. ‘Playing locally is advantageous in that you get the chance to collaborate with some brilliant musicians, you tend to know everyone.’
40+ Exhibitors
Peter Roberts:
The Humans in Geelong Expo 2017 is proud to announce that Geelong’s Peter Roberts will be one of our guest speakers. Peter will also run a meditation type session called ‘Time for Time Out’ where he plays the harp and people sit quietly, relax and enjoy. For the past 20 years Peter has been the only Music Thanatologist in Australia. He plays the harp, one to one, to people at the end of their lives. He also plays for premature babies and the ill. ‘I was a furniture retailer and I’d worked in the retail business for 31 years. Feeling dissatisfied and close to 50, I decided that if I was going to make a change in my life, it had to be soon. That was 20 years ago and I haven’t looked back. I founded the charity ‘The Institute of Music in Medicine’ to support this work in hospital situations where it wasn’t funded. www.facebook.com/InstituteOfMusicInMedicine
Read Peter’s story Part 1 https://tinyurl.com/y8f6vtxm and Part 2 https://tinyurl.com/ya6ne7sn which tells of his documentary “From Music into Silence’ filmed by Award-winning documentary maker @Farshid Akhlaghi. This documentary is soon to be released.
Peter will have his CDs and his book ‘The Harp and the Ferryman’ available for purchase on the day. The Humans in Geelong Expo 2017 is Sunday 8th October at Deakin Waterfront 10am – 3pm. A program for the day will be released soon. It is all FREE but you will need to book in for speakers and workshops, so get in fast.
Written by Jacqui Bennett Photo: Phil Hines Photography