What a privilege it has been to work for this organisation!
Since March 2018, Girls from Oz has enabled me to foster my passion for education and music, my love for organisation, and my enthusiasm for checklists, while contributing to the life-changing opportunities g-oz provides to children and young women.
As an alumnus of the Australian Girls Choir (AGC), I have watched g-oz grow from its inception in 2007 when I was in Grade 6; the same age as many of the girls who we reach across remote WA and QLD. On an AGC tour to Perth, I had my first interaction with g-oz girls. The relationships that I formed with these girls were special, and it made me proud to know I was affiliated with an organisation that meant, despite living in such isolated locations, girls just like me could access the same performing arts education as I could; an education that has largely shaped to who I am today.
In the beginning of my professional relationship with Girls from Oz, I ventured out to Halls Creek to deliver the first of 12 g-oz programs delivered in 2018. Being in the community provided me with a solid foundation through which to understand what these programs meant to the young women that participated. Watching them overcome shame and perform for their community highlighted how much growth g-oz encourages in young women.
Over the past 17 months I have enjoyed the behind-the-scenes tasks of booking flights, liaising with schools and tracking participant outcomes. To some, these tasks may not seem particularly glamorous, but to me they represent my contribution towards enhancing the lives of girls and young women in Carnarvon, Halls Creek and Lockhart River.
Watching 24 of the g-oz participants performing at the Arts Centre in November last year serves as a constant reminder: no matter how hard or ridiculous your dream may seem, small steps and a community of support and encouragement can get you to where you want to be in life. So thank you, Girls from Oz, for providing me with a community of support and encouragement, a place for me to grow as an employee and an individual, and the ability to take the next steps towards my dream of being a high quality educator.
By Kimielle D’Mello, departing Girls from Oz Program Assistant
