Shows
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 40: Self-Care, Being A Nurse and Having a Baby During COVID-19 and What You Can Do To Improve Your Mental Health with Jessica Bonello🌯 We wrap up Part 2 of our #HealthyWest Series with the release of yet another insightful interview!
In episode 40, Julia talks to Jessica Collard - who has been working as a Registered Nurse specialising in Oncology and Immunisation at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne for the past 7 years.
💖 Not only was Jess working with some of the most at-risk, immunocompromised young people during the pandemic, she fell pregnant in early 2021, herself becoming more vulnerable to the potential complications of COVID_19.
👉 Listen to learn more about Jess's journey into nursing and experiences working in the Children's hospital...2022-04-2442 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 39: Being A Doctor In A COVID-19 Hospital, Dealing With Adversity and Self Care with Dr Melissa Garwood.😮 This is the episode that left Michael speechless (yes, it is possible!) and brought tears to our eyes...
So, grab the tissues and join us for this extra special interview with Dr Melissa Garwood, as she shares what it was like working in a public hospital during the pandemic!
From not being able to see a patient's face or show her own, to this year's emergency 'Code Brown' - episode 39 gives you the inside scoop on what really went down for our healthcare workers.
🤩 A #MelbsWest local - born and bred - and one of the f...2022-04-1047 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 38: Running An Event Management Business During COVID-19 with Julia Truong and Victor TranStarting and running a business is difficult at the best of times.
Even more so when you are running an event management business during COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns.
Today, Michael interviews Julia Truong (co-founder of Collective West podcast) and Victor Tran (Julia's partner in life and crime) to discuss their experiences of managing a business during one of the most uncertain periods in human history.
Happy listening! 2022-03-2643 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 37: Managing Your Mental Health During Uncertain Times with Dylan AlexanderFor episode #37 we had the privilege of speaking with Dylan Alexander, a clinical psychologist and the founder of WestSide Psych, a private practice in Footscray - the heart of #MelbsWest
In high school, Dylan dreamed of being an actor but his interest in helping people and hearing their stories eventually led him to study behavioural sciences and then a Masters in psychology. Aside from seeing his private clients, Dylan also works with the Orygen Youth Health program - working primarily with adolescents and adults.
In this episode, we dive deep into the mental health impacts t...2022-03-1340 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 36: Our Experiences Getting and Avoiding COVID-19: Staying Safe, Managing The Impact of the Virus & Life UpdatesWe are so excited to be in the studio recording new episodes and interviewing more inspiring community leaders.
So much has happened since our last episode, so we thought we'd take a moment to reflect and share our experiences with COVID from the past couple of months.
If you're living in Victoria, it seems like the world changed overnight.
From suppression to acceptance, we were suddenly faced with record COVID-19 infections.
We had constant news from friends, family and even pets getting COVID-19 over the Christmas and New Year period.
Tod...2022-02-2620 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 35: Promoting Community Well-Being and The Importance of Community Trust with Amy Leong🎧 Listen to episode 35 for some great advice for this busy time of year, from our latest podcast guest, Amy Leong - who works as a Physiotherapist and is the CEO of the @chase.program in #MelbsWest
🏃 CHASE - which stands for Community Health Advancement & Engagement, is an organisation that partners high school students with University mentors in a year-long program designed to empower and educate young people about the importance of looking after their health.
In this last episode for the #HealthyWest series, Amy and Michael talk about the impact that COVID_19 had on CHASE o...2021-12-1237 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 34: The Myths Behind COVID-19 Vaccines, Managing Burnout in the Healthcare Sector and Much More with Dr Simon Benson👨🏻⚕️ 🩺 We wanted to talk to someone whose been on the front line in #MelbsWest, working in our healthcare system before, during and now post-pandemic (sort of!) - so we asked Dr Simon Benson, a Senior GP at Sunshine Medical Centre, one of Melbourne's largest medical clinics to talk to us for episode 34 of our #HealthyWest podcast series!
We are so grateful for his time, honesty and expertise, as we asked all the big questions like: why was Melbourne's west such a hot spot and then lag behind in the vaccine rollout and should we trust this new MRNA technology? 2021-12-0544 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 33: Talking About Victoria's LARGEST Health Infrastructure Investment with Kelvyn LavelleAre you interested in hearing more about the LARGEST health infrastructure investment in Victoria's history? 🏗️ 🏨
Well, we've got the podcast just for you!
This week we are speaking with Kelvyn Lavelle who is the Chair of Plenary Group Health, the organisation responsible for bringing the new Footscray Hospital to life.
Julia and I have had the privilege of being involved in the tender process of the Footscray Hospital and we are really excited to see the vision coming to life.
Melbourne's west has been the region most impacted by COVID-19 in Australi...2021-11-2731 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 32: Chatting about COVID-19 Vaccines, Mental Health and Social Media with Dr Michael Mrozinski🥳 🥳 🥳 We are so EXCITED to release our second #HealthyWest episode with Dr Michael Mrozinski on the podcast this week!
Dr Mike - as we now call him, graduated from medical school in Glasgow, Scotland back in 2008, before moving to Australia - settling in the inner-west suburb of Yarraville, and working at clinics in Tarneit.
📱 Many of you will know him best as 'the TikTok Doctor' or @dr_michael_says on Instagram.
We talk to Michael about his journey to becoming a doctor and his passion for public health awareness. We also chat about his use of popul...2021-11-2042 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 31: We've got EXCITING News + Life Updates and Much MoreWe know, the health of young people living in Melbourne's west has been significantly impacted as a result of the pandemic - so we've secured funding from the Department of Health to run a new five-part series that will look at the effects of COVID_19 and how we can create a #HealthyWest.
💪 We'll be sharing our own experiences, as well as chatting to healthcare professionals and community leaders to get the low down on all things health and wellbeing!
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Want to connect, partner or collaborate with us?
Reach us at:
- I...2021-11-0625 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 30: Creating Global Change Through Local Action, Confronting Adversity and Navigating Unexpected Career Journeys with Marisha NairMarisha Nair is 28 years old and was born in Australia and raised in Melbourne’s Western suburbs by migrant parents. Her dad is from Malaysia and has an Indian background and her mum is from India and has a British and Persian background.
She grew up in Hoppers Crossing and attended Victoria University completing a Bachelor of Communications in 2014. Post-graduation, she worked in marketing and advertising for over 3 years at ad agencies, start-ups and ran her own consulting business.
In 2016, she began a Master of Human Rights, with a focus on climate migration, in an ef...2021-10-2400 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 29: Using Sports to Drive Social Change, Alternative Career Paths and Managing Expectations with Simon RodderSimon is a dedicated member of the community who has extensive experience working in youth-related programs with governments (all levels), community groups, the education and training sector and national sporting organisations. Simon has a proven track record of designing, developing and delivering nationally accredited training programs across Australia that are aimed at stimulating involvement in local communities.
While working with a range of disadvantaged cohorts to promote the benefits of increased community activity, Simon has honed his skills at developing and maintaining networks to provide outcomes that meet shared goals. These experiences have given Simon a strong...2021-10-1741 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 28: The Changing Landscape of Education, Skills and Employment with Deirdre HardyDeirdre Hardy is currently the Executive Officer of Future Connect, a not-for-profit seeking to support young people in their transition from education to employment across Brimbank and Melton. Future Connect has extensive local networks and connections with schools, training providers and employers in the area as well as with the community.
Deirdre’s has predominantly been in the not for profit area and her career purpose has been to use her skills to empower others. Deirdre has worked with diverse people supporting them through recruitment and training to have greater choices and self direction. She has particularly en...2021-10-0341 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 27: Empowering Young People Through Scholarships and Fun Marine Biology Facts with Zac LewisZac Lewis recently commenced as CEO at Western Chances, an organisation dedicated to assisting young people in Melbourne's west realise their potential by providing scholarships, opportunity programs and ongoing support.
Zac joined Western Chances after more than 12 years working across the not-for-profit and government sectors.
Recently, Zac led Foodbank Victoria's Food program and partnerships leading teams across community development, food supply and school program delivery. He is passionate about tackling social challenges and loves working in the non-profit sector where people, passion and creativity collide to create better outcomes for the community.
This...2021-09-1946 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 26: First Nations Sovereignty, Managing Emotional Burnout and Self-Care with Karen JacksonKaren Jackson is Yorta Yorta, a Footscray resident and a member of many local western suburbs Aboriginal community groups and committees. She is an advocate for the recognition of Sovereign First Nation Peoples and traditional lands never ceded; for developing culturally safe spaces that enable Aboriginal people to aspire to personal, family and community goals; and the delivery of relevant tertiary education and community-based programs by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people.
Karen is the Director of the Moondani Balluk Indigenous Academic Unit at Victoria University that aims to deliver Aboriginal curriculum by Aboriginal academics to all students...2021-09-051h 01
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 25: Politics, Mental Health and Social Procurement with Wade NoonanThe Hon. Wade Noonan is the Executive Director of the West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance and operates a consulting business (Impulsum Consulting), specialising in social procurement, executive leadership, and public policy.
In addition, Wade serves on a number of boards and advisory groups in the public health, human services and community sectors. This includes Jobs Bank, Forensicare, Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and most recently, Homes Victoria.
Wade has also worked in a range of challenging and complex policy and political environments, including as Victoria’s Minister for Police and Corrections (2014-16), and more recently as...2021-08-221h 04
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 24: Social Impact, Capacity Building and Culture with Mehak SheikhMehak Sheikh has been in Australia since 2012, and in this time, she has exclusively dedicated her work and passion to the Western suburbs. Some of her notable works in this area are running a travelling exhibition called the Humans of Brimbank (2015-2017), supporting placemaking and community engagement projects by local non-profits and founding a life skills social enterprise (2018-present), called Unconventional Learning – that makes skill development accessible to the West.
In addition to running projects in the West, she works primarily in Capacity Building and Community Engagement in the youth, small business, and local government sectors. Her wo...2021-08-0846 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 23: The Invisible Skills Gap, Future of Work and Education with Gail BrayGail Bray is responsible for leading a team to create the digital division of VU Polytechnic, the TAFE arm of Victoria University. This includes leading three strategic initiatives, the Wyndham Tech School, Sunshine Skills Hub and Cybersecurity Training Centre to provide STEM training from Year 7 right up to mature age adults.
Gail engages in regular speaking events and podcasts to increase the visibility of careers that involve STEM and to educate education leaders on the skills required for the future of work.
Gail is passionate about promoting the growing job opportunities available to the young p...2021-07-2541 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 22: Social Entrepreneurship and Creating Community Impact with Jeffrey LaiJeffrey Lai is a social entrepreneur working with communities in Melbourne’s West. A first-generation migrant from Hong Kong, Jeff has lived in the West ever since arriving when he was 3 years old.
Passionate about education and becoming ever more aware of the disparities in career and education outcomes experienced by young people in his community, he founded Equal Ed, a social enterprise that aims to empower young people as drivers of change through academic support, networks, skills and active involvement.
In a past life, he studied neuroscience and did a brief stint in banking be...2021-07-1153 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 21: Cultivating Creativity and Overcoming Resistance with Lachlann CarterLachlann Carter is co-founder and CEO of 100 Story Building, a social enterprise providing creative learning opportunities for children and young people in Footscray. Since opening doors in 2013, 100 Story Building has had over 30,000 program participants, supporting their literacy skills development, confidence and sense of belonging.
A former teacher at Footscray City Primary School, Lachlann has extensive experience in delivering professional learning to teachers from across Australia around literacy and student engagement.
He sits on Victoria University’s Vice Chancellor’s Schools Engagement Reference Group; is a founding board member of SENVIC, Victoria’s practitioner-led social enterprise networ...2021-06-2757 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 20: How To Influence Anyone and Speak With ConfidenceHow much does public speaking make you sweat?
After death, public speaking is the most commonly reported fear. They call it Glossophobia and it is estimated to affect up to 75% of the population. That’s crazy! This means that most of the world does not like public speaking. What’s up with that?
People can view public speaking as a potential threat to their reputation, popularity or image. This usually starts in school. We often dread having to talk in front of the class. That one embarrassing moment in Grade 5 can make you hate public spea...2021-06-1335 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 19: Stress Management and BurnoutWe’ve all been there. Tired, anxious and stressed out.
As chronic over workers ourselves, we’ve had our fair share of encounters with work-related burnout. We are not proud and we don’t wear it like a badge of honour. But the great part of this podcast is that you can live through our experiences and make sure you don’t do what we did.
If you don’t already know, we are huge hypocrites so as the old saying goes: ‘do as we say, not as we do.’ Hopefully you can avoid some painful experi...2021-05-2944 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 18 - Interview tips, tricks and hints!No matter what you do, being able to communicate your value in an interview format is essential.
Improving your interview skills is going to be a challenge but a worthwhile investment. They aren’t just a necessary part of getting a job but also being able to get a promotion, board positions or any other meaningful opportunities you want.
We have both collectively interviewed over 100 candidates for potential jobs, committees or volunteer positions. We have also been on the other side of the table (or Zoom call now?) as an interviewee, so we have a pr...2021-05-1525 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 17: Growing Up Asian in AustraliaThis podcast episode is a bit more personal and a topic that is really important for us.
As first generation Asian-Australians, we reflect on some of our experiences growing up as third culture kids. From trying to fit in at school, reconciling differences in Australian and Asian cultures and encounters with racism, we’ve got some stories that will make you laugh, break your heart and everything in between.
The migrant experience is diverse, so we are not aiming to represent everyone. We can only tell our own stories. So while our experiences may be dif...2021-05-0129 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 16: International Women's Day Wrap-UpJoin Julia and Michael as they reflect on the #ChoosetoChallenge podcast series, featuring three incredible and inspiring interviews with:
💜 Rhyll Dorrington, formerly the CEO of Western Chances
💜 Reana Cazar, a senior associate at a social enterprise in Melbourne’s west
💜 Jasmine Nguyen - a graduate at NBN Australia, and the youngest elected Deputy Mayor at Brimbank City Council2021-04-1727 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 15: International Women’s Day Mini-Series (Jasmine Nguyen)We are running a Collective West mini-series for International Women’s Day. Michael will be taking a back seat for these podcasts, whilst Julia interviews some incredible women who have done or are doing incredible things in Melbourne’s west.
We are blessed to have strong, empowered and incredible women in our lives and community who are working to make the future a better place.
In this podcast, Julia chats to Jasmine Nguyen who is the Deputy Mayor at Brimbank City Council and youngest elected councillor. We explore Jasmine’s experience running for local government, being...2021-04-0348 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 14: International Women’s Day Mini-Series (Reana Cazar)We are running a Collective West mini-series for International Women’s Day. Michael will be taking a back seat for these podcasts, whilst Julia interviews some incredible women who have done or are doing incredible things in Melbourne’s west.
We are blessed to have strong, empowered and incredible women in our lives and community who are working to make the future a better place.
In this podcast, Julia chats to Reana Cazar who is a Senior Associate at a social impact firm that works in Melbourne's west. As a local westie, Reana is passionate abou...2021-03-1940 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 13: International Women’s Day Mini-Series (Rhyll Dorrington)We are running a Collective West mini-series for International Women’s Day. Michael will be taking a back seat for these podcasts, whilst Julia interviews some incredible women who have done or are doing incredible things in Melbourne’s west.
We are blessed to have strong, empowered and incredible women in our lives and community who are working to make the future a better place.
In this podcast, Julia chats to Rhyll Dorrington, who was formerly the CEO of Western Chances for more than a decade. In her role as CEO, Rhyll has touched the live...2021-03-0637 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 12 - #GoalsNew Year, New Me!
January is when most of us start to set our goals for the year. Whether it is getting fit or saving more money, the start of the year fills us with an infectious energy for change. Whatever goal you have we know how exciting it can be to embark on a journey of self-improvement.
But how do you sustain this motivation for the entire year?
Statistically, over 80% of New Year’s Resolutions are abandoned by the end of February. That’s only 1 month of effort before people call it quit...2021-02-2030 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 11 - Reflections, Goals and Ambitions for 2021Can you believe that 2020 is already almost over?
We wanted to take some time out to reflect on the whirlwind that was 2020. From pandemics, presidential elections to racial injustice, 2020 has served up to be a year that no one expected.
At times 2020 was difficult to just downright miserable, but it was a year that taught both of us some hard, fast and valuable lessons that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
We both had extremely ambitious goals for 2020 from travelling the world to scaling a thriving business. We both had to do th...2020-12-3037 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 10 - Networking (The Collective West Podcast)It is all about WHO you know, not WHAT you know.
I am sure we have all heard that saying in one way or another. Whether it is from guidance counselors, teachers or family members, everyone understands the importance of having industry connections and social capital to finding meaningful opportunities in life.
With most jobs and promotions not being widely advertised, networking is a key component in finding a job and moving up in your career.
While networking is an extremely important skill in the new world of work, it can feel a...2020-12-0644 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 9 - Employment In The Era of COVID-19 (The Collective West Podcast)There is no denying that COVID-19 has hit young people the hardest.
The industries that traditionally employ young people such as arts, hospitality, retail have been the first to close down and will likely be the last to reopen. Research and lessons from the last recession in 2008/09 demonstrated that it took almost a decade for employment levels to recover and some jobs never came back.
In the context of Melbourne’s west, youth unemployment was already the highest in Victoria pre-COVID. The impact of this global pandemic has only worsened the disadvantages that young people al...2020-11-2142 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 8 - Question and Answer Part 2 (The Collective West Podcast)Episode 8: Q and A (Part 2)
We couldn’t fit everything into one episode, so we decided to make a part 2.
Enjoy getting to know us a little bit more!
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Want to connect, partner or collaborate with us?
Reach us at:
- INSTAGRAM: @_collectivewest
- WEBSITE: www.collectivewest.com.au
- EMAIL: collectivewest@gmail.com2020-11-0830 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 7: Question and Answer (The Collective West Podcast)We’ve known each other for almost 4.5 years and have witnessed the highs, lows and everything in between in our lives. In this episode, we wanted to ask each other some deep and not so deep questions about things we didn’t really know about each other. We learned about our favourite movies, advice we would give our younger selves and alternate career paths we almost went into.
We had a lot of fun getting to know each other and we hope you did as well. If there are any burning questions you have for us, please feel...2020-10-2536 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 6 - Leadership (The Collective West Podcast)Whether we are leading one person, a big group or just ourselves, we will all be in a role of leadership at some point in our lives. Being a leader is hard. You’ll be forced to make tough decisions, have difficult conversations and take risks with little or no information.
Julia and Michael both have diverse experiences of leadership. Julia has spent the better part of a decade creating and leading a small team as a young female entrepreneur in the event management world. Michael has spent most of his early career in the social impact se...2020-10-0652 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 5 - Hobbies and Habits (The Collective West Podcast)How do you like to spend your spare time?
Whether it is binge watching Netflix or starting your own side hustle, your hobbies and habits make up who you are and what you become. We explore some of our own respective hobbies and habits and the impact they have on our life, relationships and work.
LIfe in extended lockdown has been hard on everyone but it has also given us a unique opportunity and time dedicated to creating new habits, exploring new hobbies and learning about ourselves.
What are some of your hobbies...2020-09-2036 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 4 - Following Your Passion (The Collective West Podcast)We love challenges at Collective West.
In this podcast, we tackle the age-old debate of following your “passion” versus having “security” in your work. Following your passion is a value that is heavily praised in theory, but rarely implemented in practice. It is a phrase that you will inevitably hear throughout your career and life. It so common in life, but rarely discussed in a deep and nuanced way.
We both consider ourselves passionate people. We have the privilege to absolutely love what we do, to wake up with energy and motivation to keep pushing ourselves...2020-08-2836 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 3 - What's COVID-19? (The Collective West Podcast)COVID-19, what's that?
Unless you've been living under a well-resourced rock, you would have been bombarded with messages about the Corona Virus pandemic. It has gripped the world's imagination and fundamentally changed our 'normal' way of life. It is a crazy time to be alive. In this podcast, we explore the impacts of COVID-19 on our work, life, and relationships. We discuss what living in isolation is like and how it has changed our perception of the world. We hope you enjoy the episode!
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Want to connect, partner or collaborate with us?...2020-08-2140 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 2 - Mentors and Mentees Part 2 (The Collective West Podcast)Part 2 of our podcast on mentors and mentees!
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Want to connect, partner or collaborate with us?
Reach us at:
- INSTAGRAM: @_collectivewest
- WEBSITE: www.collectivewest.com.au
- EMAIL: collectivewest@gmail.com2020-08-1524 min
The Collective West PodcastEpisode 1 - Mentors and Mentees (The Collective West Podcast)In this episode, we dive into the topic of mentorship. We explore what mentorship is, how it has impacted our lives and the importance of mentoring especially for young people. We share our own personal experiences of mentoring. From parents to professionals we see the value of being taught by a dynamic range of people. We discuss the differences between the mentoring and coaching and the cycle of mentoring from being the mentee to becoming the mentor. Join us for an excellent conversation! Let us know what you think. -------------Wa...2020-08-0225 min