Bloom podcast

National Student Volunteer Week

In this episode, Jack and Shane speak to Haley about National Student Volunteer Week and learn about her amazing history as a volunteer, and her connection with the Boroondara Volunteer Resource Centre.

Take the Stage: Dive into Diversity - Arlo Fehring

In this episode, Lauren speaks to Arlo about their experience as a young disabled person in Boroondara. Arlo is a fourth-year student studying at Swinburne University. They are the current student secretariat for the Swinburne Accessibility Network - a group of students advocating for improved support and accessibility for all around Swinburne.

Introducing George

Meet George - a young person who has been attending the Boroondara Youth Hub for over three years. George first visited the Boroondara Youth Hub after running into difficult times. Through joining Boroondara Youth programs, George began to gain confidence, life skills social networks. George soon linked in with other services and supports to continue his journey of personal growth and development. 

In this episode, Nia talks with George about what it is was like accessing these resources and how other young people can build their own networks of support. She also speaks to Benjamin Breslin, Youth Development Lead at Boroondara Youth about his journey alongside George.

Homelessness 

In this episode, Hayley and Nia chat to Belinda and Brea, two amazing young people who work and volunteer in the homelessness space. In this interview, they break down stigmas, stereotypes and talk about how we can do better as a community to support those who are experiencing homelessness.

Swarn 

“A lot of my friends who went through break ups and things like that, they always wanted me to talk to me. And I wanted to help out, but deep in my mind I have to admit that I didn’t always feel like talking. For me...if you want to help someone, you’ve got to at first help yourself.” 

In this episode, Swarn discusses his experiences with friendships and how he hopes to put into practise some social skills around boundary setting.

Iggy

In this episode, we meet Iggy, a mechatronics student and musician. Iggy enjoys live music, writing songs and finding cool new spaces to explore. Iggy has also been involved in Solar Productions, our events committee. In their interview, Iggy discusses their experience in reaching out and getting treatment for mental illness. 

Sophie

In this episode, Sophie talks about how her passion for change was really ignited when she had the opportunity to debate taxing single use plastic with YMCA Victoria Youth Parliament, as part of Boroondara Youth's team in 2021.

As well as studying for the IB, and staying engaged with politics, taking part in Youth Parliament exposed Sophie to ideas that she now cares deeply about. Sophie says that her involvement with the program was what got her interested and motivated to work for climate action, and to encourage other people like herself to create changes for the environment. Her experience with Youth Parliament showed her it is possible to enact change and helped demonstrate a pathway forward for her. She is also a member of Boroondara's Youth Voice, our youth reference group.

Ruby

“The previous few weeks I was getting a lot of different symptoms. I was picked for seniors, and I was in the locker room. I couldn’t breathe, no oxygen was going into one of my lungs. It was really emotional and confusing”.

In this episode, Ruby discusses a shocking medical diagnosis she received on her birthday in 2019 that severely impacted her ability to play sport and keep fit.

Brooke

In this episode, we meet Brooke, a TAFE student, currently studying outdoor education and outdoor guiding. She also enjoys staying active thanks to her rec centre membership funded by a City of Boroondara Move and Connect Grant. In her interview, Brooke shares her experience of recovering from surgery during the pandemic, how she is reconnecting with her creative practice and her plans for the future.