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News, Reviews & Resources || Issue 103 September 2013 Dear Reader, We were thinking of calling this month's issue a 'lucky dip' of goodies, but
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News, Reviews & Resources || Issue 103 September 2013 |
Dear Reader,
We were thinking of calling this month's issue a 'lucky dip' of goodies, but couldn't find any images ... until we realised our stock image providers are based in the US and we learned the American expression is apparently 'grab bag'. :)
We also found this list of equivalents between British and American English expressions. We're sure it's not a comprehensive list - and it doesn't add any of the Aussie equivalents that may differ from both. But if you're curious, it's a start ... :)
Whether this issue of Starlink could be called a 'lucky dip' or a 'grab bag' - or something else entirely - we hope you'll find a few gifts that you will enjoy or find useful.
Cheers
Sue & Chris
BJ Seminars International |
We mentioned Buy Nothing New month in the article on 'affluenza' in our July issue of Starlink. But we thought we'd send another 'heads up' to our readers.
Visit the site to learn how to be more mindful and stay away from rampant consumerism in October. Their Links and Stuff page is also worth a browse.
There's an interesting link to a piece about a man who owns just 15 things. That's right - and it's not a typo. :) Only fifteen worldly possessions in total.
Hmmm ... that does seem pretty extreme. :) But perhaps Buy Nothing New Month will give rest of us a chance to discover how much of our accumulated 'stuff' we can clear out and recycle. |
The Schools Business Community Partnership Brokers (Partnership Brokers) program is focused on building partnerships that will help young people to achieve Year 12 or equivalent qualifications and reach their full potential. It encourages a whole-of-community approach to improving education and transition outcomes for all young people.
A national network of Partnership Brokers build partnerships between four key groups:
* education and training providers
* business and industry
* parents and families
* community groups
Partnership Brokers help these groups to form locally relevant partnerships that harness community resources and share responsibility for young people's learning and development.
The resources on this site are worth a browse! |
Founded in 2005, Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. |
They work with (at this point) 222 microfinance institutions on five continents to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems. Kiva calls these microfinance institutions their "Field Partners". Unlike with many other more traditional organisations in the field, 100% of every loan is sent to these institutions and goes directly towards funding the loans - which Field Parnters administer with the support of over 450 Kiva volunteers worldwide.
When a borrower pays back the loan, you (as the lender) can either choose to withdraw your money or (as Kiva hopes you will) make another loan to another borrower. While there is some risk involved of course, Kiva has a repayment rate of 99.03%. This is across 72 countries, just short of a million individual lenders and almost 500 million dollars in loans. Very impressive! |
Kiva doesn't take a cut or charge interest to the Field Partners. It is mostly funded through the support of lenders making optional donations as well as funds raised through grants, corporate sponsors, and foundations.
We envision a world where all people - even in the most remote areas of the globe - hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others. We believe providing safe, affordable access to capital to those in need helps people create better lives for themselves and their families.
For a brief intro, visit their start page. Or you can browse more extensively on their main website to learn more and become involved. |
A two-part series from the UK, these articles have as their premise that community engagement should be exciting.
Along with other tips, Part One includes the importance of seeing things differently and reminds us that children can often have the best ideas.
Part Two tells us to 'ditch consultation, embrace collaboration', stay relevant and remember that money is certainly not the main motivator.
Several other tips are included in each article. A very handy checklist and reminder - even though none of the ideas are especially new or earth-shattering. :) |
 The Vertical Farm | |  Endangered Bodies | |  5.75 Questions | |  Football United |
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Seriously Smashed, as they say on their site, is an educational resource for young people, parents and those working with young people. It explores the dangers of drinking too much, particularly for those in the age group of 12-17, through a staged party and some very real local stories. The website highlights such issues as risk taking, sex under the influence, bullying, breaking the law and alcohol charged violence. |
Here are a three snippets we hope will inspire you - and bring some sunshine to your day. And, even if you've seen them before, you may feel they're worth re-visiting - as we do. :)
Fiirstly, here's an article worth reading by Ocean Robbins: Why Gratitude Makes Us Healthier. As he says "If you invest in a way of seeing the world that is mean and frustrated, you're going to get a world that is, well, more mean and frustrating. But if you can find any authentic reason to give thanks, anything that is going right with the world or your life, and put your attention there, then statistics say you're going to be better off." |
Next, a great TEDx talk from Kathleen Taylor: Rethinking the Bucket List. A licensed mental health councellor, with over 20 years as a counselor and community engagement facilitator for the dying. Her talk is engaging, sometimes amusing and moving. As she says, one of the reasons she loves her work is because "people, at the end of their lives, are incapable of bll-sh-t". :) They become courageous - they change their minds, apologize, forgive... and they find joy in the smallest moments. Kathleen's talk reminds us not not to wait until we are at the end of our lives to find our true selves. We think you'll find this talk well worth 10 minutes of your time! |
And finally - A Letter from Fred. A short but beautiful and very moving documentary about how a recording studio helped a 96 year old man by recording a song he had written for his wife after she'd passed away. They had been married for 75 years. You may need a box of tissues handy for this one! :) |
Apart from Buy Nothing Month in October, there are lots of other goodies coming up. If you've been moved by A Letter from Fred (above), you might like to commemorate the international Day of Older persons on 1 October.
There are also several conferences, including the 2nd International Youth Mental Health conference, an Infant and Early Childhood Social and Emotional Wellbeing Conference, the biennial Youth Action conference and the Australian College of Midwives National Conference.
Visit our Events Calendar for details about all these and more! |
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