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Alana: [00:00:00] It’s a great fundraising initiative. Cause everyone loves their pets very much impacted by violence within the homes as well.
[00:00:14] Intro: [00:00:14] Welcome to the future tribe podcast, where we’re all about taking your future to the next level, whether it is interviewing guests or unpacking strategies, you know, we will be talking about getting things done and backing you a fellow optimistic, go get us. And now as always. Here’s your host, the formidable fortunate and highly favored Germaine Muller.
[00:00:39] Germaine: [00:00:39] Hello. Welcome to this episode of the podcast on this week’s episode, I’ve got Alana Davis from the domestic violence crisis service in Canberra or in ACT, and she’s the community development and engagement manager. How are you today? Alana
[00:00:54] Alana: [00:00:54] well, thank you. Thanks for having me.
[00:00:56] Germaine: [00:00:56] No worries. Um, So, are you guys working from home or are you in the office?
[00:01:01] It looks like you’re in the office.
[00:01:03] Alana: [00:01:03] We did go home for a little while when it sort of first broke in March, but now we’re back in the house.
[00:01:09] Germaine: [00:01:09] Okay. Okay. I mean, it’s dragging on much longer than I think anyone thought it would. Um, so it’s probably good to be back in the office. I think, I think a lot of.
[00:01:18] People enjoyed it when they had to be home for a little while, but, um, that gets a bit old and stale.
[00:01:23] Alana: [00:01:23] Yeah. Yeah, no, I had a good day with my son and my husband and I, we enjoyed this time. Yeah.
[00:01:29] Germaine: [00:01:29] Nice. That’s good to hear. Um, let’s, let’s roll into it. So your, the, uh, community development engagement manager at DV CS, how did you, how did you sort of end up in that position?
[00:01:41] What did you do. Before, um, what did you do sort of coming out of school?
[00:01:45] Alana: [00:01:45] Well, when I came out of school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. So I just applied for a heap of jobs, um, to, to, you know, and some pay to help me. Uh, and I landed myself a job as a receptionist, the law firm, and they practice predominantly in family law.
[00:02:00] And after that, I. Um, just, I think honed my skills and I stayed working in family law for about 15 years or so, and then left there in 2014. I think it was and, um, needed a job. So I applied for a job here, CS, which was the admin manager and got that job. But that included things like rosters and staffing and insurance and all the stuff that I really don’t like.
[00:02:26] Very much. Uh, and then we DVCS employed, um, a business manager who took on all the stuff I didn’t like, and I got to keep all the stuff I did, like, which is the stuff that she didn’t like. So we have a perfect partnership and I get to do all the comms and events and media and stuff like that.
[00:02:45] Germaine: [00:02:45] Yeah. That’s, that’s very exciting.
[00:02:47] I mean, that’s something yeah. That I love to do as well. That’s why that’s what we do at future theory. So I can definitely relate to that. Being the fun side of things though. I know there are a lot of weirdos who weren’t, Oh, I shouldn’t call them that. But people who enjoy doing the organizational rostering and all that side of things as well, but I like to think that we’re the.
[00:03:09] The more creative side of the coin is if we can put it that way. Um, so you’re based in Canberra and you sort of found yourself in this position, in this role. How, how long have you been working in this role for?
[00:03:21] Alana: [00:03:21] I can’t remember. It would be a definitely, it’s probably about four years. I think I’ve been at DVC.
[00:03:26] This will be my sixth year. Killed role. There was no role like this before, and then, um, sort of, you know, we grew. And so, um, I took stuff on just solely, about four years ago. Okay.
[00:03:39] Germaine: [00:03:39] Now I’m sure there are a lot of people and I’ve spoken a lot of people. Who’ve talked about the fact that they’d love to get into marketing.
[00:03:45] They’d love to get into comms, but they find that it’s two ends of the spectrum. Either. They either an organization wants someone with a lot of experience or an organization. Doesn’t see the value in such a role. Do you have any advice for people who find themselves in that position? Or, I mean, sounds like what you basically did was got your foot in the door through more of an admin role and then, um, managed to massage it into a position that sort of really worked for you.
[00:04:11] Any tips, tricks, things, things that you can sort of, um, tell people to do.
[00:04:17] Alana: [00:04:17] Unfortunately, I died. I think I was just really lucky. Um, I. Hey, Steve, I do have that sort of social butterfly, um, you know, like to talk and that sort of stuff. So I think, um, when I came on board here, one of the things that was definitely noticeable was their lack of online presence, their lack of, um, fundraising initiatives, that sort of stuff.
[00:04:40] And to me, that was something that. You can’t not have an online presence, right? You must have that. And, and fundraising for an issue that impacts, you know, the vast majority of our community would make sense. So, and we can’t always rely on the government, I think, to, to fund organizations like us and to, to fund everything that we do.
[00:04:59] So it sort of made sense for. For someone to start doing those things. I liked doing those things. So I just sort of did it, and then it’s gotten to the place now where you just, you can’t not do those things you have to.
[00:05:11] Germaine: [00:05:11] Yeah. I mean, definitely, certainly for the last four years, it sounds like it’s just, it’s a role that, you know, if you remove that role, um, I think the importance of the role that you play has only increased websites and social media and marketing.
[00:05:24] The importance is only increased. So in, in amongst all that, did you have to do any convincing or do, do you think, um, that when you approach people that like the people within the organization, they could see that sort of need for, um, what you were suggesting and sort of said, Hey Alana, you you’ve got great ideas.
[00:05:41] Just run with it.
[00:05:42] Alana: [00:05:42] I think. No, I think they’re all pretty open to it. They are all pretty aware of the fact that it needed to be done anyway. And it’s about how someone having the capacity to do that. And I ticked those boxes. So it was, I think we were just really lucky that everything sort of aligned all at once.
[00:06:00] Yeah.
[00:06:00] Germaine: [00:06:00] Did you, did you guys have a lot of. Like web presence, social media presence at the time.
[00:06:06] Alana: [00:06:06] No, we had a website and that was it. And the website was quite outdated. So we’ve, since I’ve been here, we’ve had two website refreshes and we’ve established, um, you know, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn. All that sort of stuff.
[00:06:19] Germaine: [00:06:19] Okay. Yeah. Um, you touched on it before. So can you give us a quick idea of what DVCS is in terms of like, is it a, not for profit? Is it government funded? Give us that idea that we can go into the, you know, the marketing and the fundraising side of things with that knowledge.
[00:06:37] Alana: [00:06:37] So DVCS or the domestic violence crisis services, a non-government not for profit organizations.
[00:06:43] So we do have charity status. We do receive the bulk of our funding though from the act government, as well as some funding from the federal government. But then for all the sort of cherry on top stuff is what I like to call it. That’s the way we fund raised. So all of the government funding pays for staff wages and things like that, but the stuff that clients need, like groceries or petrol or mobile phones or phone credit, that’s what the fundraising pays for all that sort of stuff.
[00:07:10] Germaine: [00:07:10] Right. So you’ve got some stability in knowing that you can pay the staff wages and you can do your more like core services, but then it’s, it’s where you want to do the things that really, like you said, cherry on top, or, um, just add so much more to someone’s life. Um, even, even though they’re sort of small things, I guess you, you then need to fund those in some way.
[00:07:33] And that’s, that’s where, um, I mean, it’s a good segue to get into the. Calendar the pets of Canberra calendar competition that you guys are running. Um, that’s where competitions like that or fundraisers like that come into the picture. Is that right?
[00:07:46] Alana: [00:07:46] Correct. Yes. So we use them to fund all of our fundraising activities are there for two reasons, obviously to fundraise, but secondly, to promote awareness one.
[00:07:56] Of the issue. And to that, of the fact that we exist, because, um, you know, we know statistically speaking that overwhelming majority of people will experience domestic or family violence, either themselves or a family member or a coworker at some stage during their life. So we want those people to know that we’re here.
[00:08:14] Germaine: [00:08:14] Yeah. So getting the message out there. Yeah. Is just as important as raising the funds. And one could argue that they’re sort of symbiotic. You know, if you have one, then you can do the other. And if you have the other, you can, you can fundraise. And if you have the funds to, um, to get out there, then you can increase awareness.
[00:08:30] So talk to me about the pets of Canberra calendar con, who came up with it. It was it, is it, you know, being a staple of, uh, of the domestic violence crisis service or is it a new thing?
[00:08:42] Alana: [00:08:42] Yeah, so this is its third year, so I guess. Do you were calling for nominees for the calendar, which will be for the 20, 21 year.
[00:08:50] So we, um, the first calendar we published was the 2019 calendar year. And, um, it’s an idea that we came up with originally because we know that pets are impacted by family violence as well. Often they can be used to control people. Um, they can also experience violence, abuse, or even death. Um, and so, um, it’s a way to also draw attention to the fact that pets and they are impacted by domestic and family violence and also, um, you know, and we need a bit of help sometimes in supporting those pets.
[00:09:22] When we’re supporting clients who do have pets. Sometimes it’s a little bit more complex and how we can provide supports to those clients. So it was sort of born out of the idea that it’s a great fundraising initiative. Cause everyone loves their pets. It’s and everyone wants to say that pets. And we all know, you know, so many people have multiple pets.
[00:09:39] Um, but yeah, that pets are very much impacted by violence within the homes as well.
[00:09:45] Germaine: [00:09:45] Yeah. I mean, it works pretty well. I would say like, like you mentioned, um, works on multiple levels because people love pets. People love animals. Canberra is full of, I think, you know, everyone seems to have at least one pet in Canberra, so that works in nicely.
[00:10:00] And, um, I did have a look at your competition entry and, you know, There’s the dropdown is just an exhaustive list of all sorts of animals. So you can enter whatever pet you have, whether it’s a red child or a fish or a horse, or the classic dogs and cats as well. Um, so you guys came up with it three years ago, more or less.
[00:10:21] Um, and then you basically. Use is a try booking. So you just like use a, just about shape.
[00:10:28] Alana: [00:10:28] Yeah. Just to do it that way. That’s where we, how we do all the ticketing for Alvin. So we just use that as well. You just purchased your registration by that. And then you email us a copy of the photo that you want to enter.
[00:10:39] But a bunch of judges that select out there.
[00:10:43] Germaine: [00:10:43] Okay. And so you sort of use a event ticketing system, as it was mentioned is sort of the cheapest. Is it also just the easiest because you guys aren’t trying to do too much with video, you’re basically just asking for an entry and then you have judges on, on your end.
[00:10:59] So you’re not. There’s no need to, I guess, publish the photos for people to vote or anything like that. So it was the parameters of the competition dictated by the software or, or is it sort of a bit, a bit of both?
[00:11:12] Alana: [00:11:12] Not really. I think with anything that I do. I, um, and sometimes I, I will admit I create a rod for my own back, but at the event, in my head first, and then I work out how I’m going to manage it later.
[00:11:25] That’s very calendar kind of bad as well.
[00:11:28] Germaine: [00:11:28] Right. Okay. Um, and so you guys printed out, um, there’s, I assume there’s one winner per month to 12 winners in total,
[00:11:36] Alana: [00:11:36] so 13, cause we also then put an additional pet on the cover and of course, just get to have an extra person involved and all 13 pets, golf, and have a professional photo shoot with professional photographers that you’ve actually.
[00:11:53] You know that you send in. We don’t use that because most of them are taken on their phones and we need them to be high resolution images. So we’ve got all volunteer photographers who go out and do a professional photo shoot with all of that. Yeah. Pets. And we use those images in our calendar and the calendar is totally designed by the printers.
[00:12:11] Um, my sleep is I don’t have time, so I take on that and, um, they just get the photos. It’s the month and off they go.
[00:12:19] Germaine: [00:12:19] That’s so sounds like a really wonderful, uh, team effort by the, by the sounds of it in terms of not just the or team, but then the volunteers and the printers and everyone getting involved with photography and all that I’m planning to enter.
[00:12:31] So, um, can we enter each pet once? Is that sort of one of the rules?
[00:12:36] Alana: [00:12:36] Yeah. So you can enter as many pets as you want, but each pet once and only one pet. Per image and one image per pit. Cause if you send me images of your dog, I will end up picking out only one. And you may not the one that I picked.
[00:12:53] Germaine: [00:12:53] Nice.
[00:12:53] Nice. And then once you’ve got the calendar, um, Ready for production. How do you handle the actual numbers of how, how, how many you print? Do you let people pre-purchase it, or do you, um, just print out a X amount and then sell it through an online store? How do you, how do you handle that side of things?
[00:13:13] Alana: [00:13:13] Do it’s open now for preorder?
[00:13:15] Um, and to be honest, usually the parents of the winning pitch. Take up the bulk of the purchase. Um, they’re proud parents and a lot of the calendars go international. Uh, but yeah, so we do, it’s just through tribal key again, just because it’s, it’s easier for us. You just buy your calendar that way and we just post them out directly from the office.
[00:13:35] So as in terms of numbers, um, the first year I took a bit of a guesstimate. I wasn’t too far off and we’ve based it on the sales each year. So we do, um, The first year we did an, a for size and an a three size. Sorry, we did that for the first two years. You see tanning that I, to I three and a four, but we’re also adding a desk calendar.
[00:13:58] I’ve had a few requests calendar this year.
[00:14:01] Germaine: [00:14:01] Yeah. So diversifying your product range. Yeah. You’re just adding more skews. And, and what I love is, I mean, The, the biggest message that I, and I keep asking you about, you know, whether you use, try booking for this or not, is that you guys haven’t tried to complicate things too much.
[00:14:19] I think people can get lost in, especially when it comes to software, because there’s this almost this mental. Thing that swapping software’s just very easy. So, you know, all you’ve got to do is click enter an email address, enter password, and that’s it. But that’s also often a trap. Cause you can end up complicating things way more than you need to, to just.
[00:14:42] Achieve, uh, something very simple and, and you guys have kept it simple. You’re using, I’m sure there are a lot of people listening who are sort of, um, thinking to. So, especially, especially in the marketing or the tech space, thinking to themselves, hold on, you can’t sell calendars through an event registration system.
[00:14:59] That is, that is crazy. There’s a dedicated, you know, that’s, e-commerce do it that way, but you know, What, why do you have to do it that way? If, if you can simplify it down much further, and I looked into it, it’s not like, you know, the system isn’t unintuitive it, it makes a lot of sense. It’s very simple. Um, so the biggest message I think out of this is just to keep things simple, um, or as simple, as complex as you need to make it, to make it work for you, which is, which is what you guys are doing now.
[00:15:28] How do you, I mean, You know, I’m sure like a pet calendar markets itself. Um, but how do you sort of handle the marketing side of things? How do you get the word out and, and what sort of growth, if any, have you seen over the last few years of the number of orders and the number of entries coming through?
[00:15:44] Alana: [00:15:44] I think, um, well certainly for entries. So we’re three, well, well, and truly into our third year of entries this year, we’ve doubled the amount of entries we received. On our first year. So the 200 now, um, and we’ve still got about two weeks to go. So I anticipate we might get close to two 50 because we tend to get quite a flurry, right.
[00:16:07] In the last few days, in terms of entries, in terms of sales, they were virtually the same last year. I don’t know. Obviously we haven’t really started to hit the sales yet this year that tends to more be November and December. And certainly it’s. A perfect Christmas present and I know the people buy them for Christmas presents.
[00:16:27] So we tend to really hit the sales in December, but I’ve no reason to anticipate that it won’t be very similar to what it’s been in previous years.
[00:16:36] Germaine: [00:16:36] Yeah. Yeah. And how do you market, um, marketed it’s just through all your social media channels or, um, do you, do you get. Sort of traditional media outlets hopping on board and, and I’m doing a writeup as well.
[00:16:50] Alana: [00:16:50] Yeah, I think it’s mostly through our social media channels as well as our mail out list. And then we do have really good connections with local media here in the ACA that’s something I think that, um, I know for me personally, I’m really proud of the relationships that we have with the media outlets here in Canberra.
[00:17:06] So most of them have gotten on board with it as well as, um, other supporters. So other people that just have big, you know, social media followings, Uh, as well have been sharing it because really most people have pets here in Canberra and there’s just so much interest in it, um, that, you know, they’re going to get interested in it.
[00:17:26] It doesn’t matter what their subject matter tends to be. Everyone’s got an interest in cute animals.
[00:17:31] Germaine: [00:17:31] Yeah, definitely. I think. Pets is just one of those things that everyone can interact with, you know? Um, and especially the fact that you’ve opened it up for any sort of pets means that you basically cover everyone and everyone loves animals.
[00:17:45] So that that’s sort of helps for sure. So what do you guys do you guys plan to do more with the pet calendar? Moving, moving forward, you’ve added a new product line this year. Do you, do you plan to add. Add more to it and yeah. What sort of directions are you hoping to take it?
[00:18:05] Alana: [00:18:05] I’ve never actually thought about it like that before.
[00:18:07] I think mostly because I think every year and in particular this year, we’re just grateful that it’s successful. And I think, you know, this year, I was a bit concerned before covert even hit. I was a bit concerned coming into this year on, on how we would go fundraising wise because of the impact of the Bush fires and everything.
[00:18:25] COVID, doesn’t help that situation. So it’d be really interesting. See how we go this year. And I think once I’ve seen how we go this year will influence what decisions I make next year, but I don’t think. Certainly seeing it now it’s not something that we would take off the menu. I think it’s, it’s a way to engage people.
[00:18:45] And again, it’s not just about the fundraising because we’re engaging people and learning and meeting new people. And that means new people and meeting our brand as well, which is really the whole aim of the game, to be honest,
[00:18:59] Germaine: [00:18:59] because it’s. Quite tough. I mean, let’s be, let’s be Frank here. Mastic violence is not, not a easy subject.
[00:19:06] Um, it’s not something that is overly positive. So, um, if you’ve got a service that, that is sort of, you know, In that vein of, it’s just not like, it’s not the kind of thing that you can have, like an all singing, dancing sort of ad campaign. It’s, it’s very, it’s tough, you know, it’s, it’s this, it’s sort of this, um, edge of humanity that is not very positive, but like you said, a lot of people experience it throughout their lives, whether it’s them personally or, or someone very close to them.
[00:19:35] So it’s, it’s. Interesting looking at that angle of, you know, how you’ve managed to and, um, how you’ve managed to not take away the true message around it, but also put a layer on top. That’s a little bit easier and a little bit more palatable for the sort of general population. Um, have you, were there ever any other ideas, or do you have other sort of marketing campaigns and fundraising campaigns that you do that takes on that similar vein of, you know, what we do is.
[00:20:06] Extremely valuable, but you know, not the most positive, but you know, we’ll take a slightly different angle. That’s still connected that allows us to get the message out there and get the word out there.
[00:20:15] Alana: [00:20:15] I think we’ve got sort of three major fundraising activities, which are on top of the pack calendar.
[00:20:21] We’ve obviously got our gala ball, um, that was canceled this year, or that is our major fundraising activity. We do our high tea, which we just had on the weekend, and that was 400 people over four. Yeah, I’m really tired. So we did that. Are we, and then in next month we’ve got a trivia night, um, and I’m still fingers crossed that some of the restrictions will be eased by the time that comes around, because at the moment, with all doubt on that, because of restrictions, um, some of the fundraising things, and then each.
[00:20:53] Yeah, we do a secret Santa campaign, which is very targeted. So last year we, so every second year, which was last year, we ask people to donate brand new toiletries, and we have a very specific list of what those toiletries are. People just can buy them in their shop, drop them in at a beyond bank branch.
[00:21:13] And then we use our volunteers to help make up toiletries to packs. And those are then given to people. The accommodation. So last year we probably got about between 15 and $20,000 worth of product donated, which was great. And that product to last us for about two years. So yeah, he will just ask for people again, via our tribal King, um, platform to just purchase things like grocery vouchers.
[00:21:38] I can just go in and say, I want to spend $70 on groceries. You know, $20 on fine credit, $10 on petrol, and then we get it at our end. And that’s how we make sure the money is spent.
[00:21:48] Germaine: [00:21:48] Yeah.
[00:21:49] Alana: [00:21:49] Yeah. Anyway, for a client, for people to make a donation, but they actually know where their money’s really going to, rather than it just going into the big black hole of fundraising, they’re allocating their money going to groceries or whatever.
[00:22:02] So that’s another successful campaign that we run. Um, and then of course we run, you know, non fundraising campaigns throughout the year, which might be things like how to stay home, stay in the relationship and stay safe, which is certainly something that we did a lot of during the lockdown period. Um, pushing out media on how you can enhance your safety while at home and, you know, possibly while you’re still in that Rutland and relationship.
[00:22:28] So we do a lot of those campaigns, um, it effect, sorry, myth-busting and that sort of stuff throughout the year as well.
[00:22:35] Germaine: [00:22:35] Yeah. So you use just traditional channels, I guess, to, to get the message out there.
[00:22:40] Alana: [00:22:40] So mostly so, and then that’s complemented with, um, the relationships with our local media. So predominantly those two outlet being.
[00:22:50] Uh, the rod act online, her Canberra online, as well as ABC, uh, whether that be radio or online.
[00:22:57] Germaine: [00:22:57] Yeah, because it’s one of those things, again, that, um, you don’t know who is going to like your, I don’t, this might sound too businessy, but your target market, the people who are the victims in these situations, It could be anyone couldn’t it?
[00:23:10] There’s no, um, I’m sure the statistics speak to a bit more sort of defined demographics around who they really are. Like who, who the demographics that really, um, face domestic violence are, but at the same time, it could be almost anyone. Um, you’d want to reach. Them as, as I guess, conveniently as possible, like even on your website.
[00:23:31] Um, when I was browsing it, I, that was a big, quick, quick escape button. And I was like, what’s, what’s the quickest Skype button. I thought I was really confused. And, um, you know, if you want to check it out, if you’re a listener, basically you go on the website. Click click escape, and then it takes it to Google.
[00:23:46] First. I was a bit confused, but then I realized, hold on, what you’re, what you’re essentially doing is giving people who are browsing your website quick way of getting out of it. It’s that the perpetrator, they would have come into the room or look over their shoulder. It’s not so obvious. Um, what you’re looking at.
[00:24:00] So you’ve got this difficult line that you’ve got a balance of communicating, but also the people who really need it may not be able to just, you know, look at it on their, like, watch a video on their TV screen and, and just deal with it that way, because it’s really, really close to home. Um, now I’m putting you on the spot a little bit, but do you know some stats to do with, with domestic violence?
[00:24:23] Um, could you give us some numbers?
[00:24:25] Alana: [00:24:25] Yeah. So you were talking about target market and I think certainly in the world of domestic and family violence, there is no specific target market because you’re targeting everyone because while they might hate it right at this very second, there’s a good chance.
[00:24:38] They may need it in the future. So yes. Um, the most people that are subjected to family and domestic violence are female identify as female. And the biggest age bracket tends to be between 26 and 45 years. And that’s how we experience it. Um, there are people that’s our biggest age bracket. That’s. Over 50%.
[00:24:59] I think last year it was about 60% of our clients were aged between 26 and 45. And about 83% of our clients identified as female. Um, so that as we only serve as the act and the immediate surrounding region, uh, so I’m not sure what the stats are nationally, but in terms of, um, you know, national stats, um, I think at the moment it’s one in four women will be impacted by domestic or family violence at some stage during their life.
[00:25:26] And it’s. One thing it’s one in 16, men will be subjected to physical violence and one in six men will be subjected to emotional or psychological. So the non physical elements of family and domestic violence. So yeah, it’s pretty, you’re pretty calm. You know, if someone says to you, I don’t know anyone that’s experienced it, um, they probably do.
[00:25:46] They just don’t know that they do. Um,
[00:25:48] Germaine: [00:25:48] that’s our thing, cause it’s not the sort of. Thing. I mean, there’s a, there’s still stigma around it. It’s still a bit of a taboo sort of thing to get into. Um, and, um, so because of that, it’s not the kind of thing that you’d necessarily see people put their hand up and go, yep, that’s me, you know, that’s, that’s, that’s sort of what I’m going through.
[00:26:08] So those stats are, are just sad to hear and, and really, really concerning. Um, what sort of services do you provide? Uh, DVCS,
[00:26:17] Alana: [00:26:17] we’ve been around for about, this is our 32nd. Yeah, supporting the ICT community. Uh, we out and the service that’s been there since day.is our 24 seven crisis intervention line. So we’ve got a team of about 25 staff that work on a 24 hour roster, and they’re able to respond to any incoming phone calls at any time.
[00:26:38] Uh, and then in addition to that, we have, uh, legal advocacy teams. So they work closely with people who are. Going to court and wish to apply for a family violence order so we can support them in filling out the application. I’m engaging with a lawyer applying for the order and then any other court dates are that.
[00:26:58] And then we also, um, provide support for those in the criminal justice system. So when charges have been made against someone for using violence, Um, we can often support that the person who is the victim in that matter, um, whether they might have to give evidence at court to prepare a victim impact statement and keep them updated of any bail conditions or court dates, that sort of stuff.
[00:27:20] Uh, and then we’ve also got our community services team, which is broken up again into a women’s and children’s program, which is provides case management for women and or children and their families who have been impacted by violence and are now no longer in crisis. But you need a few extra supports to help reintegrate with community and that sort of thing.
[00:27:41] We also, they provide support groups. Um, we do a support group for women and we do a support group for children as well. And then we’ve got a special program it’s called room for change. And rather than just sort of, um, dealing with the problem just once it’s happened, we have now got to take a more wraparound, holistic.
[00:28:00] Yeah. The approach in also supporting the user of violence. Sorry, we’re sort of supporting the whole family now, the children and the women, but we’re also supporting male users of violence to help them change their behaviors and things like that. So, um, we’ve got quite a big team actually that works with those men.
[00:28:17] Yeah,
[00:28:18] Germaine: [00:28:18] yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, obviously the ultimate goal would be that no one. Commits any sort of domestic violence, male, female, children, whatever it may be. So, um, it sounds like it’s, and it’s awesome to hear that you guys have I able to now, you know, introduce services that sort of, uh, look at it as a spectrum, um, of, of interactions and things like that.
[00:28:39] You, you, you can sort of, um, target those different yeah. Groups. Now I’ve got two, two more questions that sort of come to mind. The first one is. You mentioned emails. So do you have an email list that you, that you sort of market to as well, or, yeah, so
[00:28:55] Alana: [00:28:55] we’ve got a number of hell, at least actually one is just the more general, you know, stuff that talks about really everything.
[00:29:01] And then obviously we’ve got, um, a mail out list to volunteers. We have volunteers who, um, get a particular newsletter once a month. And we’ve also got clients who get a newsletter in relation to things like we might be talking about a support group or. Um, there might be a university study going on that wants to talk to people who have been subjected to violence.
[00:29:22] So those client newsletters are really specific to people who’ve been impacted by it. And then we also have one that we send out to other organizations in the act who also work with people who are subjected to violence. So that might include places like the refuges, um, legal aid, um, the women’s legal center.
[00:29:42] Victim’s support all that sort of all those sorts of things. So we can keep them updated with any group or things that we might be doing that might interest their clients as well.
[00:29:51] Germaine: [00:29:51] Yeah. Yeah. So email marketing is clearly quite sort of a strong, um, approach for you guys. Now, the other question that I did have now, this is a little bit.
[00:30:00] Left the field, but this is just, I was just thinking about this. Have you, um, and maybe this idea is being tabled in the past, but have you ever thought about building out like an online presence? That isn’t very, that it isn’t very obvious that it’s, um, domestic violence sort of services. And sort of a, almost like this presence that, that looks just completely, completely friendly, completely sort of separate so that, um, people can interact if they’re finding themselves in situations where, you know, getting caught with their webpage open is just not, not even an option.
[00:30:31] Have you thought about that as, as an approach ever? Or am I just,
[00:30:36] Alana: [00:30:36] no, no, you’re not crazy. And certainly, um, there have been some apps. That are developed that have been developed, but they are more pitched at people who are probably at the very beginning of their journey. So by the time they are engaging with us, the app is kind of redundant.
[00:30:51] So those apps are certainly, they look like they’re just a little game, for example, and they’ve got information and they are created. At the national level. So they provide details of, of organizations like us all across Australia. So there’s those. Um, but certainly things like perhaps a closed Facebook group, for example, something like that.
[00:31:12] We have talked about those sorts of things, but in the end, um, because really on the other end of the computer, anybody can be anybody that a bit of a safety risk. And I think. Until it’s going to be much safer on the internet, which I don’t see happening in any time in the future. I don’t think that it’s worth doing, I don’t think it’s worth the safety risks that.
[00:31:35] That might involve and that’s certainly more so in a community, the size of the ICT.
[00:31:41] Germaine: [00:31:41] Yeah. Yeah. I mean, the ICT is, um, not massive. So you can’t necessarily get lost in the numbers so days it is for those who don’t know what we are like a population of 359, I think it’s
[00:31:53] Alana: [00:31:53] over 400, but yeah. You know, always, you know, I know, I mean, I started working here and I didn’t know, but one of my ex basketball mates works here, so everything is related and everyone knows everyone.
[00:32:05] So even though you might have two people, who’ve both been subjected to violence, they might have, uh, you know, one of them might start dating the other ones, for example, Privacy is breached all over the place. So it’s just not safe for those sorts of things.
[00:32:22] Germaine: [00:32:22] Yeah. It’s not the sort of, um, it’s such a, such a small community, even though 400,000 people, is it sounds like a lot of people, I think for whatever reason, I think Canberrans are quite social as well.
[00:32:34] So that probably just makes it seem like everyone just just knows everyone. So, um, Yeah, before we finish up, I’d like to just quickly touch on, um, the, the calendar again. So where can people find out more about the calendar and, and enter?
[00:32:50] Alana: [00:32:50] Yeah. So everything’s on our website, which is dvcs.org.edu. So you can just go through there to get involved and all of our events are listed there, but the calendar’s there, it lists out all of our wonderful judges.
[00:33:03] Uh, it’s $10 per pet and entries close on the 31st of
[00:33:07] Germaine: [00:33:07] August. Awesome. I’m going to, I was actually going to do a photo shoot with my dog, but, um, sounds like a photo shoots, not necessary. I might just look through the phone and find one of the cute sort of. Candid shots that I’ve, that I’ve got. So, um, that’s awesome.
[00:33:23] Um, are you ready for the top 12? I sort of sprung this on you last minute, but
[00:33:27] Alana: [00:33:27] are you ready? Yeah,
[00:33:30] Germaine: [00:33:30] let’s get into it. So, um, uh, top three books or podcasts that you recommend,
[00:33:35] Alana: [00:33:35] I’ve only really got one book and it’s to all my fellow mothers out there. It’s called mother guilt. Um, it’s. By ITA Buttrose and I think it’s a doctor named dependence.
[00:33:45] The Adams, I think I might be wrong, but yeah. Was so helpful to me when I was, when my son is 16, but now, but when he was much younger and I was going through that, getting back into work phase, it was really helpful. Cause I even now still experience mother guilt and I really recommend it. To any moms.
[00:34:04] Germaine: [00:34:04] Yeah. That’s, that’s awesome. Um, next one, top three software tools that you, you can’t live without.
[00:34:11] Alana: [00:34:11] It’s tough. Um, obviously as you know, I think, um, personally for me on a personal front, um, well obviously I can’t live without my phone and everything that’s on that. And my watch, I have an Apple watch and I love it.
[00:34:25] Um, work-wise I think the software tool would be Canva. Um, you know, That sort of stuff. And then I use HootSweet as well, um, to keep me sane. And then I think also try booking and WordPress, and I just can’t pick three,
[00:34:44] Germaine: [00:34:44] but you know, it, it, you know, it gives us an idea of the type of work you do as well.
[00:34:48] Just hearing the software platforms that, that you really rely on and, um, try booking definitely sounds like, um, your number one way to, um, Take and receive money in bookings and, and all that. So, um, that’s awesome. Um, are there any mantras or top three mantras that you try and live by?
[00:35:06] Alana: [00:35:06] Uh, one, the, uh, my daddy would be very proud.
[00:35:09] Uh, he drilled into me since, I don’t know when, um, never give up, never give up, never give up. And it’s something that, um, my family’s faced a lot of adversity in the last couple of years and it’s something that really has hit home over that time. And there are times when I felt like just giving up and throwing in the towel, but, um, it’s just sitting there.
[00:35:30] I can just picture my dad’s little face is telling me to never give up. So probably that one. Yeah.
[00:35:36] Germaine: [00:35:36] That’s awesome. Cause um, I used to work in the, not for profit. Sort of marketing space. Um, and we continue to work with clients who are in that space as well. And that mantra, even when it comes to marketing and the nonprofit space, you just really need to go, like never give up.
[00:35:52] Cause you’re facing, um, compromised budgets. If you had any budget at all, um, often it’s. You know, or they’re the whole marketing budget is your salary and that’s it. And everything else has to be a marketing budget of free. Um, and you know, at the very least from a professional marketing for non profits, point of view, um, yeah, can’t give up cause you never know what’s gonna work and you’ve, don’t really have the budget to, you know, Throw and fix your problems using money.
[00:36:20] So, um, no, love it from a professional point of view and, and sort of a, a larger point of view as well. And the last one, um, top three people, you follow it or study and or why?
[00:36:30] Alana: [00:36:30] I think mine are mostly, they’re not famous people. That, um, people that I’ve, that I’ve had the privilege of working for, and I might get a bit teary.
[00:36:42] Um, but one of my bosses, Margaret raid, um, she’s, uh, she was a family lawyer and she’s semi retired. Now. She was the most amazing woman to work for so strong. Um, and she taught me so much and, um, I’m really grateful for everything that I learned while working for her. The old CEO of DBCs Mariana Wilson. Um, she gave me opportunities, which no one else has given me.
[00:37:07] Uh, she supported me in the decisions that I made even sometimes when I made pretty poor decisions. Um, she was supporting in the way that and supportive in the way that she helped me undo that. Um, so she was really good and I. I really like everything that they did for me. And I think one of the other people that I really admire, um, is a woman that I worked for many, many years ago were not directly worked for, but she, um, Linda Krevin and she’s also, um, worked in family law and she spent a lot of time at legal aid and she really taught me to have compassion and things.
[00:37:44] People who. Don’t have as much privileges as I, and, um, I learn a lot from her as well. Well, and there are some moments, um, and things that I, this was back in my early twenties and I reflect back now and I think, wow, the learning opportunity that she had given me at that time. And I think those three women, uh, three powerhouses all here in Canberra and they’re amazing.
[00:38:06] And I’m. Grateful that I had the opportunity to work for the three of them. Definitely.
[00:38:11] Germaine: [00:38:11] That’s awesome. I think I’m sometimes guests sort of take the easy road, which is just a named people who have made an impact in a global scale, but we forget that there are people very, very local. Um, like, you know, you, you’ve obviously met these people, worked with this people and worked for these people.
[00:38:30] And I think it’s easy to forget that there are. Very much people, um, in, in your neighborhood, um, you know, um, in your city that, that are just doing amazing things, whether they’re semi retired now or retired now is a different story, but, um, yeah, it’s, it’s been awesome to chat with you. Um, one more time. Um, what’s the, what’s the link again, if people want to enter that
[00:38:55] Alana: [00:38:55] Davy, cs.org.edu.
[00:38:58] Germaine: [00:38:58] Awesome. And it’s only $10. Um, actually how much is, how much is the calendar? Um, when they do go,
[00:39:04] Alana: [00:39:04] so the start at $25 and I, and that includes postage and obviously the more you buy, the cheaper they get.
[00:39:11] Germaine: [00:39:11] Nice, nice. That’s, that’s a very reasonable price as well. I think, um, some people, uh, you know, Charities included can get a little bit, a little bit lost in how much they charge for things.
[00:39:22] And it starts to cross that barrier of it’s really tough to, to pay that sort of money. But $25, I think, uh, all staff are getting, uh, a pet’s calendar for Christmas and hopefully my dog colors on the color.
[00:39:38] Alana: [00:39:38] I can’t accept any brides. I’m not a judge.
[00:39:44] Germaine: [00:39:44] I’ll just have to go look up the list. Now I’m only kidding. The cutest pet will win. I’m sure. Awesome. Thanks. Not to get
[00:39:52] Alana: [00:39:52] some more, um, non dogs or cats. If there are any owners of reptiles or anything, please send them through. We like
[00:39:58] Germaine: [00:39:58] to I’ll talk to my mate. Who’s got some fisheries suddenly. Maybe, maybe they can, they can maybe make an entry.
[00:40:06] Awesome. Thanks again for your time.
[00:40:08] Outro: [00:40:08] Thank you. Thank you for listening to the future tribe podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your podcast app.