This was my most difficult week yet. I knew I wasn't feeling 100% but did not want to let Claire or Swimming WA down.
Claire was awesome! I explained to her what was wrong and she immediately understood..ironically her mum had been hospitalised with the same thing!
There was a positive buzz in the office. WA's two Commonwealth Games swimmers were doing really well. It was great to feel like I was part of it.
I really enjoyed the work, so persevered. I had to firstly research the community newspapers, for articles relevant to swimming. With the Commonwealth Games, there were heaps!
I then had to put together a media release for an event coming up in November. Claire explained she had put together an ad schedule for newspapers like the Sunday Times, about a lunch they were hosting with Eamon Sullivan and Blair Evans. She wanted me to put together a new release to compliment the ads...easy :)
Then I was hit with a bombshell. Claire is leaving Swimming WA to go to a larger, better paying position with a high profile company. I was divided with excitement for her, and sadness because I have really enjoyed working with her. She has taught me sooo much!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Indian Games
India’s Commonwealth Games organisers are ensuring all possible measures will be taken to improve the safety and comfort of participants and visitors to India for the Commonwealth Games, following yesterday’s tragic bridge collapse.
A footbridge, close to the main stadium in New Delhi, collapsed yesterday injuring 23 workers, 5 of them seriously.
Michael Fennell, Commonwealth Games Federation President, said he was disappointed that this accident occurred and extended his prayers to the injured and their families. He said that the Indian government have assured him there will be closer monitoring of construction sites.
Fennell says the Federation would like to squash rumours that the games would not being going ahead, despite some of the setbacks faced in the remaining two weeks.
“India is a very proud nation and has been looking forward to hosting this international sporting event. With the eyes of the world on New Delhi in two weeks time, the Indian government and Commonwealth Games Federation will work tirelessly to bring athletes, visitors and millions of viewers the colourful spectacle they would be expecting from India’s diverse culture”.
The Indian government has promised that the athlete’s village will be completed and cleaned to a high standard, despite concerns from visiting nations.
Games officials in Delhi are aware they face some hurdles in the lead up to the games, but everything will come together in the end, and the world will be impressed when India takes to the stage.
A footbridge, close to the main stadium in New Delhi, collapsed yesterday injuring 23 workers, 5 of them seriously.
Michael Fennell, Commonwealth Games Federation President, said he was disappointed that this accident occurred and extended his prayers to the injured and their families. He said that the Indian government have assured him there will be closer monitoring of construction sites.
Fennell says the Federation would like to squash rumours that the games would not being going ahead, despite some of the setbacks faced in the remaining two weeks.
“India is a very proud nation and has been looking forward to hosting this international sporting event. With the eyes of the world on New Delhi in two weeks time, the Indian government and Commonwealth Games Federation will work tirelessly to bring athletes, visitors and millions of viewers the colourful spectacle they would be expecting from India’s diverse culture”.
The Indian government has promised that the athlete’s village will be completed and cleaned to a high standard, despite concerns from visiting nations.
Games officials in Delhi are aware they face some hurdles in the lead up to the games, but everything will come together in the end, and the world will be impressed when India takes to the stage.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Already on to week 6 of Work Experience!
We were so busy today, time just flew. Isn't that just how you want it to be?
My first assignment was to put together a press release for the 2010/2011 Water Corporation Open Water Series, to be held from October 2010 to February 2011. I had to research as much material as possible, and utilise what Clare was able to give me.
I had to promote the new Open Water web site and talk about an advanced electronic timing system, they will be using for the first time (straps to the swimmer's ankle or wrist).It was a bit of a challenge, but it is amazing how quickly you can whip media releases out, when you have had a bit of practice.
Clare was really pleased with my effort, and sent it off to all the community newspapers and other potential publications. She told me to look out for some material I can add to my portfolio! :)
I then went about working on the Swimming WA web page. We came across a major hurdle on the web page at one point, and Clare considered getting their IT person in to resolve it. I had a surprising brain wave and nutted out a solution, which greatly impressed Clare. We joked about the unliklihood of ME becoming a web page whizz.
I also showed Clare a job I had applied for. Before you panic Keith, it is PART TIME! :) By a stroke of luck, the advertiser happens to be a friend of Clare's! she said she will put in a good word for me and thinks I would do well in the position, and also believes I would get along very well with the employer. It's working as an 'Events Assistant' and covers a lot of the material we have learnt in the Cert IV and Diploma.
Key Responsibilities
The suitable candidate will be required to manage a busy workload within a demanding environment. Responsibilities will include:
Managing the online registration system;
Taking phone/email enquiries;
Liaising with external providers, sponsors and volunteers;
Liaising with competitors generally, including all correspondence with competitors;
Assist with event co-ordination activities in the lead up to the event;
Undertake additional administrative activities as required.
Key Experience
Strong Microsoft Office suite skills – excel must be a super strength;
Excellent phone manner and communication skills;
Exceptional organisational skills and time management;
Strong initiative and a 'self starter';
Though not essential, prior experience in Events and/or Sports Management will be well regarded.
Anyway, would be good to at least get an interview?
My first assignment was to put together a press release for the 2010/2011 Water Corporation Open Water Series, to be held from October 2010 to February 2011. I had to research as much material as possible, and utilise what Clare was able to give me.
I had to promote the new Open Water web site and talk about an advanced electronic timing system, they will be using for the first time (straps to the swimmer's ankle or wrist).It was a bit of a challenge, but it is amazing how quickly you can whip media releases out, when you have had a bit of practice.
Clare was really pleased with my effort, and sent it off to all the community newspapers and other potential publications. She told me to look out for some material I can add to my portfolio! :)
I then went about working on the Swimming WA web page. We came across a major hurdle on the web page at one point, and Clare considered getting their IT person in to resolve it. I had a surprising brain wave and nutted out a solution, which greatly impressed Clare. We joked about the unliklihood of ME becoming a web page whizz.
I also showed Clare a job I had applied for. Before you panic Keith, it is PART TIME! :) By a stroke of luck, the advertiser happens to be a friend of Clare's! she said she will put in a good word for me and thinks I would do well in the position, and also believes I would get along very well with the employer. It's working as an 'Events Assistant' and covers a lot of the material we have learnt in the Cert IV and Diploma.
Key Responsibilities
The suitable candidate will be required to manage a busy workload within a demanding environment. Responsibilities will include:
Managing the online registration system;
Taking phone/email enquiries;
Liaising with external providers, sponsors and volunteers;
Liaising with competitors generally, including all correspondence with competitors;
Assist with event co-ordination activities in the lead up to the event;
Undertake additional administrative activities as required.
Key Experience
Strong Microsoft Office suite skills – excel must be a super strength;
Excellent phone manner and communication skills;
Exceptional organisational skills and time management;
Strong initiative and a 'self starter';
Though not essential, prior experience in Events and/or Sports Management will be well regarded.
Anyway, would be good to at least get an interview?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Oprah
Once again, Western Australia is being treated as the poor cousin of the nation. In a time when the Australian government is hungry to gain from taxing our state's miners, it is also coughing up $3 million's worth of tax payer's money, in a major Australian tourism campaign, that will not include Western Australia.
It's a bit cheeky to sit behind the Tourism Australia banner, when only part of Australia is being represented.
Oprah is one of the world's most influential and most watched personalities in the world. Every product she endorses, becomes a winner. Her hugely successful book club is testimony to her international power.
There is no doubt securing a visit to Australia by Oprah has been a major coup by Tourism Australia, but leaving Western Australia out of the loop is disgusting, a thought shared by our state government.
This would have been an amazing opportunity for Western Australia to showcase her natural beauty and unique qualities for a holiday destination.
Being well travelled, has allowed me to further appreciate what we have in Western Australia, compared to other parts of Australia and the rest of the world. There are very few places where you will find the pristine sandy white beaches of Esperance, the diversity of our wildflowers, the wildness of our outback. We have the dolphins at Monkey Mia, the coral at Exmouth, the whalesharks, the amazing scenery at Karajini.
The rest of the world already knows about NSW. They were the front page story during the Sydney Olympics, and would be the city that most Americans are only aware of. But really, other than the Bridge, the Opera House and the Blue Mountains, Sydney has very little to offer, that you couldn't find in the US.
In a time of eco-tourism and sustainability, very few places do it better than Western Australia. We offer diversity, friendliness and quality.
Winfrey and her guests will visit the Sydney Opera House, Melbourne's shopping districts and the Great Barrier Reef in far north Queensland.
Why the hell would a person from the US need to shop in Australia, when you can purchase a pair of genuine Calvin Klein jeans in the US for $10?!?
I think it is time for Western Australia to stand up and be heard. We have matured as a state, over the past few years, and deserve to be treated with more respect, as part of the nation!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Work Experience Week 5
Today flew by and now I am so ready for bed!
I was pretty much left on my own today, as I am now more familiar with the different routines Clare has in place for each month.
I was given more to do on the newsletter, which is released at the end of the month. I had to link back to any relevant stories on the Swimming WA web page. It's already been a busy month!
I was given another new task to do today. I was taught how to search for new items from the Community Newspapers site. I had never come across this before, and was impressed by its efficiency. I also had to link these articles back to the web page.
The newsletter software was frustrating! I was a bit reluctant to admit to Clare that I was struggling, but she put me at ease when she admitted everybody found it had a mind of its own, and would keep doing the opposite to what you wanted it to!
I talked to Clare about our Hero campaign, and she seemed genuinely interested. She suggested I may even be able to source some helpful news items from the Community site.
We also talked about how Swimming WA is a non for profit organisation that relies on funding, volunteers and very clever budgetting. Money is allocated to each project but, as with many groups, there is never really enough for all the things you would like to do.
I finished the day off uploading more and more swim training sets. I am sure I am going to be swimming in my sleep tonight!
Next week I have a few articles to write and upload to the newsletter, and we have more work to do with their website.
I was pretty much left on my own today, as I am now more familiar with the different routines Clare has in place for each month.
I was given more to do on the newsletter, which is released at the end of the month. I had to link back to any relevant stories on the Swimming WA web page. It's already been a busy month!
I was given another new task to do today. I was taught how to search for new items from the Community Newspapers site. I had never come across this before, and was impressed by its efficiency. I also had to link these articles back to the web page.
The newsletter software was frustrating! I was a bit reluctant to admit to Clare that I was struggling, but she put me at ease when she admitted everybody found it had a mind of its own, and would keep doing the opposite to what you wanted it to!
I talked to Clare about our Hero campaign, and she seemed genuinely interested. She suggested I may even be able to source some helpful news items from the Community site.
We also talked about how Swimming WA is a non for profit organisation that relies on funding, volunteers and very clever budgetting. Money is allocated to each project but, as with many groups, there is never really enough for all the things you would like to do.
I finished the day off uploading more and more swim training sets. I am sure I am going to be swimming in my sleep tonight!
Next week I have a few articles to write and upload to the newsletter, and we have more work to do with their website.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Mentoring
When Keith first told us we would be mentoring the Cert IV Public Relations students, I honestly had reservations. I don't know how we would have reacted when we were Cert IV sudents ourselves. Would we have felt intimidated?
The first week was interesting. We were down to only 4 students in the Diploma class. We had no idea how we were going to tackle the situation, as we wandered down to Heather's room, a place where we had spent hours last semester.
I remember us encountering a room full of faces, glaring at us, measuring us up. It was all quite daunting.
We decided to break up in to two groups. I was with Alana in a group of about 8 students, from one half of the classroom.
Our group joined us in the cafetaria, at the table we had shared as a bigger group last semester. It had always felt like 'our table' and now we were sharing it with the novices. Did they have any idea who had sat there before them, their stories, their tears?
We exchanged names and experiences, ambitions and expectations. The group was surprisingly sponge-like in their eagerness, which was very encouraging. We were impressed!
We discussed the need to be organised and time conscious, the level of work that was expected, and why it was worthwhile going through to the Diploma.
My group is now down to four. I have young Keiran, who would love to work in the fashion industry. I love his energy, his sense of humour and his youthful ambition. You can just tell he will do well in whatever he decides to do.
Shae is beautiful. She has one of those smiles that lights up a room. She has maturity and sensibility, but I wouldn't confuse that with 'boring'. She seems like a lot of fun, and forever happy - just perfect for working with people!
Hartley is the only other male in the class. When I first met Hartley I was surprised he had chosen Public Relations as his course. He was quieter than the others and, for want of another word, a 'bloke'.
Over the weeks, I have seen more and more of Hartley. He is like an onion - you have to pull back the layers. I have noticed he has become more and more confident and is getting a voice. In that way, he reminds me of Jayde in her early weeks, and look at her now!
Lastly we have Wendy. When I first met Wendy I was like, "Who the hell is this girl and can someone sedate her??" She's like her own little tornado. There's not much to her small frame and stature, but she has the energy of a newly woken puppy!
Underneath all of this energy, is a kind and spirited young lady. She has passion and wants to go far. Over time she will learn how to direct it.
I love my little group. I love their attitude, their passion, their desire to do well. They work well as a team. I am impressed by their commitment to their assignments, how they have formed a 'study group', and how they are eager to gain what they can from the Diploma students.
I feel like they are not wasting my time. I can see where they have applied our ideas and advice. I probably come across as a 'mother' to them, but they treat me with respect and I am excited to see where they continue in their journies.
The first week was interesting. We were down to only 4 students in the Diploma class. We had no idea how we were going to tackle the situation, as we wandered down to Heather's room, a place where we had spent hours last semester.
I remember us encountering a room full of faces, glaring at us, measuring us up. It was all quite daunting.
We decided to break up in to two groups. I was with Alana in a group of about 8 students, from one half of the classroom.
Our group joined us in the cafetaria, at the table we had shared as a bigger group last semester. It had always felt like 'our table' and now we were sharing it with the novices. Did they have any idea who had sat there before them, their stories, their tears?
We exchanged names and experiences, ambitions and expectations. The group was surprisingly sponge-like in their eagerness, which was very encouraging. We were impressed!
We discussed the need to be organised and time conscious, the level of work that was expected, and why it was worthwhile going through to the Diploma.
My group is now down to four. I have young Keiran, who would love to work in the fashion industry. I love his energy, his sense of humour and his youthful ambition. You can just tell he will do well in whatever he decides to do.
Shae is beautiful. She has one of those smiles that lights up a room. She has maturity and sensibility, but I wouldn't confuse that with 'boring'. She seems like a lot of fun, and forever happy - just perfect for working with people!
Hartley is the only other male in the class. When I first met Hartley I was surprised he had chosen Public Relations as his course. He was quieter than the others and, for want of another word, a 'bloke'.
Over the weeks, I have seen more and more of Hartley. He is like an onion - you have to pull back the layers. I have noticed he has become more and more confident and is getting a voice. In that way, he reminds me of Jayde in her early weeks, and look at her now!
Lastly we have Wendy. When I first met Wendy I was like, "Who the hell is this girl and can someone sedate her??" She's like her own little tornado. There's not much to her small frame and stature, but she has the energy of a newly woken puppy!
Underneath all of this energy, is a kind and spirited young lady. She has passion and wants to go far. Over time she will learn how to direct it.
I love my little group. I love their attitude, their passion, their desire to do well. They work well as a team. I am impressed by their commitment to their assignments, how they have formed a 'study group', and how they are eager to gain what they can from the Diploma students.
I feel like they are not wasting my time. I can see where they have applied our ideas and advice. I probably come across as a 'mother' to them, but they treat me with respect and I am excited to see where they continue in their journies.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Week 4 of Work Experience
Today was a little bit different from my other weeks at Swimming WA.
Unlike other weeks, where I have been involved in writing a lot of material for Claire, this week I was asked to assist one of the other staff. Terry works alongside Claire on many projects, but he is employed as a performance and development coach.
Claire helps Terry to run a web site called RecSwim. The site is for swimmers who train themselves. They subscribe to the site to get tips and to download different training sessions, that Terry develops for them.
Uploading all the different sessions can be tedious, but has to be done.
When I was handed the job of manually entering in the data I knew it wasn't going to be exciting, but I was now part of a team. Claire explained it was something she or Terry would do, and my assistance was much appreciated.
Terry has coached all over Australia and the world. He has lived and worked in the US and Canada, and his impressivre history includes swimming for Australia and holding a scholarship at the AIS.
Terry explained how long it takes him to develop a programme for swimmers to access online...he is a 'virtual coach'. The main interest comes from triathletes and senior swimmers, people who want to keep fit, or those that compete in triathlons, masters, country towns etc
I lunched in the board room with the other staff today. I feel like I fit in well and really love the people I have been working with. You know you are part of a team when the others start picking on you :)
I enjoyed listening to their meeting as well. I am not sure how often they hold a staff meeting, but they had one today. They all contributed what they were up to and what plans they have, even when they hoped to next have a staff lunch and drinks!
Claire was apologetic about the lack of 'exciting work' today, but I explained that I was aware that all offices need team players to function well, and understood I had to put in. She was really pleased and said it was a shame I was in only once a week :)
I can't wait to go back!
Unlike other weeks, where I have been involved in writing a lot of material for Claire, this week I was asked to assist one of the other staff. Terry works alongside Claire on many projects, but he is employed as a performance and development coach.
Claire helps Terry to run a web site called RecSwim. The site is for swimmers who train themselves. They subscribe to the site to get tips and to download different training sessions, that Terry develops for them.
Uploading all the different sessions can be tedious, but has to be done.
When I was handed the job of manually entering in the data I knew it wasn't going to be exciting, but I was now part of a team. Claire explained it was something she or Terry would do, and my assistance was much appreciated.
Terry has coached all over Australia and the world. He has lived and worked in the US and Canada, and his impressivre history includes swimming for Australia and holding a scholarship at the AIS.
Terry explained how long it takes him to develop a programme for swimmers to access online...he is a 'virtual coach'. The main interest comes from triathletes and senior swimmers, people who want to keep fit, or those that compete in triathlons, masters, country towns etc
I lunched in the board room with the other staff today. I feel like I fit in well and really love the people I have been working with. You know you are part of a team when the others start picking on you :)
I enjoyed listening to their meeting as well. I am not sure how often they hold a staff meeting, but they had one today. They all contributed what they were up to and what plans they have, even when they hoped to next have a staff lunch and drinks!
Claire was apologetic about the lack of 'exciting work' today, but I explained that I was aware that all offices need team players to function well, and understood I had to put in. She was really pleased and said it was a shame I was in only once a week :)
I can't wait to go back!
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