The Big Move...

Young at heart with curiosity, adventure and good times on her mind, I at 19 decided I wanted to move from my home town of Perth to Sydney…for it to be for 3 months, 6 months, a year or as long as I could last away from home. I had been on many holidays to Sydney growing up and had always wanted to live there at some point in my life but would not have thought it would have been so young or have had such a huge impact on my life at the time and still today.

There were many emotions, experiences and events that took place from fun to sad and very overwhelming. It started from my good friend (Lauren) that I had grown up with moving to Bondi 3 years previously, I went over to Sydney for a month holiday to stay with her and pretty much had the time of my life. Of course at the young age this heavily involved eating and drinking out, tourist attractions and opening my eyes to life in the big city that was new to me. I came back to quiet Perth after my amazing holiday and had mixed emotions of what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be... then the opportunity to move in with Lauren came up and I jumped at the chance! Of course it was a very hard decision to leave my family and friends but my heart and head was telling me to ‘Just go! And if I don’t like it, then come home.’

Two weeks later, leaving my mother crying at the airport, I was off. Everything was so surreal and I had friends tell me ‘I give you 3 months Jen and you will back, no way can you last being on the other side of the country from your home.’ This comment did come in the nicest way possible from a good friend and I admit was based from the beautiful home and care I have grown up with. Although I have always been a hard working and independent soul, definitely the baby of the family in regard to being spoilt and had a lot done for me growing up (which I entirely thank my parents for) but excuse me, three and a half years later until I returned to Perth.

This entire experience changed my life and not saying there weren’t horrible moments leaving me in crying array on my bedroom floor from home sickness or general tough days but I would never take the experience away. It opened my eyes up to a completely different world and I believe in things happen for a reason and I was meant to move there when I did. I leave it down to ‘If it feels right then do it’ and I did! People asked how did you do it, like make new friends or be happy in a new anew place? I am very sociable and outgoing but I definitely had to get out of my comfort zone and jump in there, and to this day still have made friends in Sydney that I will have for life. If I didn’t put the effort in and open myself up to new people and new friendships, I would have been home in an instant.

I find it difficult to explain the uplifting feeling, maturity and life knowledge I gained from moving to a completely new city and unless you have lived in a different city away from your comfort zone, you could not understand entirely. This moment in my life holds great significance into the person I have grown to be today, not saying I didn’t make any mistakes or silly decisions but I am proud of myself for opening up for a new challenge and venture. I can still remember the first day as a little 19 year old girl arriving to the big city, falling into a job at an amazing company, living a 5 minute walk from one of the best beaches in Australia, eating tuna out of a can so I could afford to go out on the weekends and learning discipline and understandings that I didn’t know existed. 

Three Big Weeks of Football

With The Emirates Western Force having 3 home games at nib in a row, was a big and overwhelming 3 weeks for myself. This now also leads us already to half way through the super rugby season. The way things fly by when you're having fun hey...

This definitely was a testing time with everything I had learnt through RugbyWA since I first started back in February & remembering and putting it into practice on my own. As I work along the branding and marketing sectionsnfor each event, I was given more responsibilities and in charge of certain activities through out the game without being told where to be at what time. The run sheet for the day and night being my bible! Examples of these were knowing exactly where signs are meant to be up and taken down, preparing half time activities with signed balls given out and monitoring the teams mascot Westy.

Unfortunately we had 2 losses the last 2 weeks against the Chiefs on Friday 6th April (family day) and a loss to The Waratahs on Friday 13th April. (This being quite a devastating one...it's so interesting how involved you become with the game after only working with them for a short period).

I have been in The RugbyWA offices on a weekly basis preparing for each home game, the tasks have been just as important as the ones on game day. Some of these include;

• Ticket allocations (organizing tickets for charities, promotional winners & force fanatics etc)
• Preparing word documents to be placed on the emirates western force website.
• Putting together prize winner packs including hats, jerseys, mini rugby balls, stickers and posters.
• Setting up spreadsheets for competition entrants and mailing out letters for winners e.g. The West Win a membership competition. Office filing from previous office and years of documents for rugbyWA.
• Being apart of captains run at nib a day before game day (clients invitations, final training day for players, morning tea, tour of change rooms, team photos etc
• Phoning and congratulating competition winners (also notifying them of winner details, eg where to pick up their tickets for the game.
• Email out going to all competition entries. Putting away western force merchandise (hats, jerseys etc).
• Help loading up cars with merchandise for game days (signage, prize packs, ticket allocations)
• Pre day organizing and set up for game day at the stadium.

 Thats it for my update half way through the season and I hope you enjoy reading about my little escapades.

Behind the scenes at The Emirates Western Force

We have flags, junior captains, signage, inflatables, morph men, mascots, ball shooters and more!!  

Digital media usage at a young age - should campaigns be conducted?

Firstly we look at the topic of digital media and how it is used in schools and at home today amongst children and teenagers. As the use of digital technology is increasing by the day new issues are established with the negative side to Internet usage. The two key words that stand out for me are 'inappropriate material'. We don't always think or see the negative impact the convenience of the Internet provides.

 

If we look at children and teenagers in schools today using the Internet at a high degree, the basic fundamentals need to be taught. If a child doesn't know that it is wrong to upload a photo that is deemed to be inappropriate then why would they not do it? This brings us to teaching and developing right and wrong to students at a young age. I don't know how young children are using social media, streaming and other similar websites but this needs to established to begin the education on the use of Internet in school and at home.

 

If I was to conduct a campaign in schools on the use of recording, uploading and sharing of inappropriate material....

• You would first look at all the avenues where students are in class, reading, programs and other school activities to create awareness. Whether it be posters around the school, next to computers in libraries, on student Internet log in pages etc.
• As students are always on the Internet - then advertising on the school website on rules and regulations of using certain websites and repercussions involved.
• Rules and information would need to be set up and presented to students from teachers, guidance councillors, form room teachers and all mentors involved in the students education.
• Student councillors, house captains and student leaders can run presentations at assemblies and in class on the rules of Internet usage.
• It is important to notify and work alongside parents as they have a large impact on their children's lives growing up and for schools to run workshops to teach the students but as well as their parents.
• Place information in school newsletters as many parents read and can pass on the information to their children.

The Internet today is going to have negative impacts as there is more availability, social media and connecting with one another and I think programs do need to put in place at an early age from the education department, individual schools and parents themselves. At the end of the day school aged children need to take it upon themselves to look at the positive and negative impacts of using the Internet and think before uploading, recording and sharing material online. The digital media age can now give you new opportunities and exciting things at the click of a button but it is still down to the way you use it and what you want out of it.

 

Leaving you with the final words: Google before you tweet is the new think before you speak. 

FEEL THE FORCE!!

Firstly, a great win for The Western Force on Saturday night against The Reds at nib Stadium. The attitude, vibe and atmosphere from the crowd was remarkable and we came to finish 45-19. My job began early afternoon but operated a lot smoother than my first home game a few weeks ago. This included directional signage around the stadium, change room partnership signage and organisation of uniforms from the rebel sport stand for the McDonalds promotion team.

I felt like I was on top of everything at the game; I knew where I needed to be and what I needed to do, which made it a lot easier. Similar roles included looking after the junior captain who completed the coin toss and is present for the warm-up and team run out. I also had the lucky job of taking care of a competition winner on the field, who was only 6 years old and was amazed by everything in sight J Throughout the game I was monitoring the flag bearers that are at each end of the field; making sure they are waving their flags exceptionally to support The Force, organising uniforms for them previously and keeping them informed of what is happening throughout the game.

Half time activities change from game to game and this night included giving away signed balls to the crowd with the mascot ‘Westy’ and also organising players at the end of the game for signing around the field for their supporters. Half time also incorporated machines shooting jerseys and balls into the crowd, which is always a winner for the fans.

There are always other tasks required by all areas of RugbyWA – coaching staff and partnership teams and I also had to take photographs in one of the corporate function rooms for future club and media coverage. The night is complete when the final bump out is finished; getting everything out of the stadium that needs to be out (mostly promotional equipment).

It was a busy and enjoyable night that ended with some beverages with players and staff. Well done boys!! And I hope we can have another win this Good Friday for ‘Family Day’.  

Certain photos i cant upload from my iPad but will post over the next week :)