Change the Story

In this final episode, we explore what it means to be colonisers on colonised lands. If we’re migrants from a colonising country like Japan, are our perspectives and connections to First Nations peoples different? We hear from two Japanese Australians, whose ancestors were involved in the Pacific War. How does carrying this personal history shape their sense of belonging? What can we all do to fos...

Saying an Acknowledgement in our mother languages inspires us to learn more about First Nations histories and cultures. But many migrants and new settlers claim that they know little about First Nations ways of doing and being. How can we work together to educate each other? Guests Nema Madnani is a higher education professional with experience in student equity, project co-ordination and communit...

How are languages that have been dormant being revived by First Nations peoples? We hear from Dr Lachlan McDaniel and Professor Lindon Coombes of the Jumbanna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at UTS about their personal journeys with language. Are we making any progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language revival? And why is language revitalisation important to non-Ind...

How has English dominance marginalised First Nations knowledges? We hear from Gudanji/Wakaja author and academic Dr Debra Dank about how Aboriginal people’s expressive practices and deep relationships to Country are being erased. How can we learn to listen to Country, to the ‘non-human utterances’ of birds, the wind, the rain? And how do we listen to Country with our whole bodies, not just our ear...

What does embracing multilingualism sound like? In this episode, we hear from two poets who challenge the dominance of English by creating bold, multilingual poetry. How do these poets use language to disrupt, to heal, to remember, and to imagine a different, more ethical way of belonging in Australia? Guests Esita Sogotubu hails from Fiji and is the Employability Manager at UTS Careers. Her tradi...

What happens when we say an Acknowledgement of Country in our mother languages? Would it feel different? More meaningful? Does it change the way we connect to First Nations peoples and cultures? We discovered that a multilingual Acknowledgement opened a door to deeper, and sometimes difficult conversations about colonialism, race, and what it means to belong in Australia today. Guests Violet Lafor...

Around 350 languages are spoken in homes across Australia, yet we see ourselves as an English-speaking country. And we tend to understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures primarily through English and Western concepts. Let’s challenge this dominance of English. My Language My Country is a six-part series that asks what changes when we approach Country through the many lan...

Life’s Lottery is changing. Change the Story is the next chapter - a podcast about what it takes to create real social change. Where Life’s Lottery explored how inequality shapes our lives, Change the Story asks the next question: what are we doing about it? Hosted by Amy Persson from the University of Technology Sydney , hear stories from people working to change systems from the ground up: commu...

Jeni Whalan hosts a discussion on the recent commitments from both NSW and Victoria to deliver a year of universal play-based learning for children in the year before they start school. As well as transforming early childhood education, the goal is to build the sector workforce and further boost productivity by better supporting working parents. Leslie Loble , the co-chair of the Council on Early...

In this bonus episode, hosts Jeni Whalan and Glyn Davis examine the insights gained across this season of conversations about putting children at the centre of good public policy. They discuss the frustrating gap between knowledge and action when it comes to shifting the dial towards more positive outcomes for all kids. Without political leadership, meaningful consultation and targeted, place-base...

‘Never again’ were words that echoed around the world in the wake of the second world war. Organisations were formed with the explicit aim of respecting and promoting international cooperation, aid and development. Only a few decades later, we have seen the first increase in poverty for a generation. Why? And why does inequality, conflict, and the impact of natural disasters still have such a disp...

First Nations children in Australia are some of the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised in our society. But they’re also on a journey of discovery, healing and strength through culture in response to the devastating impact of colonisation. Our guest host for this episode is Leila Smith , the CEO of the Aurora Education Foundation , which works to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous s...

We know what children need in their first five years to develop to their full potential, so why isn’t action around this at the top of the national agenda? Former Premier and South Australian Minister for Children, Jay Weatherill , leads the Thrive by Five campaign, which seeks to change that. He’s advocating for a universal, high quality childcare system for all Australian children. What would it...

The first five years of a child’s life are crucial for developmental outcomes and long term health. Paediatrician and leading child health researcher, Professor Sharon Goldfeld , argues we need a radical redesign of how families can be best supported during a child’s early years. She outlines the need for creativity in public policies to address the growing disparities in child health and wellbein...

We debrief the 2022 Federal Budget to explore how children are reflected in the national economic plan. Amanda Robbins and Alicia Mollaun from Equity Economics share their analysis of the implications for kids and families and explore how the Budget process could better deliver big picture reform for those without a seat at the table, or a vote at the ballot box. As some nations explore the use of...

We live in a wealthy nation but the experiences of Australian children are diverse, with many experiencing real challenges in their everyday lives. Two years into the pandemic, there are strong concerns about the impact on kids and the cost to their wellbeing, especially for those who were already behind. We hear from National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds, who is calling for a concerted e...

In season 2 of Life’s Lottery we explore how we can best support and back children through better policy making and public investment. How do we create a society where all kids can thrive? Join us for a series of thought-provoking conversations about how to put children at the centre and why it makes sense for all of us. New name This podcast is now called Change the Story. For more information ab...

If we want to inform better public policy to end poverty and disadvantage, hard data and facts are more important than ever. This sets up both a challenge and an opportunity for organisations as philanthropy in Australia develops even further. In this episode, we draw together the threads of our earlier conversations. We talk to Susan Urahn , from the Pew Charitable Trusts , about philanthropy’s r...

No major social problem has a single cause so why would a single approach or organisation be able to solve it? Collective Impact starts with social objectives that are agreed upon across all sectors of society. This episode considers the idea at the heart of Collective Impact: that large-scale social change comes from better cross-sector coordination rather than from the isolated intervention of i...

Most people in jail have experienced disadvantage at some point in their lives, and it’s a legacy that often passes from parent to child. Could transforming policies and systems for parents in prison reduce the intergenerational transmission of offending and disadvantage? What can help prisoners maintain strong relationships with their children, and why are these investments worth it? Might this b...

We examine systems change and possibility thinking with a leader in the field. Charlie Leadbeater is a creative systems innovator who works with organisations around the world to address long term problems, such as unacceptable rates of poverty. He says it’s time to reframe social issues to create meaningful solutions that are driven by a more inclusive set of values. Can we imagine a place for lo...

Australians believe our country is the land of the fair go. A meritocracy where if you work hard you can be successful, no matter what circumstances you were born into. But how true is this? Is intelligence and hard work really enough to break out of a cycle of disadvantage? This episode interrogates the idea of meritocracy and how it was established in the Australian context with Alison Penningto...

Birth is a throw of the dice. The consequences can last a lifetime. A child born into disadvantage today will struggle to break out in adulthood - no matter how hard they work. Life’s Lottery is a podcast about new ways to break the cycle of disadvantage, from the Paul Ramsay Foundation in collaboration with UTS Impact Studios . In conversation with policy and research leaders, expert practitioner...