ICT Aficionados

I have a beautiful dog named Leia.  I live within 15 minutes of the west coast of NZ and the east coast of NZ.
I am tall with dark hair and blue eyes and I have a brother living in Canada, a dad who travels between Auckland and Seattle, and a mum who works in Auckland for the Manakau district health board.

I was born in Botswana and I want to go back there before the opportunity to do so is not there anymore.


I am so passionate about the the existence of humans - and I am so interested in the ways in which we choose to think about this existence.  I am intrigued by the media and it's power to influence society, I am intrigued by education - what it means, it's power to influence and how it is carried out; I am constantly getting excited about our ability as human beings to succeed in different areas - our ability to achieve, the power of the mind and the strength and success that comes from passion. 

Climate change interests me.  In a way that I currently find hard to articulate - which leaves me baffled by people's ability to say with such conviction that the only answer is to focus on 'fixing what previous generations have caused'.  I'm not a scientist , but I read what I can and try my best to understand what is being said (and what is not being said).  I am interested in people's opinions and alternative and innovative solutions to what is going on in our world.  Clearly there is a way of thinking that has led us to where we are right now.  Which only leads me to believe that there needs to be a mind-shift. A culture-shift. New attitudes and open-mindedness. 

The yMedia Group (www.ymediagroup.org)
The yMedia Group was founded by Adele Barlow and myself in May 2007, with the aim of maximising the impact of young people as change-makers through the use of media and technology.

Our first project was carried out in October 2007, and was called the yMedia Challenge.  The aim of this competition was to provide community groups with digital solutions and introductions into the digital space in order to ensure their ongoing involvement and interaction in the space.  These solutions and training was provided by young tertiary students studying towards media-related qualifications.  The experience gave the students valuable soft-skills, experience, confidence and portfolio work which subsequently enabled them to enter into their job of choice upon graduation.

Community groups benefited from the experience - with most groups telling us 'it was on our 5-year plan to apply for funding in this digital space'.  The confidence they gained from the competition enabled them to feel as though they could support other community groups experiencing similar doubts about technology, the internet and engaging with young people.

The Youth Social Innovation Network (www.ysinetwork.ning.com)
In 2008, the yMedia group will be carrying out the yMedia Challenge again - and will also take on a new project called the YSI Network.

The aim of this project is to identify key networks and groups of youth (18-36) working in NZ with the purpose of establishing a body that works to help maximise the impact of young people in NZ as social innovators.  Whether this is through providing mentorships, access to guest speakers and information, funding, networking sessions, workshops or online forums - the YSI Network will determine it's goals through connecting with various groups around NZ and forming a steering committee to take it to the next stage.

Me and my goals
I am constantly going through stages of uncertainty.  This year I hope to meet more people who are thinking like me - building new relationships and strengthening existing ones.  Right now I am working on defining what success and happiness means to me.

I love to run, I practice yoga, I've learnt to surf, I love talking, I love playing the guitar, I love doing handstands and cartwheels, I love meeting new people, travelling, taking photographs, playing with children, patting dogs, eating good food, listening to music, writing and reading, sitting in the sun, sleeping, dreaming, and being.