A Reflection on KiNDLiNG

It is true what they say, events can become ‘like’ your babies. Okay I am not sure if people say this but it is the only way I can describe the relationship between event manager and event. 

I am an aspiring events manager/coordinator/planner, any of those terms, this is the career path I would like to have. Well, the career path I have studied for. 

Interning at AIME has been a great experience in learning all things event planning and seeing an inaugural variety night come to life. I have become one with the stresses of an event, and understand that you cannot control everything. Although stressful, staging an event can be so fun and if it is successful then the rewards are plentiful. 

But let me explain this metaphor that events are like ‘children.’ 

For starters, you worry about the event day and night. You care about its legacy and want it to succeed. You put all your time and effort in giving it the best opportunity to make its mark. Secondly you cannot help but tell everyone about the event. It is a constant conversation starter.  You want everyone to know about it because you are proud of what it will become (and you need tickets to sell). And finally, once the event has been delivered or put to ‘bed’ you can finally relax.

See events are like children, well, sort of. 

 

  Taryn and myself had the responsibility of creating this colourful photo back drop. Pinterest was great inspiration. Our role during the night was to take photos and keep track of names, so that these photos can be used for social media purposes. 

AIME WA’s KiNDLiNG event was not shy of a couple of issues. Not even the most efficient planning can stop external factors impacting an event. A couple of weeks prior, we had several acts that could no longer perform at the event. This put strain on the Events Manager and myself to try find replacement acts within a very short time frame. In addition to this, our volunteer security member had a change of plans and the CEO decided not to fly over from Sydney to attend the event. 

However, none of these issues compared to the stress made from very low ticket sales. The week before the event, only 35 tickets had been sold. 35 Tickets! 35!! At the beginning of the planning process, 350 tickets were expected to sell. This was based on the reason that AIME WA has over 6000 mentors. 

This has been a very important learning curve for me. That a not-for-profit cannot solely rely on its volunteers and other stakeholders to fill seats at a fundraiser event. The promotions side of an event is so significant in attracting community support. The way you target your audiences through different platforms and the extent to which you push the event in media streams. As this was AIME WA’s first major event, and they did not have a headliner act or a major incentive to attract numbers, promotional efforts were so important. Posters and word of mouth would not be enough to carry this event. It needed radio ads, newspaper articles, social media, posters, personal emails, letters and direct communication with schools, mentors and universities to make the tickets sell. 

Thankfully, the week of the event saw a flood of online tickets sell. It is interesting to see how people tend to purchase tickets closer to the event date. We had 200 people walk through the doors. KiNDLiNG was a success and raised necessary funds for AIME’s mission in reaching 10,000 Indigenous students by the year 2018. It was a great night filled with amazing performances and great food.

It was a privilege to be a part of an event so rewarding. To close the gap between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous community, to inspire and bring unity. 

A photo from the night used for AIME WA's Instagram page. 

Networking – Can You Help Me?

What a cruisy start to my intern day 10. Researching potential artists for AIME’s upcoming fundraiser KiNDLiNG. From triple J to upcoming YouTube stars from Perth, this task is really shifting the Monday blues into a Monday session of cruisy beats and soulful artists. What makes this moment even better is that it is raining outside, and not a light drizzle but a thunder of water battling against the window pain. This is my kind of day in the office. However, I know it won’t always be like this. It will rarely be like this. 

I guess the flip side to my chilled out morning is the task that lays ahead. When I will have to put in the hard yards to book in a musician or band. It is one thing to listen to their music, appreciate their talent and want them to perform. But to actually book them in as a confirmation can be a tricky endeavour. One that I would say should have been done months ago. 

I am now experiencing the all too familiar “sorry we are already booked” reply. It feels as if I am unrealistically hoping that a semi-famous band will be available in two months’ time, knowing all too well that schedules are written and stamped months in advance. However, I will not keep a couple of ‘rejection’ letters keeping me from achieving AIME’s set list. Hopefully a really exciting act will come my way. 

So two things I have learnt from this experience.

1. Always plan ahead. You might not be ready in terms of planning an event, but it is certain that people outside the organisation are planning their lives, especially musicians who will have gigs, concerts and tours lined up with no space in between.
2. Secondly, I am more than ever realising the power of networking. How one face can lead to another, and potentially a performing act, an inspirational speaker or even a caterer. Networking is everything!

So I am putting this one out there to anyone who is reading this. PR students, colleagues and tutors, if any of you have connections with a local band (Perth) or a semi-famous musician group can you please let me know in the comments.

Sending all my thanks in advance!

From networking with friends I have already confirmed a WAAPA 3^rd year dance student to do a contemporary piece, so perhaps networking will once again work in my favour. 
 

I love music so this internship just keeps getting better and better. Maybe next year’s KiNDLiNG event will have a headliner! Perhaps in 5 years’ time this event will become an Indigenous music festival, inspiring social connectivity within the non-Indigenous and Indigenous community. 

  

 

AIME for the Best

New environments can be daunting at first, even one that is based at Curtin University. You have the initial introduction to your colleagues, observing the team in which you will be working in, as your internship begins its 1st day.  However, following this quick initiation it seems as if you are thrown into the deep end.  

 

Hi everyone, my name is Libby and I am interning for AIME at the Curtin University campus. Although we are delving into what could be described as the ‘real world’ on training wheels, taking that first step is very exciting.  

AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) is a non-for-profit organisation focused on closing the gap on post-schooling opportunities and outcomes for Australian Indigenous students. The mission of AIME is to reach 10,000 Indigenous children by the year 2018, guiding their transition into university, employment or further education or training. It is heart-warming to know that I will be a part of this journey in some small way.

 

If you would like to know more about this wonderful organisation and how it was brought to life, watch this episode of Australian Story, introducing the CEO of AIME, Jack Manning Bancroft. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt5RxdQRFR4

The first day...

I get a text the day before stating that my first day was to be held at Murdoch University. Always expect the unexpected, plans change and it is our duty to be adaptive to these changes. 

So what do you know, the plans changed once again and after arriving early to be driven to Murdoch, I was notified that my day was to remain at the Curtin office. I was particularly happy about this as I was able to meet my colleagues who were surprised to see me.

After the introductory things were out of the way, I had to put my creative hat on as I was asked to write a pitch targeted towards the John Curtin Leadership students. At first it was a little difficult not knowing the ins and outs of the organisation or the personal jokes that might make a pitch more appealing. In reflection it was a great learning tool, especially after reading the Communication Coordinator’s pitch which gave more insight into the organisation.

What is really exciting is that in October, AIME WA is holding its biggest fundraising event, KiNDLiNG. Events management is my primary major so I am very grateful for this learning experience. I am particularly interested in the media relations aspect of this event, already having started to design social media tiles and a promotional strategy plan. Mind you, graphic design is not my forte but it was nice to practice the 'skills' learnt in Design Computing. You really don't know what will come in handy until you are out in the workplace. Who knows Information Systems 100 might yet come into play as valuable knowledge. 

What I can say about this internship is that it is very casual, yes I wear a AIME T-shirt and Hoodie. However, the colleagues I work with are very dedicated to this cause and are professional when it comes to getting the work done and seeing change happen. I feel privileged to be an intern for an organisation that is focused on helping children and seeking to close the gap between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians. 

I am very excited to see how these 20 days pan out, and more excited to learn about and meet the students that AIME so dearly cares for.