What Can We Do?

The Lids4Kids grass roots movement has stepped in to solve the small plastic problem in Australia.Lids4Kids Australia was founded as a grass-roots 100% volunteer project in May 2019 by Tim Miller, a Canberra-based full-time house Dad with three boys under ten. Today Lids4Kids is a registered charity committed to rescuing every plastic bottle lid from going into landfill to protect our environment and benefit kids.Highlights from this episode include why Tim started the organisation, the overwhelming community response, and how we can all do our part to help achieve zero waste.This podcast is produced by Samuham Media, and available on all major podcast platforms.

Play spaces for all abilities should exist at the heart of neighbourhoods.The Touched by Olivia Foundation was founded by Justine and John Perkins after they tragically lost their baby daughter, Olivia to a rare illness when she was just eight months old. Following this devastating event, John and Justine devoted themselves to positively enhancing the lives of children and their families. Highlights from this episode include the three principles of inclusive play, the power of communities and  delivering social impact within communities by enabling partnerships and collaborations between business, government and other like minded charities.Justine is a successful thought leader and passionate philanthropist with over 25 years of legal, strategic, and not-for-profit experience. Justine has a loving family, which includes her husband John and four other children, Will, Gabrielle, Isaac and Henry.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

The time we live in presents an excellent opportunity for the future of co-operatives. COVID-19 has laid bare the failures of the current globalised capitalist system, which the co-operative model is well suited to address. Molly Kendall oversees Communications and Business Development at The Co-op Federation. The Co-op Federation advocates for the co-operative sector; raises public awareness; provides education, resources and networking opportunities; assists in forming co-operatives and like entities; and maintains links with other organisations interstate, nationally and internationally. Molly is a co-operative nerd from way back. She explored Australia's intentional communities from her early days to heading up a worker-owned waste management co-op. In this episode, Molly discusses the history of the Co-op sector in Australia, how it stacks up against other countries and its model's benefits in today's context.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

Outdoor recreation has been a welcome respite for many, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, however more needs to be done to make these spaces inclusive. Mathew Townsend founded Nature Freedom in 2017, a social enterprise that gives people from all walks of life and all abilities the opportunity to connect with nature and each other. This was motivated by Mathew's own lived experience of living with autism and hearing impairment, and being often excluded from environmental groups and sustainability spaces.Video interview with captions available here. Nature Freedom runs a range of eco crafts and environmental workshops in South-East Queensland, with more outdoor activities planned. In this episode Mathew talks about his vision for true inclusion, the importance of co-design and how his team has adapted to COVID-19What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

Australian Seniors are learning to use technology in safe and conducive environments through the help of community run computer clubs, supported by Australian Seniors Computer Club Association. Nan Bosler AM is the founder of this peak body that was set up in 1998. In this episode, Nan talks about the history of ASCCA, how it helps seniors, the best way to support seniors in their technology journey, and how the NBN delivered her grandsons to her. Nan Bosler AM is an Australian community activist and advocate for young people, the elderly and people with disabilities. She is an author and most notable internationally for her involvement with computer clubs and digital skills for older people.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.------LinksSamuham Media ASCCA 

Sahera Sumar is the Founder and Director of Worldwide Sheroes, a social enterprise that brings together a community of mentors and leaders to foster the next generation of female leaders. Sahera is a facilitator, coach, mentor, and keynote speaker. She has worked with leaders in over 25 countries in World Bank, WHO, and AKDN international development projects. In this episode, Sahera speaks about the lack of access to women leaders in a number of countries, her own experiences trying to fit in to a corporate culture, and the strength and value of the global community she has built.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

The North Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka have lower digital literacy levels, compared to the rest of Sri Lanka, and its neighbours.Sujan Selven is the Founder & CEO of Upcycled Tech, a not-for-profit that provides sustainable IT solutions for remote villages in the North Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. A Tamil refugee, Sujan is a social impact entrepreneur and human rights advocate.In this episode, Sujan talks about how Upcycled Tech started, the opportunities created for communities in these villages, and Upcycled Tech's vision for digital equity in Sri Lanka.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

In 2021, Poonkulali Govintharajah formed Thadam to build mental health literacy within the Sri Lankan Tamil Australian community.Poonkulali Govintharajah is a Sri Lankan Tamil psychologist, a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and holds her Master’s degree in Social Health. Poonkulali has a strong commitment to improving the mental health of our community with a strong focus on child protection and working with families.In this episode, Poonkulali shares discussing mental health through an appropriate cultural lens, why mental health stigma exists in her community, and the effects of intergenerational trauma.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.

As the waiting lists for social housing grows in Australia, many who are reliant on the system cannot navigate themselves out of it. Stephen Woodlands is the Founder and Managing Director of Head Start Homes, which harnesses innovation and collaboration to reduce homelessness and poverty by providing equal access to home ownership for single mums, First Nations Peoples and other families living in social housing.   In this episode, Stephen shares his lived experience growing up in social housing, the three barriers Head Start Homes removes for its clients, and the importance of levelling the field for homeownership here in Australia.What Can We Do is produced by Samuham Media, and hosted by Prema Menon.This podcast is also available on major podcast platforms.