IGNITE TALKS Archives - Clover Hill Diaries

Josephine Wyborn Show Us Why Inclusion is the Difference

At the Ignite event on 5 September at the Berry School of Arts, every speaker gave us something to think about. Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing highlights from each presentation. You can find the presentations as they are published here.

When Josephine Wyborn walked onto the stage, she shared her sister Leigha’s story. Leigha was born with cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability. She lived with joy and strength, but she died at only 25. Not from her disability, but from a health system that failed her.

Leigha’s story is not rare. People with intellectual disability die up to 20 years earlier than others, and 40 percent of those deaths are preventable.

For weeks Leigha complained of stomach pain. Each visit to the GP was met with dismissal, chalked up to “probably just a pulled muscle.” By the time she was finally rushed to hospital, it was too late. She had a life-threatening condition, necrotizing pancreatitis, and her body had already been badly damaged. Six weeks in hospital followed. Communication was broken, staff were unprepared, and the system created fear instead of safety. Leigha eventually came home, but without proper follow-up care. Two weeks later, she was back in hospital with sepsis. This time, she never made it home again.

Josephine’s voice was steady, but the heartbreak was clear. And then she gave us the bigger picture. Leigha’s story is not rare. People with intellectual disability die up to 20 years earlier than others, and 40 percent of those deaths are preventable. Yet fewer than 20 percent of GPs are trained to care for them. Too often symptoms are dismissed, pain is minimised, and communication needs are ignored.

“Leigha not die from her disability. She died from a health system that failed her.”

But Josephine did not leave us with despair. She spoke about what happens when inclusion is present.

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When people with intellectual disability are welcomed in schools, gyms, workplaces, cafes, and everyday life, their health and wellbeing improves. When communities open doors, networks strengthen, mental health lifts, and people live longer, happier lives.

She painted a picture of what that looks like:

A gym where every class is adapted so all can join.
A dance floor where no one is left on the sidelines.
A café with easy-read menus so everyone has choice.
A schoolyard where belonging starts on the very first day.

Her message was simple and unforgettable. Inclusion is not a nice-to-have. It is the difference between dignity and neglect, between health and illness, and sometimes even between life and death.

Leigha deserved better. All people with intellectual disability do. And as Josephine reminded us, every one of us has a role to play in making inclusion part of daily life.

People with intellectual disability die up to 20 years earlier, and 40 percent of those deaths are preventable.

Inclusion is not optional. It is the difference between dignity and neglect, health and illness, and sometimes even life or death.

Every choice we make towards inclusion matters.

📸 Images used in this post are for commentary and community storytelling. Credits belong to the original photographers and sources. Please contact me if you would like an image credited differently or removed.

#IgniteBerry #JosephineWyborn #InclusionMatters #IntellectualDisability #HealthcareEquity #DignityInHealthcare #CommunityInclusion #EveryLifeCounts #Belonging #HealthForAll

Michael Webb and why we should consider fostering.

Michael Webb spoke with warmth and honesty about the joys and challenges of being a foster father. His own journey began later in life. After having his first and only biological child at the age of 48, he and his partner decided they could open their home to children who needed a safe place. What started as short-term and emergency placements eventually led to long-term care for a young girl who had experienced serious neglect.

Michael explained the difference between foster care and kinship care. Kinship care means taking in a blood relative, while foster care is opening your home to a child you have never met before. Both matter deeply in a society where orphanages no longer exist, and where the goal is to place children in homes that resemble family life as closely as possible.

He reminded us that fostering is not easy. Children often arrive carrying trauma, neglect, or abuse. Parenting is always a challenge, but foster parenting brings an extra layer of complexity and care. Yet with those challenges come rewards. Fostering allows families to share skills, pass on experiences, and sometimes discover new talents or passions in the children they welcome.

Michael was candid about the impact. You may meet members of the child’s birth family. You may be left in wonder about the twists of fortune. You may even have a few windows replaced along the way. But above all, fostering is about recognising that the child who arrives at your doorstep could easily have been you at an earlier stage of life.

His message was powerful in its simplicity. We are all related. Fostering is an act of humanity, a way of making the larger human family more functional and more compassionate. Opening your doors to a child in need is not only about changing their future. It is about shaping a future where no one is left behind.

#IgniteBerry #MichaelWebb #TheFosteringChallenge #FosterCare #KinshipCare #EveryChildMatters #StrongerTogether

Jane Bourne Talks About Death and Dying at Ignite Berry

Jane Bourne returned to the stage for her second talk of the night, this time on a subject most of us would rather avoid: death and dying. She began with a smile and a reminder that while death and taxes are guaranteed, most of us would add laundry to that list too. Unlike laundry, though, death is rarely spoken about openly.

As a funeral celebrant, Jane has seen first-hand the heartache families face when they have no idea what their loved one wanted. Did they want to be buried or cremated? Did they want poems, prayers, or pop songs? Did they even want a funeral at all? Without conversations, grief is made heavier by uncertainty.

“Planning a good death leads to a much fuller and better life.”

Jane encouraged us to talk about death, not in whispers but in real conversations with family and friends. Planning ahead, she said, is not about being morbid. It is about giving a gift to those left behind. When people know your wishes, they do not have to carry the burden of doubt.

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Her stories were both moving and funny. She spoke of fishing shirts at funerals, Morris dancers at a celebration of life, and even the time she was asked to say the words “glory hole” at a service. She shared how some families now choose “living funerals,” celebrating a person’s life while they are still here to hear the good things that will be said.

“A funeral should be as unique as the person it honours.”

Jane reminded us that there is no single “right way” to farewell someone. A funeral should be as unique as the person it honours. And she spoke about how planning a good death can actually lead to living a fuller life. Thinking about mortality helps us prioritise what matters, how we want to spend our time, and the stories we want to share.

Her closing thought was simple but profound. On average, we get 4,000 weeks and 77 summers in a lifetime. Some get far fewer. How we use them is what matters. Talking about death is, in the end, a way of talking about life.

“Talking about death is, in the end, a way of talking about life.”

#IgniteBerry #JaneBourne #TalkingAboutDeath #GoodDeath #CelebrationOfLife #LivingFunerals #YouOnlyDieOnce

Rachael Lonergan Shares Lessons from the Earl Grey Scheme

“In only seven years, the Great Irish Famine killed a million people and forced another two million to leave.”

Rachael Lonergan brought history to life with a story few of us had heard before. In 1848, Henry Grey, the third Earl Grey, launched what became known as the Earl Grey Scheme.

Over just two years, more than 4,000 Irish orphan girls between the ages of 14 and 18 were sent from famine-era workhouses to the Australian colonies.

These girls had already endured unimaginable hardship. Many had lost their parents and siblings to hunger and disease during the Great Irish Famine. In the workhouses, they survived on little more than porridge and thin soup, and faced bleak futures of endless labour. For them, the Earl Grey Scheme seemed like a chance of hope, a one-way journey to a new life.

The voyages were long and dangerous, months at sea heading for places they knew nothing about. On arrival, the girls were housed at Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney or sent to Melbourne and Adelaide. They were indentured as servants, and many were expected to become wives for the labouring classes.

“Colonists felt the girls were too Irish, too Catholic, and too many.”

But the welcome was far from kind. Colonists accused them of being too Irish, too Catholic, and too many. Newspapers described them cruelly as “useless creatures” with “squat stunted figures.” Others complained they ate too much after surviving famine. In the end, public prejudice drowned out the original intent of the scheme. After just two years, the Earl Grey Scheme was ended.

Rachael reminded us that this was what we might now call “bad PR,” but more honestly, it was xenophobia and discrimination. The echoes with today are clear. Then it was Irish orphan girls. Today it might be refugees from Sudan, the Middle East, or Asia. The pattern repeats: new arrivals are painted as a threat, only to later become part of the fabric of Australia.

“After just two years, the Earl Grey Scheme was ended. Public prejudice drowned out compassion.”

Some of the girls did manage to build new lives. Many married and raised families, and countless Australians today can trace their lineage back to them. Others struggled, their stories fading from the record. At Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney, a memorial now honours their courage, with the names of the girls etched into glass — deliberately fading away, representing the millions lost or displaced by famine.

Rachael’s talk ended with a simple invitation. Next time you sit down with a cup of Earl Grey tea, spare a thought for the orphan girls who crossed the world in pursuit of hope, and reflect on what their story tells us about how we treat migrants today.

“What was once painted as a crisis is now heritage.”

#IgniteBerry #RachaelLonergan #EarlGreyScheme #IrishMigration #MigrationHistory #LearningFromHistory #XenophobiaPastAndPresent

Lynne Strong’s Call to Action for Us All to Give Young People Voice, Agency, and Hope

Lynne Strong took to the stage with a message that was as urgent as it was inspiring: young people may only be 20 percent of our population, but they are 100 percent of our future. They deserve an opportunity to help shape that future, not someday, but right now.

She spoke about how today’s generation is deeply aware of the crises around them, housing, climate, and cost of living. Many young people feel adults are not doing enough. Yet Lynne reminded us of the good news: young people also believe they can be part of the solution. That belief is powerful, and it is worth backing.

To thrive in the 21st century, Lynne argued, we need to equip young people not just with the traditional three Rs, but with the four Cs:

Critical thinking – asking the right questions to get to the root cause of problems
Creative thinking – imagining bold solutions
Collaboration – working with others to turn ideas into action
Communication – sharing visions with confidence and clarity

Drawing on her own experience as a farmer and educator, Lynne shared how her team designed programs that gave young people real purpose.

Lynne reminded us of Hugh McKay’s research that says

Young people want something to do

They want someone/something to care about

They want something to hope for

Secondary students were invited to tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while primary school students were challenged to do the same. Their solutions were painted on life-sized fibreglass cows and giant koalas, bringing creativity, art, and action together.

The results were eye-opening. Primary school students consistently outperformed high schoolers.

By the time they reached secondary school, the difference was clear.

Student confidence fades.
Their creativity shrinks.
Their spark dims.

These observations are backed by research, and the reasons are multifaceted.

The pressure of the curriculum.
The challenges of adolescence and social conformity.
The way we reward right answers instead of bold ideas.
The way we sometimes silence young voices without even realising it.

But, Lynne reminded us, it does not have to stay that way. Young people are not waiting to be saved. They are waiting to be trusted. And when they are trusted, they rise. They lead. They inspire.

Her closing challenge was one we can all take to heart. Every time we design a program, guide a conversation, or make a decision about young people, we should ask ourselves:

Are we giving them something meaningful to do?
Are we helping them feel connected to people, place, and purpose?
Are we giving them a reason to hope?

When we answer yes, young people do not just join the story. They become the heroes of it.

“When trusted, young people rise. They lead. They inspire.”

#IgniteBerry #LynneStrong #YoungPeople #VoiceAndAgency #FutureLeaders #EducationInnovation #21stCenturySkills

Holly Pastor and Why Public Education Matters

“Public schools do not handpick their students. They take everyone, and help each child reach their potential.”

Holly stood up with pride as both a graduate of public schools and a teacher at Bomaderry High School. She asked us to reflect on the role that public education has played in our own lives. Almost every hand in the room went up.

Her message was clear. Public schools do not handpick their students. They take everyone, and they help each child reach their potential. They educate the majority of Australian children, including those who need the most support, and still deliver results that match or surpass their private school peers.

Holly reminded us that public school graduates are everywhere. They are running businesses, shaping policy, leading industries, and contributing to communities. Public education gives them the foundation to succeed through quality teaching, a culture of inclusion, and opportunities that reflect the real world.

She also pointed to the research. Public school students perform as well or better at school, university, and in the workforce. They gain character, resilience, adaptability, and problem solving skills in diverse environments that mirror the society they will live and work in.

Holly did not ignore the challenges. Public schools operate with fewer resources than many private schools. Yet they continue to innovate, offer vocational pathways, and partner with local businesses to give students real world experience. She called on all of us to be advocates, to support fair funding, and to celebrate the success stories that come from public education.

Her final message was simple. If you believe in fairness, opportunity, and excellence for every child, then choose public education.

“If you believe in fairness, opportunity, and excellence for every child, then choose public education.”

#IgniteBerry #Holly #PublicEducation #FairFunding #OpportunityForEveryChild #QualityTeaching #InclusiveEducation

Kiama Unplugged. Jane Bourne how Us and We Can Disconnect to Reconnect

Jane Bourne Unplugged speaking at Ignite Berry

Getting off our phones and stopping the doom scrolling is something that matters to all of us. We all know we do it. At the Ignite event on 5 September at the Berry School of Arts, Jane Bourne challenged us to think about what it is doing to our children, and to ourselves.

“We want a free roaming childhood back. Children should be out playing with kids of all ages, not glued to a screen.” Jane Bourne

Jane is the founder of Kiama Unplugged, a movement born from her determination to protect her own children from the mental health impacts of smartphones and social media. Instead of giving in to the idea that “everyone else is doing it,” she decided to act.

“Disconnect to reconnect, that is how we will beat the loneliness epidemic.”

The initiative creates phone free spaces for families and communities. The very first events were held at Finding Fillmores, an adult only event when people gathered, without their phones, played cards or chess, built Lego, coloured in, and talked with strangers. The idea quickly grew into monthly family friendly gatherings at Finding Fillmores, and weekly book hours at Cin Cin Wine Bar, offering simple and joyful ways for people to connect.

Jane reminded us that social change can happen. Once upon a time no one wore seatbelts and people smoked on planes, until enough of us decided to do things differently. She believes the same shift is possible with screens, and that children deserve a free roaming, creative childhood.

“On average we spend 10,000 hours online, enough time to complete a medical degree or learn an instrument. What if we invested that time differently?”

Her vision is to see Kiama Unplugged become part of a wider Australia Unplugged movement, encouraging families everywhere to make the pledge not to hand over smartphones just because their children are starting high school.

“They say from small things big things grow. I believe enough people want change, and we can make it happen.”

It was a powerful reminder that when we disconnect, we can reconnect, with our children, our communities, and ourselves.

#IgniteBerry #JaneBourne #KiamaUnplugged #FindingFillmores #CinCinWineBar #DisconnectToReconnect #CommunityConnection #ChildhoodWithoutScreens

Kimberley Williams and the Power of Auslan

Kimberley Williams opened the second half of the evening with a talk that was equal parts fun and deeply important. She began by asking if we had ever struggled to find the right words, or felt that English simply was not enough to express what we wanted to say. Her answer was simple: sometimes what we need is not more words, but a different language altogether.

“If more of us learned Auslan, we could meet the deaf community halfway instead of expecting them to always meet us.”

That language is Auslan, Australian Sign Language. Kimberley reminded us that Auslan is not “English on your hands.” It is a full language with its own grammar and rules, recognised as the language of the Australian deaf community. Auslan is taught in schools, has its own dictionary, and is used every day by people across the country.

Auslan works where spoken language fails, in noisy restaurants, at concerts, even underwater.

With humour and warmth, Kimberley showed the audience a few signs, from everyday words to her personal favourite: prawn. She explained how Auslan can be used in places where spoken language fails — in noisy restaurants, at a concert, or even underwater. During COVID and the bushfires, many of us saw Auslan interpreters standing beside leaders on our television screens, making vital information accessible in real time.

“Auslan is not just gestures. It is a full blown language with grammar, structure, and expression.”

Kimberley acknowledged that she herself is not deaf, and spoke with respect about sharing Auslan as an ally. Her deaf friends reassured her that awareness is a positive step, and she urged anyone interested to learn from deaf-led organisations with native signers, not from YouTube where many of the resources teach American Sign Language instead.

“Inclusion begins with learning how to connect.”

Her message was powerful. If more of us learned Auslan, we could meet the deaf community halfway instead of expecting them always to meet us. We could use it from childhood to support language development, and we could use it later in life when hearing fades. At a noisy family barbecue, when grandpa forgets his hearing aid, signing could keep him included instead of isolated.

Kimberley left us with a simple sign to try together: “It’s lovely to meet you.” And with it, a reminder that inclusion starts with learning how to connect.

Read Kimberley’s Master’s Thesis The Lived Experience of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in New South Wales that used Auslan to Access the Mainstream Curriculum, in the Context of the Support Models Provided for their Inclusion

#IgniteBerry #KimberleyWilliams #Auslan #AustralianSignLanguage #Inclusion #Communication #CommunityConnection

Dr Dom Frawley and Aristotle vs the Algorithm

Dr Dom Frawley AM, a GP with more than 30 years of experience, asked us to consider what Aristotle might say about our modern struggles with anxiety, depression, and technology. Aristotle described true happiness as eudaimonia, not fleeting pleasure, but a deep flourishing that comes from practising virtues like courage, honesty, generosity, and self control.

Dom pointed out that happiness is not passive. It requires deliberate action. For every virtue, Aristotle said there is a golden mean, somewhere between deficiency and excess. For example, good humour lies between being a killjoy and being a buffoon. Living well means finding that balance.

He contrasted this with how our society often manages minor distress. We give more and more attention to problems, which unintentionally rewards them and makes them more likely to persist. In medicine, this is called “secondary gain.” Dom argued that the same thing is happening in our culture. And if you wanted to invent the ultimate secondary gain machine, you could not do better than the one we already carry in our pockets. The smartphone, with infinite scroll, secret algorithms, and the dopamine hit of the like button, rewards behaviours that do not help us flourish.

“If you wanted to invent the ultimate secondary gain machine, you are too late. We already carry it in our pockets.”

So what is the alternative? Dom offered Aristotle’s ethics as a practical framework for today. He told us about Benjamin Franklin, who kept a list of thirteen virtues and worked on one each week. Over a year, he cycled through them four times, gradually improving himself and strengthening his character. Dom suggested we could all do the same, a week on courage, a week on generosity, a week on self control, because virtue is not just a thought exercise. It grows only through action.

“Step by step, virtuous actions push back against anxiety and depression, and help us to flourish.”

“Aristotle’s ethics are not a thought exercise. Virtue grows only through action.”

His message was both philosophical and practical. To push back against anxiety, depression, and the pull of the algorithm, we need to practise virtuous action. Step by step, these actions build wisdom, contentment, and friendship, and help our communities to flourish.

“Happiness is not passive. It comes from practising virtues like courage, honesty, generosity, and self control.”

#IgniteBerry #DomFrawley #AristotleVsTheAlgorithm #VirtueEthics #Eudaimonia #Flourishing #BeyondPhones

Brent McKean – Thank God for Dad Jokes

When Brent McKean took the stage, he came armed with a deadly weapon: dad jokes. He reminded us that a dad’s most important job may not be putting food on the table or offering wise advice, but embarrassing their kids at every possible opportunity. And he delivered.

“A dad’s job is not just to love and support. A dad’s job is to embarrass the hell out of his kids.”

Brent shared classics that had the audience groaning and laughing in equal measure:

“Why didn’t the toilet roll cross the road? It got stuck in a crack.”
“What’s brown and sticky? A stick.”
“What do you call a Frenchman wearing sandals? Philippe Flop.”
“How do cows stay up to date? They read the moos-paper.”

He explained that the magic of dad jokes lies in their simplicity. They are so unfunny that they become funny. And research backs this up. Kids exposed to this kind of humour build resilience, learning to shrug off embarrassment and embrace being themselves.

“Part of what makes dad jokes funny is that they are simply not funny.”

There was also a golden family favourite Brent shared, rolled out whenever they drove past a cemetery: “It’s the dead centre of town. No bones about it. Of corpse it is. They must have had a coffin fit.”

“Even research says dad jokes build resilience. And I thought I was just being an idiot.”

Beyond the laughs, Brent reminded us that humour has real benefits. A good dose of laughter lowers stress, strengthens the heart, and even helps us live longer. So while dad jokes may make our kids roll their eyes, they are also making us all a little healthier and a little happier.

His advice to dads? Keep telling them. Keep a straight face, wait a few seconds before cracking yourself up, and if nobody laughs, repeat the joke up to three times if needed. It is your destiny.

“Telling dad jokes is your destiny.”

#IgniteBerry #BrentMcKean #DadJokes #Humour #Laughter #EmbarrassingYourKids #ResilienceThroughLaughter