Guest Speakers from MICEEP Bronwyn Bruce and Craig White spoke about their roles in the organisation and the work it does. Bronwyn described her role as a partnership broker with the aim of having her student partner’s go forward to finish their year 12 and be work ready for employment. Some of the ways this is achieved has been through the organisation of a solar car challenge, visits to industries and work places and work ready programmes. They also run the Youth Mental Health Forums in high schools. Craig is the chairman of MICEEP plus he has the role of Yes Youth & Family Services and Youth Connections Team leader. During question time he praised the work of the Albury Midnight Basketball team in their youth connections and advances since their operation had began.
Category Archives: Guest Speakers
Club Meeting 23 October 2013
Guest Speaker & Club Member, Stephen O’Connell. Sydney born and educated Stephen commenced his working life, following University, teaching music In Wollongong, farming in Goulburn and travelling extensively in the process. Stephen is a well known tenor and soprano saxophonist who has a broad background and training in classical music traditions and has specialized in the fields of jazz, blues, funk, rock and pop with extensive recording and live experience. He has toured, played and recorded with many well-known artists including Ross Wilson, Phil Manning (Chain), Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges, Steve Arvey, Kamahl, Rolf Harris, Four Kinsmen, The Drifters, The Platters and JW Jones. Stephen had a long involvement with the highly regarded Sydney based blues band, “The Bellhops” playing with them since 1990 and winning three Chain Awards at the Australian Blues Music Festival. In 2008 and 2009, along with 14 visual artists, he travelled to Illara Rockhole in Central Australia in order to write new works related to the unique environment he encountered there. Stephen has composed many songs and other musical works over the years and is now focussed on creating a unique canon of Australian instrumental music. Stephen is currently the Director of the Murray Conservatorium and current President of NSW Regional Music Conservatoriums.A motorcycle accident slowed Stephen’s musical progress for a time, however, rehabilitation was greatly aided with the use of a chainsaw (presumably not for limb removal !) and he was soon ‘back-on-track’ achieving even more success. He has released two CD’s and in his spare time is an advocate for the advancement of regional music at all levels. In 2010 Stephen was appointed director of the Murray Conservatorium in Albury addressing many problems at the outset. Since then he has advanced the con’s involvement in the community, created partnerships with sponsors, adopted schools programmes, established workshops, introduced various concerts and projects involving many local participants.
The Conservatorium works to achieve goals in a strategic plan … The mission of Murray Conservatorium is to … 1. Provide quality music education – accessible to all, enriching lives and building communities 2. Provide a forum in which music from diverse cultures and of various genres might be sympathetically explored and effectively related to other art forms. To achieve this, Murray Conservatorium aims to … 3. Provide quality music education to people of all ages. Offer diverse music teaching programs to meet individual needs within the community. Nurture students’ personal development and self-esteem through the understanding and experience of music. Foster music making within the community. Provide performing opportunities for all students. Prepare students for music and speech and drama examinations,
and for tertiary music courses. Stephen is married to Carolyn and has two adult sons, Miles and Josh.
Club Meeting 16 October 2013
Guest Speaker – Current Area Governor of Toastmasters and fellow member of Albury Hume, Graham Fuller, gave us an insight into his experiences, challenges and enjoyment experiened since joining Toastmasters …he is now a member of three clubs in the region ! Graham gave us some idea of the many areas in which Toastmastes can be of assistance to the public speakers from an ‘icebreaker’speech to presenting impromptu speeches, keeping to time limits, evaluation and praise by fellow members. Graham then introduced Sue Honey from the ‘yet-to-be-chartered’Wodonga Club. Sue spoke of the benefits and skills attainable through involvement with Toastmasters in such areas as … Table topics Impronptu speeches
Interview skills Leadership Communication Two club meetings are held per month …dinner meetings on occasions …both Sue and Graham indicated anyone was welcome to attend a meeting at anytime.
Club Meeting 9 October 2013
Membership Services Officer of the Northside Chamber of Commerce, Carrick Gill-Vallance, was our guest speaker last week. Albury Northside Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organisation and operates on a lean budget made possible by its members and Albury City, as the greatest financial supporter. Activities and events are always conducted on a self funded basis. Operations are carried out by three paid staff, overseen by a Board of Directors composed of volunteers. The Chamber meets monthly and is a valuable resource for the local business community. Last financial year it had 64 partners and 424 members with ten new businesses joining per month. The chamber has been rated as No.1 …the largest chamber in regional NSW …with representation on the NSW Business Chamber Regional Council Their initiatives include a Business Directory, ‘Business-afterHours’functions, Chamber Business Awards, held recently …also cross-border involvement with the Wodonga Chamber of Commerce.
Club Meeting 2 October 2013
Guest Speaker Nathan Mackay … Albury Youth Council Mayor As a senior Albury High School student Nathan has attended a Summer Science School in Canberra, sponsored by Rotary and has been guest speaker at several Rotary 
clubs, so was at home addressing our meeting on the operation of the Youth Council in which he has been involved for three years and is currently Mayor, an annually elected position. Members of the council are aged between 14-18 years totalling nine councillors being selected following applications. Areas of consideration undertaken by the Youth Council in an atmosphere of dedication include leadership, anti-bullying, depression/suicide assistance, distribution of a Youth ‘Connect’ Card offering assistance to young people in the community, discos for the disabled, assistance with ‘Dreamfields’ and Anti Graffiti day, Youth forums and Clean-up-Australia Day. On completion of his HSC this year Nathan hopes to study for a Science Degree at ANU in Canberra, commencing next year.