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InternetNZ funding supports sign language archive

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:00:23 +1200

MEDIA RELEASE - 16 April 2013

A project to preserve historic film footage of the early use and development of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and NZ Deaf culture has been supported by a grant of $16,000 from InternetNZ.

The SignDNA project was established in 2012 with the aim of creating an online national archive of film and video material relating to the New Zealand Deaf Community. It also aims to provide and maintain the archive for public access to these linguistic and cultural artefacts, for research, public interest including media use.

Managed by Sonia Pivac and Daniel Hanks from the Deaf innovation hub, Deafradio, the project has a number of aims, including increasing the awareness of the general population regarding the history, development and value of New Zealand’s third official language.

“Culture is always contained in language,” says Pivac, herself Deaf. “NZSL is a visual language so, for the first time, this archive of films and videos presents Deaf culture and history in the first language of Deaf people, stretching back to at least the 1950s.

“We hope the SignDNA archive will provide a rich source of cultural history, not just for Deaf children and adults, but also for the wider population, who may use the archive to demystify and better understand the NZ Deaf community.”

The project is developing under the umbrella of Diversityworks Trust. Executive Director Philip Patston says the project had been a great fit with the Trust’s objectives and values. “We concentrate on supporting our own and others’ innovations to promote diversity, creativity and social change. SignDNA ticks all those boxes.

“NZSL is creative in itself and a heightened awareness of the language can only generate more accessibility. Imagine if all children were taught NZSL at school — communication barriers for Deaf people could all but disappear within generations.”

InternetNZ funds community projects to further its objects and goals as a charitable, non-profit common interest society established to maintain and extend the availability of the Internet and its associated technologies and applications in New Zealand.

InternetNZ Acting Chief Executive Jordan Carter says InternetNZ is delighted to be helping fund the SignDNA project. “In making collections of Deaf-related material more freely available online, the project fits snugly with one of InternetNZ's guiding policy principles - that the Internet should be accessible by and inclusive of everyone.”

The SignDNA archive is on track to be launched later this year. The project has also received support from the Lotteries Commission, the JR McKenzie Trust’s Deaf Development Fund and a crowd-funding campaign on PledgeMe.

The archive will house videos of presentations, social outings, politics and sports, as well as Deaf cultural art forms such as storytelling and sign-signing. The processing of footage will uncover the origins of signs and other aspects of Deaf culture, making it a useful tool for research.

For more information visit www.signdna.org.nz or www.diversityworks.org.nz/projects

ENDS

For further comment please contact:

SignDNA/Deafradio
Project Manager
Sonia Pivac
e sonia@deafradio.co.nz
text 021 188 8494

Diversityworks Trust
Executive Director
Philip Patston
e philip@diversitynz.com
p 09 376 4830
m 021 764 837

Internet NZ
Communications Lead
Campbell Gardiner
e campbell@internetnz.net.nz
p 04 495 2332

Superhero thanks to PledgeMe donors

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:19:31 +1200

As recently reported we are stoked to have received such overwhelming support of our PledgeMe campaign to print copies of “My Friend is a Superhero”, our kids' book.

The campaign raised $4045 in total, over $500 more than our $3500 target.

We're busily tying up lose ends, divvying up rewards and waiting for the last pledges to come through before we decide exactly how many books to print. All going well we hope to print 1250 instead of 1000.

We've had wonderful feedback as we've contacted pledgers, which we'll post very soon.

Meanwhile, we'd like to thank the following and other anonymous donors for your generosity. You are all superheroes to us!

Katie Noble
Dean Easterbrook
James Pike
Jack Byrne
Jeremy Patston
Colin & Sally Patston
Diane Edwards
Rachel Cooper
Arron Patterson
Alec Mackay
Kath McPherson
Wendy Neilson
Julie Haggie
Lesley Slade
Janne Ensor
Sam Bassett
Belinda Drake
John Marrable
Andrea Vautier
Lisette Ingram
A Shaw
Nathan & Cindy Carleton
Carol Waterman
Allyson Hamblett
Alison Ferguson
Natalie Scollay
Gina Isbister
Wendy Beasley
Jude Rivlin
Dee Morgan
Benjamin Davies
Alexandra Lutyens
Robyn Chalmers
Angela Maxwell-Mcrae
Felicity Reid
Candy Jill Elsmore
Nicole Helene
Diane Leith
julie watson
Kay Jones
Jackie Cotter
Gala
Deafradio
Tina Helm
Sina Masoud-Ansari
Mathilda Schorer
Jan Natusch
Hemant Thakkar
Tamara Faanana
Duane Donovan
Laura Wilkinson-Meyers
Gary Gunning
Jill Hayhurst
Angela Kelly
Jessica Jones
Kirsty Buggins
Loretta Bush
Adrian Field
Katie
Sarah Chirnside
Naikai
Amy Blinkhorne
Red Nicholson

Crowd-funding pays off for kids' book fundraiser (@pledgeme)

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:41:06 +1300

At the beginning of March Diversityworks Trust started a PledgeMe campaign to raise $3500 to print 1000 copies of My Friend Is A Superhero. Duffy Books in Homes agreed to distribute 500 of these to lower-decile schools throughout New Zealand.

Today the campaign not only hit its target but, at time of writing, has nearly hit $4000.

We are absolutely stoked by the generosity of crowd-funders and the potential we see that crowd-funding has for projects that promote optimism, creativity and social change.

Jaden Movold's Mum offered his help to raise money — today we were able to ask Jaden to thank people for their generosity.

Here's the video we made with Jaden and below our original crowd-funding video. Many thanks to Jaden and Lise, and Anna and the team at PledgeMe.

Campaign aims to get disability seen more on screen

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:10:55 +1300

MEDIA RELEASE

25 March 2013

Over the years we’ve seen heaps of great television personalities on our screens. But what we haven’t seen are the one in five New Zealanders who have a disability.

These are the opening words of a new campaign that aims to to lobby broadcasters, ad agencies, talent agencies and the media to drive an increase in the visibility of disabled people on our television screens.

The More Diversity on Screen campaign is an initiative of Diversityworks Trust. It is the second phase of a project, Unique Extras, that promotes the talent of people with disability.

Trust Executive Director Philip Patston, who spent 15 years performing as a comedian with roles on Shortland Street, Pulp Comedy and Spin Doctors, says audiences are missing out. “We’ve seen a growing representation of gender, cultural and sexual diversity on our television screens. However audiences are still missing out on the one in five of us who live with the unique experience of disability,” Patston says.

A recent scan of major television channels conducted by the Trust showed that, in nearly 950 hours of content shown on channels One, 2, 3, Four. Prime and Maori Television in one week, five hours featured disabled characters, actors or presenters. Of these five hours only half an hour was not in prime time viewing (5.30pm-9.30pm).

Some advertising showed disabled people, but only in the context of charity and fundraising.

Representation of disabled people was included in the weekly documentary series Attitude, reality outdoors series Gone Fishin’ (whose presenter and producer Graeme Sinclair uses a wheelchair) and overseas series Glee, Packed to the Rafters, and Coronation Street.

Patston says he is optimistic about these statistics. “With TV being such a huge influence in society these days, it’s great that most representation is in prime time. Our challenge is to increase the number of hours and the number of local productions depicting disabled people.

“A key objective is to raise awareness and understanding of disability by bringing images of disabled people engaging in regular activities to the screens of New Zealanders. We want to make it commonplace to see disabled people in the background of scenes in TV series or in advertisements.”

The scan also showed that, over a week, channels One, 2 and 3 captioned a total of 425 hours of content for Deaf audiences, while 19.5 hours of content, on channels One and 2, were audio described for blind audiences.

Maori Television are supporting the campaign by airing an animated commercial free of charge. The commercial asks the public to visit morediversity.org.nz to support the cause.

A survey of television viewers and members of the industry will also be conducted over the next three months.

The More Diversity on Screen campaign is supported by Think Differently, a Government social change campaign to encourage and support a fundamental shift in attitudes and behaviour towards disabled people.

ENDS.

For more information

Philip Patston
Executive Director
Diversityworks Trust Inc

e philip@diversitynz.com
p 09 976 4830
m 021 764 837

Campaign aims to influence children (and their parents) away from negative stereotypes

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:27:29 +1300

You know how kids stare at people in wheelchairs and aren’t sure what to say? Well, we want to change that. We want kids to run up to people in wheelchairs and say, “Wow! You must be a superhero!”

My Friend is a Superhero! is a children’s book about Jack, who uses a wheelchair, told by his friend, who sees all the amazing things Jack can do — like getting to school sitting down, playing basketball and doing tricks at the skate park. Jack’s also really good at maths!

Written by Barbara Pike and Philip Patston, and illustrated by Sam Orchard, the book’s purpose is to influence children (and their parents) away from negative stereotypes, as well as portraying unique aspects of function and experience to encourage children’s natural curiosity.

The book is A5, 32-pages and full colour. Reading age is around 7-9 years, but we believe it would suit children aged 3-10 years and possibly older as a discussion starter about diversity. It is published by Diversityworks Trust Inc.

A PledgeMe campaign aims to raise money to print 1000 copies of My Friend Is A Superhero. Duffy Books in Homes have agreed to distribute 500 of these to lower-decile schools throughout New Zealand.

Duffy Books in Homes provides free books to children from decile one, two and three schools. Children in these schools are more likely to come from homes which have limited or no access to books. Children who can’t read become adults who can’t communicate and that’s a serious disadvantage in a world that operates on the written word.

Duffy provides free books to over 100,000 New Zealand children, three times a year, across 500 schools. This includes books for school libraries as well as copies that kids can take home and keep.

The rest of the books will be available as rewards and for sale. Any profit from sales will go towards a further reprint of the book.

PLEDGE TODAY!

Expression of interest call out: Arts Access Aotearoa Make –A –Difference Arts Advocate Project

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 10:12:37 +1300

Diversityworks Trust has partnered with Arts Access Aotearoa to seek expressions of interest from Auckland artists with unique function/experience (disability) to participate in the Make –A –Difference Project 2013 and be trained as arts advocates. Up to 20 people will be accepted onto the programme.

There will be five workshops in total, starting on Saturday 23 March with an orientation workshop at Auckland Art Gallery.

The aim of the project is to see measurable improvements in the ways that arts organisations are inclusive of disabled people, and an increase in the number of disabled people accessing and participating in the arts.

More information can be downloaded (in Word format and in PDF format. Please feel free to forward it to others.

To submit an expression of interest, the following needs to be emailed to Philip Patston by Friday 8 March:

• A curriculum vitae

• 100 word statement about why you would like to be part of the programme

• Name and contact details of a referee

• Your preferred day of the week for the workshop: weekday, Saturday or Sunday

Feel free to contact Philip with any queries.

Kids book aims to reframe disability through the lens of functional diversity

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:25:50 +1300

You can download a sample here. The book is A5, 32-pages, full colour. We believe it would suit children from 3-7 years, and possibly older as a discussion starter about diversity.

Proceeds help support Diversityworks Trust.

Trust celebrates seven years of diversity

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:00:07 +1300

Diversityworks Trust held its seventh Annual General Meeting on Thursday 22 November.

Chairperson Carol Waterman said, "This has been our seventh year of operation and the best year yet. I think everyone would agree this is a great vehicle for social change."

Carol went on to thank the Ministry of Social Development for recognising two of the Trust's projects as worthy of investing in – Unique Extras, which aims to shift the way disability is seen in the media; and the Unique Business programme, which enabled ten people to explore options for self-employment.

"To one and all who have worked with us in the past 12 months, again thank you for helping us achieve our small but significant vision of a better world in Aotearoa."

Executive Director Philip Patston said that the Trust's decision to review its vision, mission and strategic objectives had left the organisation in a strong and agile position. "Our objectives – to continue successful projects, seek new opportunities, monitor unsuccessful projects and seek alternative approaches – allow us to take advantage of our small size and light structure," he said.

"The Trust also seeks to intentfully utilise humour and to find like-minded people and organisations with whom to partner."

You can download the Trust's Annual Report

PDF, 1.2MB or Plain Text, 28KB.

Archiving project focuses on history of New Zealand Sign Language

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 06:38:15 +1200

Media Release – 26 July 2012

Diversityworks Trust in partnership with Deafradio is pleased to announce the launch of a nationally significant archiving project that focuses on preserving the history of New Zealand Sign Language and the Deaf Community.

The project, called SignDNA (Sign Language Deaf National Archive), aims to locate Deaf-related footage filmed prior to the early 1990’s, with the intention to digitise and host the footage on SignDNA’s website, which will be freely accessible to all.

SignDNA is run under the umbrella of Diversityworks Trust, which facilitates projects and partnerships that promote diversity, creativity and social change.

“We’re very excited to support Deafradio to preserve evidence of the origins and early development of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and NZ Deaf culture,” said Executive Director Philip Patston.

“We see this as an important part of our country’s diversity that needs to be recognised and valued.”

Diversityworks Trust and Deafradio lead this project with the guidance and advice from a Deaf Community Advisory Group. This group includes people from all over New Zealand who have a passion for Deaf history, who have experience with video footage and private collections, and a knowledge and understanding of older styles of sign language to help with the translating and categorising of the footage.

“The SignDNA team would love to hear from anyone who may have footage, or know where such footage exists,” said Raymond Jenkin from the advisory group. “It’s vital this footage, particularly the older films, are digitally converted for preservation before it’s too late.”

Deafradio Creative Director Sonia Pivac adds, “NZSL history is literally dissolving before our eyes. So there is great urgency in locating and preserving this heritage”.

The SignDNA website www.signDNA.org.nz launched today, now contains a public call for NZSL footage and other assistance, presented in NZSL and English. It is hoped the full site containing the online archive will be formally re-launched with archival footage by the end of the year.

ENDS

Contact

Philip Patston, Diversityworks Trust 021 764 837

Daniel Hanks, Deafradio, 0225 DEAFRADIO (332 372)

Music video challenges social labels and fear

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:18:28 +1200

Diversityworks Trust's Executive Director, ex-comedian Philip Patston has released his debut music video.

As Love Draws Near is the first of a musical collaboration between Philip and Israeli musician/composer Arli Liberman. The video was produced by Borderless Productions.

Some of the video's extras were talent from the Trust's newly formed Unique Agency.

"As Love Draws Near tells the story of how we all have the opportunity to move from fear to love by removing the labels that tie us down," says Philip, who won a Billy T Award in recognition of his contribution to the comedy industry in 1999. "The core message of this video is to encourage people to engage in social change and for individuals to accept diversity and who we really are."

Philip funded the video himself to promote the work he does with Diversityworks Trust. He wants to continue to use his music and videos to promote the connections between diversity, creativity and social change.

"The next track I'd like to work on is called Jaw Set. It has a strong message about suicide and I'd like to create a video that can spark a conversation about this in a different way, particularly amongst young men.

"Unless I can get at least some financial contribution, I would need to put things on hold for six to 12 months before considering the next video," he concedes.

If you'd like to support the next video, you can buy As Love Draws Near from Amplifier for NZD$1.99 – 60% will go to the Trust – or you can make a one-off or regular donation on Givealittle.

AS LOVE DRAWS NEAR

Words: Philip Patston

Music: Arli Liberman

Harp: Tony Lewis

Video: Borderless Productions

Think pink to address bullying

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:05:59 +1200

Pink Shirt Day is coming up! On May 18th, Diversityworks Trust will join together with the Mental Health Foundation and other partner organisations to celebrate our national day of awareness and action around preventing bullying and promoting positive relationships. We are hoping you will spread the word and get people involved this friday. I know you have a big reach and this is a worthy cause. We'd love for you to tell your network and promote Pink Shirt Day.

Pink Shirt Day aims to reduce bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting the development of positive social relationships. An annual event celebrated throughout New Zealand and the world, Pink Shirt Day aims to create a New Zealand where all people feel safe, valued and respected. While Pink Shirt Day is celebrated on only one day per year, we all recognize that the work needed to prevent bulling must continue throughout the year to make a real difference. Pink Shirt Day is about starting conversations and taking action.

The event began in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2007, when a group of students stood up to defend a classmate who was bullied because he was wearing a pink shirt. The students took a stand by all wearing pink shirts to show solidarity. We’ve been celebrating Pink Shirt Day in New Zealand since 2009.

We want to encourage everyone to wear a Pink Shirt on May 18th, 2012 as a commitment to working to prevent bullying, celebrating diversity and creating an Aotearoa where everyone feels included.

We have resources and information on our website. There are posters and toolkits available for downloading, and information for how to get further involved.

Like us on Facebook.

We also have a video PSA about this year’s event, here.

Many thanks for your support.

Innovation fund will support disabled people into self-employment

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:29:42 +1200

Diversityworks Trust has secured funding from the Ministry of Social Development's Employment Innovation Fund to support disabled people into self-employment.

Disabled people wishing to become self-employed, particularly those who are currently recipients of Work and Income or ACC income, are invited to apply for a six-month intensive mentoring and coaching programme.

Click here to apply for the programme »

The programme will be led by Diversityworks Executive Director Philip Patston and Lesley Slade, both of whom have personal experience of self-employment and disability over a combined period of 20 years and have proven skills in starting up, developing and maintaining small businesses while managing the impact of permanent and short-term disability.

The two will work with a group of 10 people to mentor and coach them to develop themselves and support each other to be sustainably self-employed. Modern and agile small business ideology will be used to help people vision, strategise, implement and review their small business concept.

An ongoing network will be created so that the small business owners can share skills, administrative services, web development, and other operational costs.

By the end of six months each person will aim to be established as self-employed — including company, tax and accounting set-up — and be ready to offer a product or service to the market. Each will have an established business framework which will allow them to adapt and grow their business over time. They will have developed skills in management, marketing, product and service development, customer service and social networking.

Funding for support (eg. Workbridge Self-Start and Job Support) will have been identified and applied for. Each will be part of a supportive, small business/self-employment network infrastructure.

At the end of the project each person will also undergo a self-assessment of their confidence and capability to remain self-employed. Further development needs will be identified. Marketing success will be measured through client leads.

Current self-employment support options for disabled people are limited to Workbridge's Self-Start fund, which requires a comprehensive business plan, projections and business skills, but offers no follow-up. This project will fill this preparation and sustainability gap in current services.

Community arts project cancelled

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:04:08 +1300

Sadly, Diversityworks is no longer able to run its Image Theatre project, funded by Creative Communities.

The decision was made due to a low indication of interest from initial promotion and successful funding for a second large Government project (to be announced shortly), which affects capacity.

Project funding will be returned to Auckland Council.

Media encouraged to embrace uniqueness

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:35:24 +1300

Diversityworks Trust has received a grant from the Ministry of Social Development's "Think Differently" Disability Campaign to influence the media's portrayal of disability.

Media has a high conscious and sub-conscious impact on society. ’Unique Extras’ is a project that aims to use popular culture through the media to make disabled people visible in everyday life. TV drama, film and advertising reaches audiences across New Zealand.

Diversityworks Trust seeks a part-time, self-motivated person with good media knowledge and networks to head a six-month project that will use the popularity of these media genres to influence public attitudes toward disabled people by promoting disabled and Deaf people as extras and increasing appreciation and visibility of disabled and Deaf people.

The ’Unique Extras’ Agent/Co-ordinator will work with media andproduction companies to encourage them to use disabled or Deaf people in non-featured roles in popular media including advertisements, tv dramas and films. This will provide employment opportunities for disabled people and allow a space for other actors and crew to interact with disabled people professionally.

The Agent/Co-ordinator will also work to increase the appreciation of disabled and Deaf people's talents among media/production and the frequency and breadth of diversity portrayed in screen media in a low-key, regular manner.

We believe this is a more effective way to promote awareness than having disabled featured characters as it allows a diversity of people to be visible without over-emphasising the issue of disability — people just happen to be in scenes interacting in everyday settings.

We wish to increase knowledge and understanding of disability by bringing images of disabled people engaging in “regular” activities into the lounges of NZers. It will increase the personal relevance of disability for all New Zealanders by reminding them that disabled people are part of their daily lives. It will mobilise personal and community action for positive change by requiring actors and crew to engage equally with disabled people and discuss this with family and friends. It will address the social environment that tolerates or accepts exclusion of disabled people by modelling natural inclusion.

This project gives disabled people in Auckland an opportunity to front up and take the personal risk of participating in a simple but high profile media-based activity to raise the frequency of disability being portrayed on tv in a low-key, regular manner, which will benefit both local and national audiences. It creates opportunities for interaction with actors whom have influence in society. It also facilitates confidence-building, networking and experience that has potential to have positive spin-offs in disabled people’s lives.

Please note: This is a new idea, the fund is for small community-based projects and we are a small organization based in Auckland, so we have focused on Auckland this time around. We don't have budget for travel but we welcome interest from people throughout NZ as opportunities could well open up outside Auckland and/or for people outside Auckland as the project unfolds.

Director contributes chapters to books on faggots and social change

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:50:10 +1300

Diversityworks Trust Director Philip Patston has chapters in two books that will be launched in the next few weeks.

The first book, to be launched in San Fancisco on 14 February, is "Why are Faggots So Afraid of Faggots?" The book "challenges not just the violence of straight homophobia but the hypocrisy of mainstream gay norms that say the only way to stay safe is to act straight: get married, join the military, adopt kids! Compiled by trans-activist Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, it reinvokes the anger, flamboyance, and subversion once thriving in gay subcultures in order to create something dangerous and lovely: an exploration of the perils of assimilation; a call for accountability; a vision for change."

Patston's chapter, entitled "Fluidity is the New Diversity", discusses his experience of disability in the gay community. He says, "It leads me to believe that the fear, on both sides, is not so much of the disability factor, but rather of the need to communicate about the difference and allow this new shared experience to deepen the relationship. It takes trust, respect, strength and a whole lot of faith to have what are unusual and, sometimes, difficult conversations. It means letting go of expectations and traveling into the unknown.

"Now, more than ever before, we need to be considering more fluid spectra of diversity, sexuality and identity, which includes disability — or, more specifically, the “functional diversity” through which we move in, out and around during our life time.

"Lets call it fluidity.

"Fluidity is about uniqueness and commonality, similarity and difference. It's about how to believe in ourselves, especially when others don't quite understand us. Fluidity is about self-awareness, communication, inquiry, exploration. It's about the dialectic of certainty and confusion, knowing and not knowing. It's about recognizing fear and meeting it, head on, with love and peace."

The second book is "How Communities Heal", by vivian Hutchinson and the New Zealand Social Entrepreneur Fellowship, of which Patston was a member. The book "tells the unique stories of a group of New Zealand social entrepreneurs, and their work to create systemic and sustainable solutions to New Zealand’s social challenges. [It] seeks to foster social innovation in New Zealand by highlighting and promoting the particular variety of leadership that brings insight, entrepreneurship and practical hope into our communities."

Patston's chapter, "Adding Diversity to Common Sense", draws comparisons between disability and other change movements. “Take women’s or indigenous people’s health initiatives, for example ... the services got better when the people being served took more control. The way that disability support services are provided is predominantly from a commonly functioning perspective and does not meet many of our basic, let alone higher, needs. We need to affirm the fact that we can and will plan, assess, deliver, fund and evaluate services which meet our own needs, in a way that suits our lifestyle and culture."

"How Communities Heal" will be launched in Auckland on 20 February.

New strategic direction for 2012

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:02:05 +1300

Diversityworks will enhance its ability to facilitate opportunities for projects and partnerships that promote diversity and creativity as levers for healthy social change in 2012.

At a Board meeting in late 2011, Trustees adopted a new, simpler strategic plan, emphasising working to the organisation's strengths, responding to opportunity and using humour and play as catalysts for change.

Trust Director Philip Patston, who presented the strategy in a simple, diagramatic form, said the plan reflected changing times. "We are a small, agile organisation working in an era of rapid change. I wanted a strategy that allowed us to move quickly when opportunities arise – and let go of things when they stop working.

"We now have a strategy which allows us to ask, 'Does this promote diversity and creativity as levers for healthy social change?' If it does, let's play with it and see where it goes."

The Trust's work programme in 2012 includes reviewing its peer support network, running a workshop on Image Theatre and working with the media to increase representation of diversity.

More about the Trust and its strategic direction »

Diversityworks Trust announces new community arts project

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:30:54 +1300

Diversityworks Trust is pleased to announce a new community arts project to take place in 2012. The "Images of Change" project aims to engage a group of creative people with unique and common function (disabled and non-disabled) to work together to create a performance narrative using the technique of image theatre.

Image theatre combines imagery, tableauxs, physical movement and basic counter-balance/acrobatics. Socially aware physical theatre is used consistently in both developed and developing countries as a tool for conflict resolution, leading to a diverse range of people working together to create progressive, thought provoking performance.

"Images of Change" is informed by this global legacy of peace through art projects. The projects structure is adapted from the image theatre model used by Makhampom Theatre Company in Thailand, where the innate creativity and inner wisdom of each participant is highly valued. Dialogue is encouraged and there are no props or costumes. We produce engaging theatre through the reliance and use of our bodies and voices.

Diversityworks Trust aims to create social change through the relationship between diversity and creativity, having found that engaging with diversity through an arts project builds confidence, creative expression, a sense of self-worth and empowerment, a sense of achievement and an accumulation of creative social capital. The project aims to bring people together to create a unique performance expressing solutions to problems that limit our opportunity to celebrate and capitalise on the diversity within our communities focused on function (disability).

The project is tailored for around 40 participants, who are interested in both creative expression and social change. Six full day workshops will be spaced over three weeks in May 2012, facilitated by Sarah Houbolt and Edward Clendon.

Sarah is a professional circus and physical theatre performer, actress and community arts worker who specialises in aerials, acrobatics, hula hoops and fire. She has worked with Vulcana Women's Circus in Australia, Auckland circus theatre company The Dust Palace and as Community Arts Coordinator at Auckland City Council. In 2011 she built upon her applied theatre knowledge by spending several weeks in Northern Thailland, teaching circus skills to refugee children and working with Makhampom on their community theatre projects. Makhampom specialise in image theatre and are one of the leading community cultural development companies in the region, with excellent processes and sustainable outcomes.

Edward is an ex-gymnast, a trained actor and an experienced performer. His current passions are aerials, acrobatics, tumbling and handstands. Having studied teaching, Edward has studied teaching, has experience working with children with unique needs and adults from diverse backgrounds. He uses image theatre to teach drama to children in primary schools and holiday programs, is Sarah's acrobatics and aerials creative partner, and is also a member of The Dust Palace, Outfit Theatre and Co. Theatre Physical.

Participants will gain performance skills and experience, increased connection and networks, as well as renewed awareness of diversity.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Project Coordinator Barbara Pike at barbara@diversitynz.com

(Photos show Sarah working with 2011 Be. Leadership participants.)

Trust celebrates six years of diversity, creativity and change

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:24:59 +1300

Diversityworks Trustees held their 6th Annual General Meeting in Auckland last night.

Chairperson Carol Waterman said, "Yet again our work has been generously supported by the Todd Foundation and others, and supremely executed by our small but diligent team. I also continue to appreciate the wisdom and oversight of my fellow trustees."

Diversityworks was set up in 2005 to promote diversity through creativity and education by running projects and social networks that assist people, particularly youth, to gain confidence and skills in order to reach their potential.

2010-2011 Annual Report (5.8MB)

MEDIA RELEASE; Director recognised for benefitting NZ quality of life

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:05:11 +1300

Diversityworks Trust's Founder and Director Philip Patston has received recognition from the Orangi Kaupapa Trust for his service to the community.

"It is incredible that Philip has been recognised for his contribution to others' lives," said Diversityworks Chairperson Carol Waterman. "Even though it came as a surprise to him, it will be no surprise to anyone who knows him."

In a private meeting last Monday, Orangi Kaupapa Executive Officer Vicki Carnell and Trustee Pip Duncalf presented Patston with a cheque, the proceeds of which they told him, "you must spend on yourself, not your work!"

They said, "Philip is a great example of an Orangi Kaupapa Trust recipient. Over the past 10+ years, he has created several innovative projects that provide benefit, inspiration and support to the disability community and also has a positive effect on the quality of life for all New Zealanders."

The Orangi Kaupapa Trust was established in 1987 with the purpose of rewarding people whose work benefits the quality of life in New Zealand. Funds are contributed by commercially successful people aand seek to reach those who are outstanding in non-commercial fields.

Orangi Kaupapa solely supports individuals who gain little or no financial benefits from their endeavours. It does not support organisations or projects.

In a blog post the diversity and social change expert said, "I am incredibly and humbly thankful to my colleagues and the Orangi Kaupapa Trust, who have demonstrated with humility their gratitude of me. What a wonderful way to operate in the world. Let there be more."

Over the last 20 years Patston has been the recipient of a Winston Churchill fellow; receive a Billy T James award for commitment and contribution to the NZ comedy industry; spoken and performed in Canada, the US, Belgium and Australia; set up several non profit organisations to benefit people experiencing disability; been recognised as a creative entrepreneur by the Arts Regional Trust; been an inaugural member of the NZ Social Entrepreneur Fellowship; spoken about diversity at the Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship in Oxford; is currently co-director of the Be. Institute's Leadership Programme; and was last year appointed as a Patron of Rainbow Youth, which supports queer young people.

MEDIA RELEASE: Exhibition successful beyond belief

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 06:19:04 +1200

Diversityworks Trust's "How Diversity Works" exhibition closed on 3 September with nearly 1800 people visiting the gallery or attending the related programme events.

The exhibition featured the works of 23 artists from New Zealand, the US, Canada and UK. It included visual art, sculpture and multi-media installations.

About 200 people packed Ponsonby's Artstation on 16 August for the exhibition's opening, with one attendee describing it as the best they'd attended. Artstation staff said it was the most diverse and popular opening the gallery had hosted.

An artist panel attracted a modest 17 people but stimulated interesting discussion about the role of art and art-makers promoting a more holistic and less confrontational understanding of diversity.

The Diversity Inquiry workshop attracted 40 people with most participants rating it as excellent. One described it as "inspiring and mind-shifting", while another said, "The clarity re-uniqueness and individuality has been inspirational and refreshing."

Executive Director Philip Patston said the project had been an overwhelming success for the Trust. "It was a perfect way for us to introduce and demonstrate our revised mission for 2012 and beyond, which is to inspire inquiry into the nature of diversity, creativity and social change."

Patston said he was already in discussion with prospective partners to organise a second exhibition and related programme next year.

Meanwhile the exhibition will be archived online and made available later this year.

For more information contact Diversityworks Trust.