Interviews with short listed applicants were conducted on Mon 24th November 2008 "and the winner is"
Bhen Radburn
Download details of Bhen's first fundraiser here.
The following is what Ben said when asked "what activities you have already undertaken in an aim to achieve your “dream” ?
"A few years ago I traveled to my mothers homeland of the Philippines. I saw the impoverished country that she grew up in; striking a chord in me to help both my community locally and internationally. When in the Philippines I offered myself to do workshops with various disadvantaged groups. One of those being, the street kids of Quezon City. I did a workshop with these inspiring young dancers who had but a pile of city waster or “squatter area” for a home. I also did a dance workshop for the women of Mandaluyong City Jail. Here I taught these women expressive movements that allowed them to express themselves through dance and song; women who are victims of many injustices of south east Asian jails.
When I arrived back home to my community, I had an urgency to help through dance. I quickly saw the council and began to organize what is now the Youth Café Dance program. Here I offer dance lessons to the youth of the Bateman’s bay community. I believe these kids obtain unique talent. However given their cultural or economic differences they aren’t given the opportunity to take part in secular dance classes and master their art. I met three exceptional young indigenous dancers. These three, through the support of our program, would train along side me in the Canberra dance company “Quantum Leap” and learn from the best contemporary choreographers in Australia. One young girl even made it through months of hard training to eventually take part in their annual production called “My sister My brother”. This has given them all the experience and confidence to go on to one day study and be able to share their own cultural stories through dance. I now continue to teach voluntarily at the youth café as well as my own training with Quantum Leap in Canberra and Stepz at Batemans Bay. I also teach beginner to Advanced Hip Hop at Stepz " .
A brief History of Dream and Achieve
Dream & Achieve was formed just over three years ago, to raise funds to send a local young girl, Abby Earl, to the United States. Abby had been selected as the Australian representive to the Global Young Leaders Conference. The cost to her family to get her there was $10,000. We achieved this with a one off function and auction of goods donated by the local community.
The committee then decided to run this as an annual event. So, this time we advertised in the community via local media for anyone with a ‘dream’ to complete an application and submit it and we would select a worthy applicant to raise the funds needed to achieve this ‘dream’.
That year James Canty was the winner. James wanted to attend the Academy of Interactive Entertainment. James at only 16 was a very talented cartoonist.
We were able to raise the funds needed to allow James to complete his Certificate IV in 3D Animation for Games & Film.
This brought us to the attention of the Academy who were so impressed with how we had so much community support we had achieved, they have now given us two scholarships per year to be included in our program. Prime Television has also come on board and they promote us on Prime TV with a very extensive advertising campaign as part of their Community Partnership program.
Last year we assisted three young people with their ‘dream’.
The Dream and Achieve Foundation was set up by a sub committee of Women in Business, Batemans Bay with all funds raised going through the Lions Club of Batemans Bay.
Supported by Prime Television Community Partnerships, the goal of Dream & Achieve is to inspire the youth of the Eurobodalla region to achieve, to take the opportunity afforded to them, to venture outside the square, to involve themselves in community activities and to reach the peak of their potential.
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