Presidential Ponderings
Today is the start of the District Conference in Margaret River - safe travels to everyone going.
Big welcome back to Geoff Longshaw and Vic Stoyanoff - great to see you back!
Guest Speaker Larissa Muir, CEO 12 Buckets
Larissa Muir has worked in the community services sector for the last 10 years with experience working in disability, mental health, youth, and homelessness. Larissa uses her curiosity to understand how we connect in community to break down barriers and make the world around us more accessible for all. Larissa is excited to connect, share her knowledge and experiences with everyone.
As CEO of 12 Buckets, she is working to ensure that all children are able to engage in their education and connect to their local community. When she isn’t working at 12 Buckets, she is renovating with her husband David and showing her three children how amazing their unique brains are.
12 Buckets started out in 2010 at Balga Primary School, offering mentoring to primary school students. The program aims to invest in the social and emotional well-being of students who lack stable relationships with adults and role models.
THE 12 BUCKETS: The Guiding Buckets “Circle of Courage” framework focuses on Belonging, Mastery, Generosity and Independence.
Each of these are supported by three principles:
- Belonging – Cooperation, Inclusion, Friendship
- Mastery – Learning, Creativity, Organisation
- Generosity – Kindness, Forgiveness, Support
- Independence – Decision making, Self discipline, Leadership
In her opening remarks, Larissa alluded to her own lived experiences. April signifies the start of Autism Awareness Month. We often have pre-conceived ideas about what Autism looks like and it normally occurs in boys. Two years ago, Larissa was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD along with her kids. She recalls the challenges she faced growing up and those her kids are facing now. She considers, in her position as CEO, it is a privilege to be able to talk openly about her diagnosis because many can’t.
Many young people out there are facing these big challenges such as homelessness, food insecurity, not having the resources that they need to engage in their education. Often these things are out of their control and they are reliant on adults in their life to support them and find a way through. There might be a lot happening to them that they just don’t know where to start or how to ask for help. This gives context as to why 12 Buckets is so important personally to Larissa.
12 Buckets started with four schools in 2010 and now is up to six Primary and one High School. The focus is about making the kids who come to them feel very safe. It is about creating impact beyond just mentoring and being able to create pathways.
They start working with their kids from age six and working on a 1-to-1 model and to build a community around them.
This leads to a Peer Mentoring Program in a group approach where their 1-to-1 learned skills are transferred. Many young people can’t often get to school and need that support outside, which has led to a community-based program as well.
School holidays also present a challenge. As of last year, 12 Buckets started to offer school holiday opportunities. Those holiday periods could be socially isolating for them and be the highest time for mental health challenges.
The journey map is to build a relationship to then extend on. Th focus is to develop a “pathway to purpose” where employment is an outcome of that. The longer the kids stay in education, when they find that purpose, they have a real opportunity to become active contributing community members.
Our impact in 2024:
12 Buckets receives zero government funding. They are reliant on the generosity of their mentors and philanthropists, the generosity of people connected to 12 Buckets. The new member for Mindarie, Mark Folkard MLA, wants to bring 12 Buckets to his area.
Larissa related the story of Daniel, a young boy from Sudan. When his older two siblings went off to High School, he found his shoes no longer fitted. The only thing his mother could do was to send Daniel to school in his sister’s shoes. For several days Daniel couldn’t concentrate or play sport as “everyone was looking at his feet”. He waited until his mentoring session on Wednesday, in the safety of his Mentor, to mention what was troubling him. 12 Buckets were able to supply him with shoes from their support partners. It is not so much the issue of supplying the shoes as of Daniel having that safe space to say anything.
For a small organisation, 12 Bucket’s impact is massive. The only way to have such a big impact is due to the community they build around themselves and as such around their young people. Larissa, on behalf of their young people gave a big thank you to the Mill Point Rotary Club for the continued conversation and fundraising support.
Directors' Reports and Member Announcements
Astrid (Youth):
- The Board unanimously agreed to proceed with the Rotary Youth Exchange program. Outbound students will leave January 2026and inbound students will arrive June 2026. We will ask parents of outbound students to host the inbound students but will still need 2-3 host families from the club.
- Rotary Youth Program of ENrichment (RYPEN) 2nd - 4th May, applications close 21st April. The program is for 14-17 year olds, please consider your grandchildren, nieces, nephews or friend children.
Gorby (Vocational):
- The Endeavour Awards night at the Pines in Bentley is 3 June. Book now using the link in the flier on Events page.
- Pride of Workmanship Awards - we are seeking nominations for people who go above and beyond their duties in the workplace. Awards will be held 2 May.
Ross Smith (Community):
- Ronald McDonald House 'Home for Dinner' was held last Sunday with 10 Rotarians/friends/partners cooking 125 meals. Thank you to everyone for your support and a Certificate of Appreciation was given to the Club.
Kelly (President):
- A brainstorming session will be held on Sunday April 6th, 2-4pm to identify new ideas for major fundraising event and maintain our major beneficiaries. All welcome, see Events Page for details.
Wayne D (Vocational):
- A new Peace Pole has been erected at Curtin Primary school, making this our 4th Peace Pole in our Community.
Peter D ((Membership):
- Those going to Bali, NZ or Interstate will be delighted to learn that the Entertainment book is now interstate and also covers amenities in overseas. Plus a $30 Visa card practically covers the cost of the book! See Events page for more details.
A Fine Art...
Pocket Rocket Jenny McLean (AKA Madame Lash) doled out the fines in fine form!
- All those not going to the District Conference
- Taxpayers are budget winner so anyone with a taxable income, Medicare Guzzlers, Prescription Junkies - pay up.
- The navy is in Port for a heavy recruitment program and looking for skilled workers so $1 from everyone in anticipation of going AWOL who may have the prerequisite skills - Hello Sailor!
- Tesla owners who may need spare parts/paint now that the value of the company is rapidly diminishing due to political unrest, give us a dollar whilst you still have one due to the Brand Crisis Tornado.
- Egg eaters this morning - a rare commodity and it may have been your last! $1 from each of you.
- Lager Lovers have got a reprieve as indexation on draught excise has been panned.
- Visitor of the Week - Vic Stoyanof - great to see you but cough up a dollar!
Heads and Tails
week and threw 2 heads, 1 of each, then 2 tails - but Howard Nelson nailed it (or should that be tailed it) and won the coveted bottle of grog! Thanks to Lyn and Margaret Metcalf for supplying the weekly prize.
Attendance
38 attendees in all, including guest speaker Larissa Muir and visitors Huyen Pham and Bassem Hellou.
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